Welcome to the colorful urban area of Roosevelt Row of Phoenix. Here you will find small funky…read morebusinesses, plenty of graffiti and restaurants throughout the area. The area has undergone some gentrification with shiny new bars and eateries popping up here and there. You can still find free street and metered parking. Fewer galleries now than before. All in all, it's a cool hangout for a beverage Al fresco. This is also the First Fridays art walk where vendors will take over the streets selling their goods. Past issues during First Fridays has caused the event to shrink in size.

If you're into murals, stop by Roosevelt Row (otherwise known as RoRo)!…read more I loved checking out the alley that had various murals from different local muralists. The area also has art galleries, boutiques, and various eateries. Easily accessible via the bus or the light rail. +murals

Over the years, I have visited the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Civic Space Park on a regular…read morebasis. While there have been different people, different roles, and even different buildings, one consistency has been the "Her Secret is Patience" sculpture in the park. In fact, almost 13 years ago, I even did a photo shoot under the sculpture. The sculpture is in the Civic Space Park, where there is a nice, grassy area, some tables, and chairs right next to the US Post Office and ASU Student Center. I have seen groups of students and even community members holding events in the park either in front of the Student Center entrance at the tables and chairs (gatherings by students or staff), on the grassy lawn area (community members playing soccer, frisbee, or having a picnic), or even on the south side of the walkway (though the lighting wasn't very good in the evening in that area). "Her Secret Is Patience" is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the City of Phoenix. The sculpture consists of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and colored lights. It is 145 feet tall and suspended as an aerial sculpture. It is monumental yet soft, fixed in place but constantly in motion. It dances gently in the air, choreographed by the flux of desert winds. During the day, the sculpture hovers high above heads, treetops, and buildings. The sculpture creates what the artist calls "shadow drawings," which she says are inspired by Phoenix's cloud shadows that captivated her from the first site visit. At night, the illumination changes color gradually through the seasons. The goal in selecting the colors is to provide residents some small climate relief through color, adding cool hues in summer, and warm tones in winter. The lighting design also changes what portion of the sculpture is illuminated, leaving parts obscured in mystery, much like the phases of the moon. I've heard students and staff at ASU discussing how the artist was supposedly inspired by monsoon cloud formations and the shadows they cast, in addition to forms found in desert flora. Now that I work only a short walk away from the sculpture, I see it almost every day at work!

This is one of the most eye-catching pieces of public art that I have had the pleasure of seeing…read more It is located in the Civic Space Park and is the work of artist Janet Echelman who made the piece in 2009. Echelman got the name of the piece from a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is constructed of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and an assortment of ground mounted colored lights that give the nets its color. The piece is not cheap though and costed $2.5 million. The massive piece starts at 38 feet off the ground and extends to 100 feet in the air. To give it more perspective, the piece's largest ring is about 100 feet wide. The piece is intended to resemble a cumulus clouds. However, I see a tornado or jelly fish when I looked at it. It was given the title of Best Public Art by the Phoenix New Times. The wonderful mix of blue, orange and purple just draws you in like a moth to a flame. It is cool to visit during the day, but is amazing at night. The color of the piece changes constantly with the seasons throughout the year. The piece is not without its critics. Many people question the cost of the piece and whether that money could have been used elsewhere. Additionally, the piece's nets and lighting has to be replaced every five years, which makes this piece a gift that keeps on costing. It is unknown how much this periodic maintenance costs the city. This piece has metered street parking located within a reasonable walking distance, as well as commercial parking lots. There is also a train stop right in front of the piece, if you are plan on taking public transportation to get there. I really like this piece. It is a marvel, but I too am a critic of the price tag and reassuring maintenance fee. This piece can rally become the face of the city and one of its iconic images. It is very picturesque and Instagramable. Anyway, as with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You can start with Civic Space park, where the piece is located.

This scenic drive is pretty in portions. The constructions continues but I do see movement towards…read morecompletion. Staff are planting trees in the center divide. The northbound area is still full of dirt and cones. You really have to pay attention to go southbound or turn left. There are diversions that can change so be careful.

The original intent of the scenic drive has seriously waned over the years, as the area has become…read morecommercialized. It's okay--but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.

Lots to see and learn here, and guided tours available at scheduled times, though I preferred to…read moreroam the museum at my own pace. Posters and film clips of westerns like A Man Called Horse (1970) and Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josie Wells (1976). Handcuffs of all kinds on display (more accurately described as "retaining devices") in a western themed set. Mac Schweitzer's impressive collection of artworks, including depictions of desert animals and the wild west, especially a multitude of horse pieces. Countless paintings and artifacts on the second level, portraying native american history, the buffalo, and the evolution of american west landscapes. Scenes of collective work in western life among cowboys, herders, and traders. I found Eddie Basha's cottonwood tree root carvings interesting. And I was especially a fan of "Rabbit Hunt" by Loren Phillips (Hopi). Fistful of Colors in the north gallery explored the diverse meanings of color, such as the term "feeling blue", and how colors tell stories, evoke emotions, and create connections. The room transitioned into displays of movie posters, explaining why those from different countries vary in the way they are presented. Interactive exhibits throughout allow visitors to learn about Shakespeare in the Old West, women of the rodeo, even a scavenger hunt to find "escaped animals" in the museum. I was amused by fun facts like the first circus (Ryland's traveling show) taking place in Tombstone Arizona Territory in 1880, or how the full saying of "Ay Chihuahua" translates to "Yikes! How many Apache Indians are there without sandals!", referring to Apache raiders like Geronimo invading northern mexico wearing calf-high deerskin moccasins. There was also a small sculpture garden outside and gift shop worth checking out before leaving.

