Quick Take: Phoenix

Almost every city has something to love, and Phoenix is no exception. If you know where to look, you’ll find a surprisingly rich cultural scene, excellent hiking trails, and quick access to parks—both national and local.

I’ll admit it: I don’t love Phoenix. The summer heat can feel like the surface of the sun, and winter nights get colder than you’d expect. Plus, the sprawl of the metro area means a lot of driving if you don’t plan ahead. But with a little intention, Phoenix can be a rewarding desert getaway full of nature, food, and Southwest charm.

I’d initially planned for more exploration in and around Phoenix over Thanksgiving week 2024, but the universe had other plans in mind. So what was intended to be a more complete week-long experience in Phoenix ended up being truncated. Here’s the quick(er) take, folding in plenty of prior trips’ adventures as well…

Getting There

The Phoenix Sky Harbor airport (PHX) has one of my favorite names, right up there with the Albuquerque International Sunport. It’s not the most glamorous design-wise, but as the 8th busiest airport in the U.S., the relatively new terminals are bright and generally easy to navigate and it’s pretty easy to get to directly on most airlines. This is especially true if you fly American, Frontier, or Southwest, who all use it as a hub or primary base.

While metro Phoenix is pretty spread out, you might be able to utilize transit to/from the airport if you’re spending your time in or near downtown. The Valley Metro light rail station accessible from the airport’s sky train and gets you to downtown and nearby uptown easily enough. Alternately, if you’re using ride share, pay close attention to your terminal and which side of the terminal your pick up location is on—I’ve definitely been in the wrong place when I’ve not paid close enough attention.

Know Before You Go

Adding to my note above about Phoenix sprawl, if you’re only in town for a short time (maybe 2-3 days), I’d advise figuring out where are the things you most want to do, then focus your time there. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of your trip getting the money’s worth from your rental car rather than enjoying sightseeing and adventures.

Because of all this (and the triple-digit summer heat), Phoenix is a car-centric town too. Except for a few areas in Old Town Scottsdale and downtown Phoenix, walkable areas are few and far between.

And then there’s the heat. The fact that it gets hot here is likely not a surprise, but the intensity of it may be unexpected if you haven’t experienced it before. Summer temperatures make hiking and other outdoor activities impractical, even at dawn or dusk. And even a poolside retreat is a different experience at 110 degrees if there aren’t misters to cool the ground between your sweaty lounge chair and the pool.

But enough with the Debbie Downer info. Phoenix also has comparatively affordable hotels and a diverse mix of great stuff to see and do in and around the metro area.

LGBTQ Safety

While Arizona has gotten a lot of attention in recent national elections, the city scores a perfect 100 in Human Rights Campaign database of LGBTQ protections and has a large number of LGTBQ+ focused organizations. But statewide, Arizona earns an F grade from Safehome.org for LGBTQ safety—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (the data available to them and the fact that it’s statewide mean the ranking is imperfect, but few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas). Conversely, the state is (currently) rated as a low risk and a moderately safe state in terms of transgender protections and a relative lack of anti-trans legislation currently being advanced.

Despite the state level ranking, walking in different areas of town, I’ve felt reasonably safe and since LGBTQ+ nightlife is scattered around town, it would seem that those parts of the city are relatively safe as well. While local protections in Phoenix provide some comfort, I suspect the national focus on Arizona’s politics of late have escalated some folks’ willingness to spew hate from time to time, so be mindful of your surroundings wherever you go.

Sightseeing Highlights

A few of my highlights are below. As with other posts, these aren’t meant to replace other guides or guidebooks. But feel free to take bits and pieces of my adventures as a perspective on the spots I visited that may be unique to what’s mentioned elsewhere.

In Phoenix, there are a few spots I’ve visited and a few more that I have on my short list, but didn’t yet make it to. Those include:

• Camelback Mountain is a great spot for an urban hike. Be forewarned, though: in addition to potential heat and little shade available, the hike is pretty strenuous with some steep sections and rocks to be climbed. Last time I was there, someone had stumbled and broke their leg. And parking can be difficult to find at busy times. But those who are up for the challenges are rewarded with gorgeous panoramic views when they make it to the top.
• Phoenix has some easily accessible museums, too. The Phoenix Art Museum and Heard Museum are right on the light rail line on N. Central Avenue. They’re striking from the outside, but still on my to-go list to check out the collections inside. Follow the link above for more Phoenix-area museums.
• If you’re into architecture and design, venture up N. Central Avenue just a bit to check out the Phoenix Financial Center. The three-building complex by W. A. Sarmiento is different from every angle, whether the “punch card” look of the tower’s south facade, the glassy north facade, or the two circular rotunda that are almost identical except for the patterns on their stained glass roof. Fun fact: when completed in 1964, the tower stood 10 stories tall. An additional nine stories were added in 1972.
• Also on my to-go list is Carry On, a brand new airline-themed and -styled lounge. Take note that seating at Carry On appears to be reservation-only, and you must sign up via email to get on their reservation waitlist. Plan ahead.

Still in the Phoenix metro area is upscale Scottsdale. Besides spas, golf courses, and tony resort properties, there are some a couple things that make this area worth hitting:

• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is a must-visit for architecture and design fanatics, and I’d recommend it for anyone else too. Taliesin West is a unique opportunity to see Wright’s legendary architecture across a variety of uses: residential buildings, a theater, the architecture school and studio, and more. The grounds and vistas are also worth the visit. Advance tickets are usually recommended.
• Old Town Scottsdale is one of the walkable parts of the metro area and was something I’d hoped to explore a bit more on my Thanksgiving trip to take advantage of highly-rated local restaurants (and a few national chains), shops, watering holes, and more.

