The Tour the Universe with Pink Floyd" Planetarium Show with James was absolutely spectacular. An…read moreamazing value with tickets under $10. I can't wait for the next one.

A very subdued environment that's an eclectic mix of area history, vegetation, animals, and…read moreobservatory. The staff was very friendly, but it appeared to be a "one-man-band" while we were there.

This place is really cool! I brought some 3rd grade kids here for a Fieldtrip. They were…read moregracious enough to invite the drivers in to tour around. Lots of cool Indian artifacts and history. The tour guides were very helpful in what they explained to the kids and adults. I learned some new info for sure.

This is a place you won't find unless you are paying attention. It's hidden in a neighborhood and…read moreit's easy to miss out on this historical site. It's closed during summer but we got in the week before they closed down. They open back up in the fall so add it to your list of places to go. It only takes an hour or two to walk through the site and read about the history that was here long before us. It's amazing to see how they found trade to be strong here. As they had the mounds built in alignment with the astrology and it's really amazing to see in person. It's an amazing spot and I hope to help more people find it!

I first visited the memorial on 9/11 2017. Although I heard wonderful things about the annual…read moreceremony, I didn't attend. I wanted some time alone to remember a few friends. The memorial can easily be overlooked if you didn't know it was there. A few trees surround the memorial that contains 4 granite walls that contain the names of those that are lost. In the center of the memorial is an 8 foot steel beam that once held up the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Asalamu Alaykum I went to the annual memorial event and it was lovely. I highly recommend going at…read moreleast once. It's an intimate ambiance and all the people there were friendly and the law enforcement representatives were gracious hosts too. Alhamdulilah

S'edav Va'aki, formerly Pueblo Grande Museum and archeological park, is a sacred ground with…read moreinformative and immersive exhibits. The overall museum, inside and outside, is relatively small, but it's truly a hidden gem to truly understand the history of the Sonoran Desert and rich culture of the O'Odham people. Admission prices are relatively cheap and are as follows: Adults (18-64): $13.00 Seniors (65 & ove​r): $10.00​ Students (with ID): $6.00 Children (6-17): $6.00 Children (​under 6): Free Museum Members: Free *Discounted Admission on Thursday evening (4 pm - 8 pm) Hours are dependent on month and are as follows: ​Regular Hours (September - June) Monday, Friday, Saturday: 9 am - 4 pm​ Thursday: 9 am - 8 pm Sunday: 12 pm - 4pm Tuesday - Wednesday: Closed Summer Hours (July and August) Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 9 am - 2 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday: CLOSED Interpretive Mound Trail ​ Closes at 4:00 pm Closes at Twilight on Thursday evenings Museum Store Store Hours ​Vary.​​ ​Holida​y Closures New Years Day, Juneteenth,​ Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day,​​ and Christmas Day We explored the entire establishment, inside and out, but enjoyed the outdoor trails the most, as it provided the most immersive experience. We got to savor the temperate spring weather on a Saturday afternoon, entering a pit house and climibing onto a platform mound. Definitely recommend all visitors interested in museums, culture, or history to stop by while in Phoenix!​ For more information, visit the City of Phoenix's webpage on the museum: https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/sedav-vaaki.html

This property is sacred ground. The Museum itself is small-ish, but the outdoor adobe structures…read moreand walking path are informative and educational. It's truly remarkable how folks managed to survive in the Arizona desert without the luxuries of running water, air conditioning, etc. High praise to the archeologists who have uncovered these adobe structures including the large public gathering place.

We quickly became members of this museum because our 2 year old loved everything about it. Close up…read moreof airplanes, military jeeps and some of the most incredibly well kept WW2 planes. You can even fly in some of the old ones, although we never did. It's a unique spot and now that we moved, one of our most missed places in the area. Oh and every volunteer was incredible. Super helpful, very kind and always accommodating. Best of the best.

Five glowing stars…read more My late father was a Decorated WW2 Veteran for HM AF and I always enjoy visiting airplane museums. This facility is entirely staffed by volunteers including Korean War Veterans! They offer rides in vintage planes including vintage bombers, cargo planes, etc. Very expensive so we passed on that. It would have been a lot of fun. There is so much to see here. The hangar is full and they have a few restored beauties outside. I so appreciate the folks who Remember ALL Veterans of the Alliance.

