8 Ways to Beat Phoenix Summer Heat
I clearly remember the day I arrived in Phoenix. It was June 16, 1993 and the temperature was already above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I wondered why people live in a baking-hot place like Phoenix. Fortunately I was able to spend my first summer at the family ranch in Happy Jack, where I can see the Milky Way, and hear the elks bugle and the coyotes yip and howl. I grew to love Arizona even before the glorious winter months arrived. Here are a few suggestions to beat Phoenix summer heat.
1. Going Up the Mountains – take an Arizona road trip, camp in the wilderness or rent a cabin — There are many small towns at higher altitude (i.e. cooler climate) only a few hours away from Greater Phoenix. They make a wonderful weekend get-away destination. You can find lodging or camping in the woods and there are plenty of outdoor activities. Our favorite towns are:
Jerome – Cottonwood – Clarkdale: Jerome boasts its mining history and now a “ghost town”. Cottonwood has refreshing wine and food scenes due to the vineyards nearby. And Clarkdale is the home of Verde Canyon Railroad. Not to mention the 12-mile road from Prescott Valley to Jerome over Mingus Mountain is easily one of the most scenic drives in Central Arizona. Points of Interest: Jerome Historic District, Historic Downtown Clarkdale, Old Town Cottonwood Historic District, Tuzigoot National Monument (Clarkdale), Dead Horse Ranch State Park (Cottonwood), Verde Canyon Railroad (Clarkdale), Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, Verde Valley Wine Trail (Cottonwood), Gold King Mine Museum and Ghost Town and ghost tours (both in Jerome)
Sedona: It is the probably is the most tourists-y town outside Phoenix. It has many hiking trails or luxurious, rejuvenating resorts. The 15-mile scenic drive is the best outside of the Grand Canyon. From Sedona you wind your way along Oak Creek, slowly gaining elevation. Then at the north end of the canyon, a series of switchbacks take you to the top where you should take time to pull off at the overlook and enjoy the view. We saw one of the best sunsets of our life right there. It’s not a long drive, so stop and enjoy the creek, maybe have lunch or picnic. It’s almost hard to believe you’re in Arizona when you’re in Oak Creek Canyon. Points of Interest: Oak Creek Vista, Grasshopper Point, Slide Rock State Park, Downtown Sedona, Sedona Heritage Museum, Red Rock / Secret Mountain Wilderness Area, Tse’nikani-Flat Mesa Rock, Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park, Red Rock State Park, Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Road (State Route 89A between Flagstaff and Sedona), Red Rock Scenic Byway (State Route 179), Midgley Bridge
Prescott: Every day is a happy day in Prescott during the summer. Not matter when you visit Prescott you are likely to find free festival or show taking place on the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza. Whether it is an arts & crafts show with white tents dotting the lawn, or a musical event, such as the Blue Grass Festival, events occur almost every weekend throughout the spring and summer. While you are there, take a short stroll to the Whisky Row and Sharlot Hall Museum, experiencing the life of pioneers. Prescott is also the best town to go “antiquing,” after all it was the capital of the Arizona Territory before Arizona became a state. There are also more than 400 miles of hiking trails. From the late June and the 4th of July is the Frontier Days celebration, when you can experience the World’s Oldest Rodeo since 1888. Stop by Arcosanti on the way if you have time. Points of Interest: Whisky Row, Yavapai County Court House Plaza, Sharlot Hall Museum, The Palace, Historic Hassayampa Inn, art galleries, antique malls. Granite Basin Lake, Lynx Lake, Watson Lake, Acrosanti, Willow Lake, Pippen Museum, Petroglyph Point or other petroglyph sites
Show Low – Lakeside – Pinetop: These Arizona White Mountains communities, surrounded by more than 2-million acres wilderness in national forests, are Phoenician outdoor enthusiasts’ favorite place to go to cool off in the summer. There is no shortage of camp sites and they are not as crowded as those in Northern Arizona. Hiking and mountain biking are year-round activities. The White Mountains Trail System consists of over 200 miles of interconnecting, multi-use trail loops including the urban trails in Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low. It offers hikers an excellent opportunity to view area wildlife including deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, antelope and turkey, and enjoy a spectacular backdrop of pine and fir forests, dotted with aspen trees. Game hunt is available all year round. With more than 50 lakes and streams, Arizona White Mountains is also a fisherman’s paradise. Try fly fishing and horseback riding if you have never done it before. Points of Interest: Woodland Lake Park Trails, camping at Los Burros Campground and hiking the Los Burros Trail, horseback riding at Porter Mountain Stables, Butterfly Lodge Museum, kayaking in Big Lake, fly fishing in Horseshoe Cienega Lakes or Christmas Tree Lake, Sunrise Park Resort, scenic drive from Pinetop to Greer
Flagstaff: This college town is a popular summer destination, yet it remains easy to get around because the college kids are gone. It is filled with and surrounded by pine trees and has a view of beautiful mountains, including the San Francisco Peaks, of which Humphrey’s Peak is the highest point in Arizona. Flagstaff, being a hip college town, has plenty of great brewpubs, restaurants, funky shops, and a thriving art scene. It’s also known for being a wonderful place for stargazing at night. Make sure you visit Lowell Observatory, the Home of Pluto, for its wonderful summer events. Enjoy endless festivals, markets, and live music, every weekend. You can also make easy day trips from Flagstaff to several national parks including Grand Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, and Painted Desert National Park. Points of interest: Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course, Riordan Mansion, Sunset Crater National Monument, Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Route 66, and if you have time, schedule a stay or dinner at the historic La Posada Hotel in Winslow, right on Route 66.
