Many people are surprised to hear that Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the U.S. How could anything located in the middle of the desert be so popular? A thriving tourist industry as well as agriculture, supported by nearby rivers has made Phoenix one of America’s fastest growing cities. Add to that a rapidly growing high-tech sector and Phoenix has all that it needs to thrive.

Summer in Phoenix means temperatures topping 100 degrees. However, the air lacks a great deal of humidity, meaning that it does not feel quite as hot as it sounds. Winter in the city, however, is quite comfortable. Temperatures are in the sixties and seventies during the daytime and dip to the fifties or even forties at night. Spring is the best time to visit. Highs in the eighties and lows in the sixties mean visitors will never run into uncomfortable temperatures.

Phoenix boasts a professional team in every major sports league. It also has a world-class symphony, a professional theater troupe, and plenty of galleries and museums featuring the Southwest’s trademark style of art.

The Sonoran Desert offers a unique landscape unfamiliar to many visitors. Desert Botanical Garden is a one of a kind park with a collection of plant life from the world’s most arid regions. There are also several outfits that offer Humvee tours into the desert itself.

Native American culture is alive and well in Phoenix. The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park is a working archeological site and The Heard Museum has many world-class exhibits featuring Native American art and culture. There are galleries scattered throughout the city offering a look at Native American arts and crafts.

Phoenix is more than a pleasant place to escape the cold of a northern winter. It is alive with culture and excitement year round.

Shopping in Phoenix