Step off a plane at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve been transported to another planet. The flat desert landscape punctuated with rocky outcrops and soaring mountains looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but the championship golf courses and sprawling hotel spa resorts let you know you’re still in the USA.
Inhabited by the Hohokam people for thousands of years, intricate irrigation canals were built to allow crops to thrive in the harsh climate, leading to a surge in industry, trade, and development into the most populous state capital in America. Due to its size, Phoenix was divided into fifteen ‘urban villages’, a collection of historic communities that work harmoniously to ensure balance and equality throughout the larger metropolitan area.
When planning a trip to Phoenix, it’s easy to spend all your time Downtown where all the popular bars, restaurants and attractions are, but the outer villages have loads to offer too. To prove it, we’ve put together an article of our top ten favorite experiences in our top ten favorite Phoenix neighborhoods, so you can see more of the Valley of the Sun on your next vacation!
| Downtown
We’ll start with Downtown, because let’s face it, that’s where all the action is. It’s where you’ll find the CityScape Phoenix shopping mall, the First Friday Art Walk, the Phoenix Convention Center, and all the best bars, clubs and restaurants.
Downtown Phoenix also has a fantastic food scene, which is best discovered on a three-hour guided food tour with a local and knowledgeable guide. Explore Phoenix’ multi-cultural cuisine on a tasting journey that includes Thai, Mexican, English, and Italian delicacies, plus cocktails to top it off! Food tours are the best way (in our opinion) to discover a new city, and make wonderful experience gifts for foodies.
| Encanto Village
Phoenix’ smallest urban village, Encanto, is second only to Downtown for attractions, nightlife, and top eateries. If you’re travelling with family then a trip to Encanto Park is highly recommended – the swimming pool is a life saver in the Arizona heat!
For culture and history enthusiasts, a visit to the Heard Museum is a must. Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of American Indian art, inside you’ll find exhibits on Native clothing and rituals, historic indigenous art collections, rare landscape photographs, and beautifully crafted sculptures. If you’re keen to learn about Phoenix’ fascinating past, the Heard Museum should be top of your list!
| Camelback East Village
Between Phoenix and Scottsdale is Camelback East Village, known for its scenic hiking routes and the winding Arizona Canal Trail. Camelback Mountain is one of Phoenix’ most popular tourist destinations, as it’s a fairly easy climb and offers incredible views of the city, plus the uniquely Arizonan landscape and plant life that stretches for miles around. In the south-east of Camelback East Village is the Desert Botanical Garden, a labyrinth of native plants, trees and flowers, cactus gardens, interactive exhibits, and regular events (Margarita Night is our favorite). Botanical gardens make wonderful family days out that kids and adults alike can enjoy!
| Estrella Village
To the west of Downtown Phoenix is Estrella Village, one of the more residential neighborhoods boasting an eclectic mix of global restaurants and the picturesque Tres Rios Wetlands Hayfield Site. Estrella Village is also home to the Phoenix Raceway, a one mile oval stockcar racetrack opened in 1964 that hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends.
Grab tickets to a championship event, or book an exhilarating NASCAR Driving Experience and get behind the wheel yourself! With expert tuition from the Crew Chief and one-to-one instruction via in-car radio, you’ll experience exactly what it takes to be a professional stockcar driver over several timed racing sessions. The ultimate Arizona day out for petrol-heads!
| Ahwatukee Foothills Village
The most southern of Phoenix’ urban villages is Ahwatukee Foothills, an outdoor adventurer’s dream with the South Mountain Park and Preserve, Quartz Peak Trailhead, and Gila River all in the vicinity. Unlike the rest of Phoenix’ rigid street blocks and grid lines, Ahwatukee is a maze of winding loops around golf courses and parks, all the way down to Wild Horse Pass and the Aji Spa at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.
Located in a tranquil setting of lakes and lush green hills, the spa is an oasis in the desert landscape where you can book luxury beauty treatments and sensual massage, or relax by the pool surrounded by native plant life. A blissful escape for couples or a girly weekend experience in Phoenix!
| South Mountain
On the other side of the mountain is the South Mountain urban village, nestled between scenic hiking trails and the serene Salt River. Like many of the Phoenix villages, South Mountain is popular for golf and outdoor activities, but it is also famous for a particularly unique tourist attraction; the Mystery Castle.
In the 1930’s an eccentric gentleman named Boyce Luther Gulley discovered he had tuberculosis, and so fled his family home in Seattle to Phoenix, where he started construction on a dream castle for his daughter. Fifteen years later he died, and left the strange building made of car parts, telephone poles, rail tracks, mortar, and goat’s milk to his wife and daughter, who subsequently moved in and started offering tours.
Now on the Arizona Historic Register and a winner of the Pride of Phoenix Award, the Mystery Castle is a national treasure that can’t be missed!
| Paradise Valley
Phoenix is best known for its landscape and golf courses, but one thing we haven’t mentioned so far is its diverse animal population.
North of Camelback Mountain is Paradise Valley, and alongside the Arizona Canal at the foot of Piestewa Peak Park is the Phoenix Bat Cave, which is exactly what you’d expect. Nature lovers flock to the Maricopa County Flood Control Tunnel every summer to watch the spectacular sunset event, as thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from the darkness and swarm out to do their night-time feeding. It’s a truly wonderful experience that makes a fun family evening out in Paradise Valley!
| Roosevelt Row
We’re heading back into Downtown Phoenix for the rest of the article, giving you some ideas for the top places to explore and attractions to visit (because there’s only so much hiking and golfing you can do).
Roosevelt Row is the creative arts district of Phoenix, and every Friday you can enjoy a free self-guided art walk of the neighborhood’s top galleries and art spaces, mingling with locals and tourists and immersing yourself in the upbeat Phoenix culture. To kick off your weekend with style, head to Genu Wine Arizona for self-serve wine tastings, and build-your-own cheese boards – Happy Hour finishes just before the art walk starts!
| Evans Churchill
Every Downtown neighborhood has to have a hipster hang-out, and the Evans Churchill region of Phoenix is where the best indie coffee shops and craft brewpubs play host to the youth of Arizona.
Every Saturday Evans Churchill hosts the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market, a sprawling warren of fresh produce and local independent vendors. Start with a fresh brew from Pour Jo Coffee and a pastry from One More Bite Bakery, then grab your groceries from Arrandale Farms and Blue Sky Organic Farm, sort out the evening meal at Sonoran Pasta Co., and finish off with a stonebread pizza at Saffron Jak.
With over 45 vendors, you can easily spend the whole morning exploring this wonderful community experience!
| Governmental Mall
The Governmental Mall district in Phoenix is where you’ll find the Arizona Supreme Court, most of the State Board buildings, the Police Headquarters, and the Arizona Capitol Museum. Book a tour and explore the exhibits in the north-wing, learning about Arizona history, politics, environmental efforts and social movements, led by a knowledgeable guide who will happily answer all your questions.
If you’re visiting between September and May you can attend the Saturday Family Fun Day, or check out some of the regular events held throughout the year that commemorate special occasions. A trip to Governmental Mall is always a worthy addition for fans of US history and Arizona politics!
| Thanks For Reading!
Phoenix is a truly striking city that has so much to offer across its fifteen urban villages, and hopefully we’ve proved there’s more to do than just golf! From relaxing spa breaks to gourmet food tours, you’ll never be short of exciting experiences on your next Phoenix getaway.