2. Kayaking, Boating, or Tubing on an Arizona river or lake — Can you believe that Arizona has the highest boat registration per capita in United States? Tubing on Salt River is on many Arizonans’ bucket list. For 2 to 4 hours, you “float” on the Salt River through the beautiful canyon in Tonto National Forest. Once in a while, you see wild horses take their drinks from the river. Kayaking and boating activities are also popular on the six lakes near Metro Phoenix -- Lake Pleasant, Canyon Lake, Apache Lake, Saguaro Lake, Bartlett Lake, and Roosevelt Lake.
3. Staycation – Phoenicians love their summer staycations, when they stay at a local luxury resort, sipping wine by the pool, dining at its fine restaurants, and rejuvenated at its spa, at a bargain price. Many of the resorts also offer day pass so you can enjoy the resort amenities without staying. Phoenix Magazine publishes a staycation guide every year in their May/June summer getaway issue. Here are a few of our favorites:
a. Arizona Biltmore -- Dive-in movies, twist water slide, restaurants, wellness spa, history tours and estate walks, fitness classes, live music
b. Arizona Grand – Water slides including one 8-story high, lazy river, wellness spa, restaurants, day pass, dive-in movies, fireworks
c. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – Summer events and activities, kids club, dive-in movies, wellness spa, fireworks
d. Sanctuary Camelback Mountain – Wellness spa, restaurants, infinity pool with amazing views
e. JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa – Multiple slides, lazy river, splash pads, spa, restaurants
4. A Fieldtrip to the Sky Harbor Airport — One of my favorite activities with kids is to take a fieldtrip to the Most Friendly Airport in the United Sates. Take the light rail into the airport and then hop on and off the Sky Train to see the terrazzo floors at each Sky Train platforms. Kids can spend hours watch airplanes land and take off, luggage trains come and go, and luggage go round and round on the conveyor belt. You can print out the Destination Art Guides for Terminal 3 and Terminal 4, and organize a scavenger hunt. There are plenty of shops and restaurants before the security points. Treat yourself with gelatos at Chelsea’s Kitchen, adding a sweet note before going home.
5. Visiting a museum, library or theater — Phoenix Theatre Company offers special ticket deals for their summer shows. All the public libraries have programs for children. There are also many museums where you can experience the rich Arizona history, art and culture, without fighting the winter tourist crowds.
6. Going to a water park or splash pad — If you don’t want to spend a lot of money for a cool afternoon with kids, visit city pools or splash pads (see Splash Pads Map). There are also private water parks such as Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Revel Surf, and Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water Park.
7. Going to an Arizona Diamondbacks (baseball), Arizona Rattlers (football), or Phoenix Mercury (basketball) game — All these teams play during the summer in their indoor stadiums. The sport franchises excel to create an unforgettable hospitality experience around the games. Give it a try if you have never been to one before.
8. California Road Trip — San Diego, Southern Utah, Catalina Island, Lake Tahoe are a few of the Arizonans’ favorite destinations for a long weekend. However, these places tend to be crowded in the summer months, their peak season. We advise you be there during spring break or fall break if you have school-age children. Instead, take a great California road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1), visiting some less crowded national parks like Channel Islands, Pinnacles, or for a longer trip, Lassen Volcanic National Park, stopping by charming places like Monterey and Napa Valley Wine Country. Add San Francisco to your itinerary for some really good Chinese foods. Don’t forget to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and do some tide pooling in Monterey.