Even in the heat of summer the beauty of this garden stands strong. It was a cooler evening after…read moresome rain storms i decided to walk my dog in their gardens. The grass was lush and green, obviously approving of the recent storm and the roses still had some color to them. I didn't know there were volunteer opportunities here but there are. Lots of parking if not within walking distance. Definitely a nice garden to visit especially when in bloom. Lots of pretty pictures opportunities.

I come here often for photoshoots. It's open to the public with plenty of parking, and my clients…read moreare always in love with how well maintained the garden is! The blooms are usually around late April to mid June. May is always a guaranteed time I tell my clients to book for the best blooms.

This is becoming an annual tradition. Yes the tickets are a little pricey, but in my mind, it's…read morewell worth a beautiful evening among the candlelight botanical gardens. It's beautiful- there are a lot of different music options too. Last night included handbell choirs, classic choirs singing a cappella, as well as these two amazing brothers playing Guitars and they were fabulous! As you stand in the middle of the garden, you can hear all the different types of music playing just follow the path to what you want to listen to. lol As far as food options, what we found was a food truck in one area which I've posted their menu as well as the patio restaurant had an ordering encounter. Bars are plentiful throughout as well as they have a margarita station. I know they had hot chocolate somewhere, but we did not find it They had s'more's kits as well and plenty of kids were lining up for that If you wanted to go high-end, you could make a reservation at Gertrude's but we really didn't enjoy their food last year With as many people that attend, it never felt claustrophobic either, just take one of the candlelight paths and explore to your hearts content. They did have people stationed throughout, helping you in case you felt lost. Make sure to go back and see the owls, that was pretty cool too.

As a visitor to Scottsdale (another so-called short-term snowbird), I wanted to check out the…read moreDesert Botanical Garden since it is so highly rated. I figured I could hit two birds with one stone by getting a Las Noches ticket so I could see the garden with the nighttime lights. I was partially right. The place is clearly popular--even the overflow parking lot was almost full. I did the main loop and some of the smaller loops. There were performances, art installations, and food and drinks for sale. The issue is that the garden just does not show very well at night. I stood in reverence of the giant cacti but really wished I could see them in the daytime. While the administration has put up signage and maps to make things easier, I still found the whole place confusing to navigate. Save your money (it is almost $50 for entry) and visit the garden during the day.

Did you know that the state of Arizona does not have a capitol building? But they do have a museum!…read moreThey only provide reserved guided tours via their website for parties of 10 or more but they do offer a free walk-in guided tour Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 2 PM. Make sure to arrive a few minutes early because finding the door to enter can be tricky. The guided tour was brief but enjoyable. We walked through about half a dozen exhibits/rooms and the guide was knowledgeable, informative, and humorous. I've been to other capitol buildings in other cities and found the content here to be more diverse than what I've experienced elsewhere. There's an exhibit on women's suffrage, Martin Luther King, World War II, etc. 1-1.5 hours would probably be sufficient if you don't plan to read every poster on every wall, otherwise if you're into that, definitely allow for closer to 3+ hours.

On Christmas Eve, I visited Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. The Arizona Capitol Museum is located…read moreright across the street. Since I was there in the late afternoon/early evening, the museum had already closed. Luckily, a month and a half later, I returned to check it out with my mom. There's ample free parking in the surface lot across the street. Make sure you arrive early, because the museum closes at 2 p.m. If you like to explore museums to the fullest and read almost everything, it'll take you around 2 hours to fully explore as there are four floors to check out. And before I get deeper into it, here's another plus: admission is free. Upon checking in, you're given a brochure describing what's featured on every floor. The Arizona Capitol Museum consists of a bunch of various exhibits. I won't mention them all but some of the subjects include USS Arizona, buffalo soldiers, MLK, merci train, minerals in Arizona, the governor's room, a Jewish exhibit, Sandra Day O'Connor, and more. The diversity of the exhibits at the Capitol showcase different historical aspects of the state of Arizona and prominent figures in the history of the state. While it's not the most technologically advanced museum, it's definitely worth your time. The Capitol is air-conditioned and they also have a small cafe and a gift shop. I've been lucky enough to check out several state capitols, including the one in Austin and the one in Santa Fe. While Phoenix's isn't the most impressive of the bunch, it's well worth a visit. When you're the resident of a city, you tend to not explore all of the attractions that your hometown has to offer. I think it's important to not miss out on opportunities like these.