A little further outside of the metro area, there’s more still to see and do. If you’re willing to put a few miles on, some of my favorites over the years have included:

• Saguaro National Park is about 100 miles south of Phoenix. It’s worth taking a few days to explore the park and the Tucson area, but it’s also do-able as a day trip, if need be. It’s stunning to have saguaro cactus that are hundreds of years old fill the landscape as far as the eye can see. Tucson Mountain Park is adjacent (and free) if you’re on a budget or have shorter time window. Fun fact: saguaro cactus don’t form “arms” until they’re about 75 years old.
• In Tucson, there’s an abundance of art, from the tile dome of the courthouse to the galleries and maker fairs (we caught a great one the week before Thanksgiving). There’s also great food. Don’t miss El Charro Cafe, a longstanding Mexican institution, or Boca, the casual but delicious spot owned by Top Chef alum Maria Mazon. She’s warm and engaging and when we were there, made a point of welcoming folks around the restaurant, an atypically thoughtful touch. Note: besides supporting small, local business, eating at Boca also supports LGBTQ+-owned business. 🏳️‍🌈
• Heading north from Phoenix, there’s Sedona. Sedona is also worth the trip for galleries, wineries (seriously), vortex meditation sites, hiking among the red rock formations, and other outdoor adventures. And even if you’re not particularly religious, the Chapel of the Holy Cross is a stunning, spiritual setting.
• And, of course, there’s the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is probably not a day trip from Phoenix (it’s about 4 hours each way), but Phoenix is the closest major city to the park’s South Rim visitor center (Las Vegas is slightly further, but a similar distance from the North Rim visitor center, though that visitor center isn’t open year-round).

Eating and Drinking

Here’s where my truncated trip really cut into my potential suggestions. Though I did manage to check out a few spots on my wishlist, this section is definitely shorter than intended and lacks any feedback on my go-to resources for this trip, namely Eater’s list of best values (note that several of the America’s Tacos locations on this list are now closed), best burgers, and best brunch spots. The few places worth mentioning that I did eat at were all on the west side and included:

There’s certainly a lot more more to eat and drink around town (and the metro area) that I didn’t manage to check out. Stay tuned for an update on a future trip.

• Señor Taco Express on N. Central (they have other locations too) is darn good! First of all: salsa bar for the win. Besides that, it’s unassuming from the street, but is accessible on light rail from the Phoenix Art and Heard Museums and a block of so walk from the Phoenix Financial Center. The al pastor pork was even better than Tacos el Gordo in Las Vegas, for what that’s worth.
• O.S.H.O. Brewery and Distillery was on Eater’s list of brunch spots, and for good reason. Their biscuits and gravy were surprisingly good, as was the breakfast bowl with green chile pork. And most of their breakfast/brunch entrees include a beer or mimosa, which makes it hard to beat. The large covered patio was perfect on a November morning (well, maybe noon) and the service was attentive.
• Fate Brewing has a good size taproom and restaurant at their central Phoenix location, despite their main brewery being in Scottsdale (there are a couple other locations as well). The Hatch Chile Gatos Golden Ale I had was excellent, and we got a taste of their couple milk stouts, which were also good (and would make a magnificent ice cream float, IMO). Their food menu was what you might expect for a brewpub, but what we had (a brat burger and a green chile burger) was really good. I’d recommend it.

Nightlife

As the fifth most populous state in the U.S. (and for your next trivia event: the most populous state capitol), it’s probably not a surprise that Phoenix has vibrant and diverse gay nightlife. Most of their Phoenix nightlife is spread out (there’s no central gay neighborhood), so ride share or designated drivers are advised for bar-hopping. Some of the haunts I checked out include:

• Charlie’s bar is among the largest and busiest spots in town with drag shows, go go boys, several bars with a ton of bartenders, and all sorts of theme nights that attract a generally diverse crowd. Oh, and taco trucks! It’s probably my go-to in Phoenix.
• Pat O’s Bunkhouse Saloon has a Sunday beer busts with $1 Bud Light beers. It has a definite dive bar feel inside, but also has a nice size outdoor patio. Expect to see guys in softball uniforms here after softball games.
• The Anvil is a dimly-lit leather-and-Levi themed bar that gets an older, burlier crowd (at least when I’ve been there) with some theme nights, including beer busts on the weekend. As noted inside the bar, if you drive there, be mindful of where you park since several of the neighboring businesses are apparently aggressive with their towing actions.
• Kobalt hosts a variety of drag and other shows and is accessible by light rail on N. Central Avenue. They used to get a nice crowd for a Sunday afternoon tea dance, but it was particularly quiet on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I’m not sure if that was due to the coming holiday or simply a change in where folks frequent since my last visit.

The list above is a very small sample of the LGBTQ+ hangouts in and around Phoenix and the city has a pretty busy drag scene as well, with shows at multiple clubs several days per week. Check out the New Times or other lists for more.

Lodging

There’s a huge variety of hotels throughout the Phoenix area which presumably helps keep prices more reasonable than some other cities. Most of my stays have been centered in the Uptown neighborhood (accessible by light rail) or with family in vacation rentals in North Scottsdale. I don’t have strong recommendations or warnings about any of the spots I’ve stayed, but a few notes include:

• If you frequent Hilton properties and are looking to stay in Midtown Phoenix, within a few blocks there’s a new Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton, as well as a Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn (undergoing a needed renovation as of November 2024), and Embassy Suites. Marriott and others have a similar concentration of properties in this neighborhood too.
• If you’re looking at booking a vacation rental, pay close attention to whether or not everything is included that you’re wanting. Several properties we’ve stayed at in recent years have significant extra charges for pool or spa heat, early check in or late check out, and other amenities.