2 days in Phoenix

Day by day

1. Day 1: Desert Botanical Garden and Papago Park and Hole-in-the-Rock

   Desert Botanical Garden, Papago Park and Hole-in-the-Rock, Phoenix Zoo and Camelback Mountain, then South Mountain Park and Preserve in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Desert Botanical Garden

      Spring brings cactus blooms and a butterfly pavilion.

   2. Late morning

      Papago Park and Hole-in-the-Rock

      A short scramble up Hole-in-the-Rock leads to a natural opening framing the city, a favourite spot for sunset photos.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sonoran hot dog

      Hot dog stands and food trucks across south and west Phoenix, especially in the evening.

   4. Afternoon

      Phoenix Zoo

      Shaded walkways and misters help, but mornings are best in warm months.

   5. Late afternoon

      Camelback Mountain

      The Echo Canyon and Cholla trails are steep and rocky, gaining roughly 400 metres in under 2 km with handrails on the hardest scrambles, and the top looks over the whole Valley.

   6. Evening

      South Mountain Park and Preserve

      Drive up to Dobbins Lookout around sunset, then stay to see the city lights spread out below.

2. Day 2: Heard Museum and Phoenix Art Museum

   Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Piestewa Peak and Musical Instrument Museum, then Old Town Scottsdale in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Heard Museum

      Founded in 1929, the Heard is one of the leading museums of American Indian art, with galleries on the Native peoples of the Southwest, a large Hopi katsina doll collection and a moving exhibit on the boarding school era, set around courtyards with sculpture.

   2. Late morning

      Phoenix Art Museum

      Yayoi Kusama's infinity mirror room, filled with tiny lights, is its most popular single work.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chimichanga

      Sonoran-style Mexican restaurants across the Valley.

   4. Afternoon

      Piestewa Peak

      The surrounding Phoenix Mountains Preserve has gentler circuit trails among saguaros for those not heading to the top.

   5. Late afternoon

      Musical Instrument Museum

      There are galleries on famous musicians and a room where visitors can play instruments.

   6. Evening

      Old Town Scottsdale

      Walk the gallery district on a Thursday evening, then have dinner nearby.

Before you go

• Desert Botanical Garden: Timed tickets are needed for busy periods and the December luminaria evenings sell out early.

If it rains

• Swap in Arizona Science Center (Downtown Phoenix): Use it as a midday escape from the heat with children, then picnic in the shade of Heritage Square.
• Swap in OdySea Aquarium (Scottsdale): Combine it with Butterfly Wonderland next door for a full indoor day in hot weather.
• Swap in Arizona Capitol Museum (Downtown Phoenix): Pair it with a walk through Wesley Bolin Plaza's memorials across the street.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 21–29 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. Valley Metro Rail runs through downtown Phoenix, past the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum, to the airport's Sky Train link, Tempe and Mesa.

More or fewer days

• One day in Phoenix
• 3 days in Phoenix
• 5 days in Phoenix

Questions travellers ask