For couples · Phoenix · United States
Romantic things to do in Phoenix
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Romance in Phoenix centres on desert sunsets, spa resorts, starry skies and long dinners on heated patios in winter. Couples tend to stay in Arcadia.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Arcadia
- Best months
- December
Romantic ideas
1.Sunrise balloon flight
Float over the Sonoran Desert at dawn and toast the landing with champagne.
2.Luminaria evening
Walk the Desert Botanical Garden's candlelit paths on a December evening.
3.Sunset at Dobbins Lookout
Drive up South Mountain to watch the sun go down and the city lights come on.
4.Resort spa day
Book a couples' treatment and pool afternoon at a Paradise Valley or Scottsdale resort.
5.Old Town Scottsdale dinner
Stroll the galleries on a Thursday ArtWalk evening, then dine on a patio.
Sights couples love
Garden · Papago Park
Desert Botanical Garden
Visit at opening or in the evening in warmer months; in December, the luminaria nights light the paths with thousands of candle bags.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Couples
Architecture · Scottsdale
Taliesin West
Choose a morning tour for the best light on the stone and canvas, and the clearest views across the Valley.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Architecture
- History
- Couples
Experience · North Phoenix
Sunrise hot-air balloon flight
Book for early in your trip so there is time to rebook if wind cancels the flight.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours including transfers
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Views
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers and quiet stays
Arcadia
Arcadia, at the foot of Camelback Mountain, is a residential area of ranch houses on large lots planted with old citrus groves. Restaurants and bars line Indian School Road and 40th Street, and the Echo Canyon trailhead is a short drive away.
- Good
- Close to the Camelback trails; Good restaurants; Between Phoenix and Scottsdale
- Watch out
- Mostly rentals and boutique hotels; Car needed
- Nearby
- Camelback Mountain, Old Town Scottsdale, Papago Park
Romantic day trips
- Sedona (About 2 hours by car) — Red sandstone buttes, the Chapel of the Holy Cross and trails such as Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock make Sedona the most popular trip from Phoenix.
- Grand Canyon South Rim (About 3 hours 45 minutes each way by car) — The South Rim's viewpoints, such as Mather Point and Yavapai Point, look into the canyon's layered walls.
- Lost Dutchman State Park (About 50 minutes by car) — At the foot of the jagged Superstition Mountains, the park has desert trails through saguaros and wildflowers, including the steep Siphon Draw route, and views of the cliffs glowing at sunset.
- Jerome (About 2 hours by car) — A former copper-mining town clinging to Cleopatra Hill, nearly abandoned after the mines closed and revived by artists.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Chimichanga, Pizzeria Bianco pizza and Mariscos and aguachile. Sales tax is added at the register and an 18–20% tip is expected at sit-down restaurants.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Phoenix romantic?
Romance in Phoenix centres on desert sunsets, spa resorts, starry skies and long dinners on heated patios in winter.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Phoenix?
Sunrise balloon flight: Float over the Sonoran Desert at dawn and toast the landing with champagne.
+Where should couples stay in Phoenix?
Arcadia: Citrus-tree-lined streets and patio restaurants below Camelback Mountain.