Solo travel · Phoenix · United States
Solo travel in Phoenix
How to enjoy Phoenix at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Phoenix suits solo travellers who like hiking and sunshine: busy sunrise trails, casual taco counters and Roosevelt Row's cafés make it easy to be alone without feeling isolated. Many solo travellers base themselves in Roosevelt Row.
Key facts
- Base
- Roosevelt Row
- Getting around
- Tram
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English and Spanish
Solo travel tips
- Hike popular trails like Piestewa Peak at sunrise when they are busiest and coolest, and tell someone your plan.
- Stay downtown or in Tempe to use the light rail instead of renting a car for a short trip.
- First Fridays on Roosevelt Row are an easy, sociable evening.
- Sit at the bar at downtown and Arcadia restaurants for easy conversation.
- In summer, schedule museums for afternoons and avoid any hiking after mid-morning.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for solo travellers, nightlife, food lovers and culture
Roosevelt Row
Roosevelt Row is Phoenix's arts district, a grid of bungalows and low buildings covered in murals, with galleries, coffee shops, bars and restaurants. On the first Friday of each month thousands of people walk between open galleries and street vendors.
- Good
- Street art and independent businesses; Walk to the Heard and Phoenix Art Museum; Lively First Fridays
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Some empty lots between blocks
- Nearby
- Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Downtown Phoenix
Great on your own
Nature · Arcadia
Camelback Mountain
Start at first light, carry more water than you think you need and turn back when half of it is gone; the city may close the trails on extreme heat days.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
Museum · Midtown Phoenix
Heard Museum
Allow time for the boarding school exhibit and the museum shop, which sells work bought directly from Native artists.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Nature · Phoenix Mountains Preserve
Piestewa Peak
Go at sunrise on a weekday; parking at the main trailhead fills early on weekends.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
Park · South Phoenix
South Mountain Park and Preserve
Drive up to Dobbins Lookout around sunset, then stay to see the city lights spread out below.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- History
- After dark
Park · Papago Park
Papago Park and Hole-in-the-Rock
Combine an early-evening climb to Hole-in-the-Rock with dinner nearby after a day at the zoo or Desert Botanical Garden.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Museum · North Phoenix
Musical Instrument Museum
Plan at least half a day; most visitors underestimate how long the geographic galleries take.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Art
Meeting people
- Sonoran hot dog crawl — Visit a couple of the hot dog stands that set up in south Phoenix in the evening and compare toppings and salsas.
- Taco trucks after dark — Many of the best taco trucks operate in the evening, when it is cooler; carne asada and al pastor are the standard orders.
- Old Town Scottsdale — The Valley's main club and bar district, busy on weekends and during big events.
- Downtown Phoenix and Roosevelt Row — Cocktail bars, breweries and music venues near the arenas and arts district.
Sensible precautions
Heat is the biggest risk: hikers are rescued every year, so start at dawn, carry plenty of water and turn back early. During monsoon season, avoid flooded washes and, if a dust storm hits while driving, pull off the road and turn off your lights. Leave nothing visible in parked cars.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- Free Wi-Fi is available at Sky Harbor, in libraries and in most cafés; mobile coverage is good across the metro but patchy on some trails.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Phoenix good for solo travellers?
Phoenix suits solo travellers who like hiking and sunshine: busy sunrise trails, casual taco counters and Roosevelt Row's cafés make it easy to be alone without feeling isolated.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Phoenix?
Roosevelt Row: Murals, galleries and First Friday art walks north of downtown.