I poked my head into this Museum in Old Town Scottsdale. They have quite the collection of Eddie…read moreBasha of Basha's market. Mr. Basha was a huge collector of a Native American and Western type art. There are baskets and many bronzes to enjoy. There is a fee to enter the museum. A docent is available to explain the exhibit. They also have a small gift store. You can also see the Basha collection in his personal gallery in Chandler, AZ. It is a free event. Free street parking and WiFi.

What a great time!! Plenty to do for the entire family. Pumpkin patch area in the front if you…read moredon't opt in to do the Fall Festival - no entry fee required for that and pricings are very reasonable! We got a giant pumpkin for our toddler to carve when we went on the weekend and there were way too many people for our liking. We came back during the week and it was much better so I would suggest going during the week right when they open at 3pm so you've got plenty of time to enjoy all the festivities. Admission: $12 general admission $10 with donated canned goods $6 for one-day pre-sale Kids 2 and under are free :) Free parking! I love that admission includes so many activities for kids to keep busy for hours. This year they added in a photo booth at the entrance which is so cute to help capture memories - often time it's hard to get a picture of the entire family if one person has to be the photographer so I hope this stays for the years to come! Corn maze, pallet maze, jumpers, train ride, petting zoo, slides, etc. are included. Food for petting zoo ($2) and pony rides ($5) are extra. Some things to keep in mind: They do not enforce mask policies here - you can wear them if you want to. Very dusty from all the dirt so maybe masks would be a good idea :) I would recommend wearing close toed shoes because of all the dirt/dust so you don't end up with brown feet... unless you're into that!

We've been going to the fall festival for years now. It is the same thing every year. The kids…read morestill love it. My 6yr old just became big enough to go down the slide and was ecstatic to go down after waiting for like 3 yrs. Definitely buy tickets ahead.

Artist Kayla Newnam was selected and commissioned by the city of Phoenix, Downtown Phoenix Inc. and…read moreArtlink Inc to do this piece. This mural is very colorful and attention getting. It is a large mural covering 190-by-10-feet. It was painted in November 2022 and is intended to celebrate Phoenix's "festive and diverse culture and welcome visitor's to the city from upcoming large-scale events including Super Bowl LVII, the 2024 NCAA Men's Final Four and the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four. It is across the street from the Hyatt Regency and is painted on the side of a commercial garage and parking to get a good look is relatively easy. There are metered spots right in front of and across the street from the mural. The mural was completed by Newnam using Community Paint Days and offering 50 lucky people two opportunities to help and watch the mural be created. The mural is intended to represent a panoramic journey through the desert. The mural has a large life-like Gila monster, some cacti. If you look closely, you will also see animals such as a hawk, owls, a snake and rabbit. I love the use of colors. They are like electric. It has a neon sign effect and the artwork is so detailed and realistic. Newnam is very talented. I will definitely need to check out more of her work. This was truly a nice welcome to the city. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Mill Avenue District has a large collection of funky business; some reminding people of the past…read more You'll find some unusual business such as Rave, a circus and performance art store. Shiny and sequined outfits, feathered boas, tools of the trade. Only one of many different businesses you will see. Plenty of food and drinks opportunities. Mill Avenue is also known for the large art festival held along 6 blocks on and off the street. Lots of metered street and lot parking.

So much fun and many places to visit. Beautiful murals too. Lovely coffee shops. I like the shoe…read moremill for Birkenstock and other leather shoes. Great festivals and block parties too. Recently saw Luke Bryan and Kane Brown at Innings Fest. Tempe is so good for entertainment. Walking the lake trail on both sides is gorgeous too. Jogging Mill ave is fun and don't forget the east side of Mill for additional restaurants and couple churches and donut shop- Voodoo donuts, and places to jog.

This alley is very busy, as far as art goes, and has a lot going on. It is almost overwhelming…read more Murals runs the full length of the alley and is very vibrant and colorful. It spans between 1st and 2nd Streets and Adams and Washington Streets. A large portion of the alley pays tribute to Latino icons. This was a herculean effort led by the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), with help from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Phoenix Convention Center, and Latinos Now. When they say that it takes a village, that it an understatement when it comes to this area. The alley features work from many local artist including Jose Andres Giron, Roman P. Reyes, Carlos Rivas, Ramon Aguirre, Edgar Fernandez, Elizabeth Toledo, Alfred Bilducia, Noreen Ayonayon, Tavo Barrios, Angel Diaz, Karlito Espinosa, Ivan Garcia, Luis Munoz, Edgar Munoz, Raul Rodriquez, Rey Lugo and Catyana Falsetti. This alley really grabs you and draws you in. The mural is on the backside of a parking garage and faces the back of some local business and has a good view of their dumpsters. Some notable images that I saw in the alley were the Virgin Mary, a rose, a portrait of U.S. Army Private First Class Silvestre Santana Herrera, who was presented the Medal of Honor during World War II, there arew a bunch of flowers, R2D2, Lalo Guerrero, American guitarist, singer and farm labor activist, a phoenix, a horse head, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, in Uniform and Carlos Santana, That is just a fraction of the images of art in the alley. It is something that you just have to see. You will notice the different styles of murals that make up the collection and also different skill levels of the artist. Most of the work is pretty good, but some of them are notable better than others. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance from the alley if you want to park, get out and take a closer look. This is definitely not a destination stop, so I would highly recommend combining this with other stops or making this part of a larger itinerary.