The Valley of the Sun, that is Metro Phoenix, i.e. Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, etc., offers an abundance of activities all year round. However, I have for the most part visited during the hottest months of the year and while there is amazing hiking in Arizona and it is totally worth it to sweat your way to top of the Camelback Mountain. Here is my list of things to do in The Salt River Valley that are not hiking.
Odysea in the Desert:
9500 East VÃa de Ventura
Scottsdale, AZ 85256
This aquarium is massive. The entire complex is full of family friendly attractions and activities to beat the heat. And you can touch so much! The Aqua Lobby features fish bowls suspended from the ceiling and the bathroom sinks face the Odysea Voyager Aquarium. The Voyager is an educational rotating theater that showcases different species and environments. The Rivers of the World exhibit allows you to touch Russian Sturgeon and they are spiny and awesome. There's tons of interactive games and two touch pools: tide organisms and stingrays.
Museums
Phoenix Art Museum: Showing artwork from the 14th century through to today.
1625 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AX 85004
Heard Museum: Exhibits feature Soutwestern Art and showcases Native American 2301 N Central Ave civilizations
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Musical Instrument Museum: Presents instruments from all over the world includes
4725 E Mayo Blvd interactive displays
Phoenix, AZ 85050
Pueblo Grande Museum: (Outside**) Archaeological site of the Hohokam people, featuring 4619 E Washington St trails through the village and an education experience
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Hunt for Wild Burros + Bonus Sunset over Lake Pleasant
Wild burros are adorable and looking to spot them in the wild is fun. They come out around Lake Pleasant around sunset. We spotted these two around the Morristown New River Highway. This doubles as a picturesque setting for sunset and offers breathtaking views of Lake Pleasant.
Desert Botanical Garden
The Desert Botanical Garden boasts numerous walking paths; an award winning restaurant, Gertrude's; and unique art exhibits. It's also a great vantage point for a surreal desert sunset. During the summer months they hosts flashlight tours on Saturdays.
Desert Botanical Garden
1201 N Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Segway Tour
One morning we headed out to Fort McDowell, which is a little ways away from the city, for a segway tour in the Sonoran Desert via Adventures Out West. (They move between AZ and CO during the year.) We spent the morning zipping around a desert in full bloom including the saguaro cacti. It's all trailed out as you can see and there are some wild horses in the area and cows. From the tour you can see Fountain Hills namesake, which erupts for 15 minutes every hour. For lunch, we grabbed street tacos at Maskadores. It was cheap, quick and good.
Adventures Out West Segway Tours Fountain, Fountain Park Maskadores Taco Shop
14803 N Hiawatha Hood Rd. 12925 N. Saguaro Blvd. 16754 E Glenbrook Blvd
Fort McDowell, AZ 85264 Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
Flee to the Mountains
During the summer, the locals enjoy the lower temperatures of the mountains and lakes that surround the Valley of the Sun. A drive around the Mogollon Rim is the perfect day trip to beat the heat and explore the National Forests that lie to the Northeast of Metro Phoenix. Just use Rim Road and stop often.
XX BDGT