Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Phoenix?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Phoenix?
Many travelers spend one to three days in Phoenix during their visit. After all, the sprawling city has plenty to explore such as the famous sights and museums, the hiking, and the restaurant scene.
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona. It's filled with spa resorts and sprawling golf courses, but visitors will also enjoy the many botanical gardens and the impressive hiking trails. The city is often overlooked by tourists, but there are a huge number of beautiful parks in the area that are worth experiencing.
Do you have one or two days to visit Phoenix? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Phoenix?
Phoenix is a great place to visit if you want to avoid the tourist crowds. It has some interesting activities and attractions. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to see the main attractions around the city. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the sprawling city has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have one to three days to fully enjoy the city even though it's not huge. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.
How to spend a day in Phoenix
Perhaps the most famous place in Phoenix is Desert Botanical Garden, so don't miss it. It might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth experiencing during your trip.
You can't miss out on tasting the fantastic cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town, so make sure you find somewhere special for lunch or dinner. There are many mom-and-pop shops around town that serve everything from casual meals to quality steaks. There's also a huge selection of Mexican restaurants, as well as other international options such as sushi, dim sum, and Italian.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Old Town Scottsdale Food Tour ($92)
- Awesome French Crêpes Cooking Class ($75)
- Scottsdale Waterfront Food Tour ($95)
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Phoenix?
Many weekend travelers visit Phoenix, as 2 days is a good amount of time to explore this medium-sized city and check out the famous sights and museums, the hiking, and the restaurant scene. If you're planning a weekend getaway here, we have a few suggestions of things to do below.
Phoenix, Arizona
How to spend 2 days in Phoenix
With a weekend (two to three days) in Phoenix, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.
This city offers some good museums and historic landmarks, so it's worth your time to spend a day exploring a few of them. Pick the ones that appeal to you the most and get started. You'll find art, science, and cultural museums around town. Favorites include the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum, S'edav Va'aki Museum, and the Arizona Science Museum.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Sedona with Jerome and Montezuma Castle One-Day Van Tour ($165)
This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. The best nightlife scene is found in downtown and central Phoenix. There are bars, restaurants, and venues where you can catch a show. North Phoenix also has grown into a popular evening spot with cocktail bars and pubs.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Pedal Bar Crawl of Old Town Scottsdale ($55)
- Scottsdale Bar Hunt: Scorching Scottsdale Bar Crawl ($12)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Phoenix, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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