Phoenix Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in Phoenix check out our Phoenix guide to car hire in Phoenix.
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The capital of the Grand Canyon State, Arizona, Phoenix lies in the centre of the aptly named - because of the intense heat - Valley of the Sun, and can be reached by air with direct from London with British Airways, or by using one of the many American Airlines and stopping off somewhere else on the way, especially since Las Vegas and Los Angeles can be reached by air in a little over one hour.
In the city centre of Phoenix, there is plenty to see and do: the Desert Botanical Gardens and the zoo that they house are a great day out, and absolutely fascinating for families; while the Heard Museum gives insight into the life and times of the local tribes of Indians, and is well worth half a day of anyone's time in between games of golf and sunbathing by the pool.
Offering great shopping, a stunning climate, and plenty of things to see and do, Phoenix and Scottsdale are great places to visit, whether as holiday destinations in their own right, or as the starting point for a longer self-drive holiday around the beautiful desert scenery of the deserts of the South West USA.
A visit to this part of the country is an excellent introduction to a different side of America, away from the most popular tourism destinations such as New York and Florida and Phoenix is truly a place in which you can get a real insight into the pioneering "can-do" idealism that pervades American society, and compels the people of this vast, wealthy country push themselves to achieve what they have - made the desert bloom with flowers and green with golf courses. For this reason, Phoenix is a truly inspiring place, and nowhere exemplifies the spirit of achievement more than the Arcosanti project that includes the creation of a self contained artificial city in the desert.
Within driving distance, tourists can explore some of the largest Navajo Indian reserves in the USA, see the majestic Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River (only during March and April - the rest of the year, the river is no more than a dry bed), or head to the new age town of Sedona, where the locals claim that they live at the focus of several important "ley lines" and hug trees for emotional support.
The hotels in and around Phoenix are of an excellent standard, and many take the form of a golf resort, with several challenging courses to play on, and which regularly feature PGA tournaments.
