Help...it's over 100 in Phoenix, and we must, for family reasons, be there 6 nights. What is there to do that one could enjoy inside...I can't bear that kind of heat????

The Heard Museum is one of the best for Native American artifacts. Phoenix is very big. Where are you staying? Would help to give you some ideas.

I grew up in Phoenix and am also returning for 4 nights in June. I usually go to the Phoenix Art Museum when I visit and go to the movies too. And I swim a lot. Walking very early in the morning is nice too. Going out to lunch is a must, always worth the heat in and out of the car.

I'll be interested to see what others suggest. Have you considered taking a mini trip to Sedona?

I vacationed in Arizona in August a few years ago. We did stick to the mountains mostly but we stayed for 2 or 3 nights at the Wigwam resort outside of Phoenix. We visited Taliesin West one afternoon and we visted the Biltmore another afternoon and had a drink there. We hung around the pool a lot as well. We had fun, but I don't mind the heat very much.

I forgot to mention shopping! Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale is considered one of the best.

I lived in Tucson for six years and although temperatures tend to be about 5/10 degrees cooler, it's still hot!

I found that if you schedule outdoor activities ( hiking, botanical gardens etc.) before 11:00 or so, it's really not too bad.

Clarasong-Check the weather. It's cooling down this week in Arizona! Enjoy your trip.

I find Phoenix one of the most boring cities I've ever visited. (In laws live there.)

The only thing I love near there is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. (Fabulous birds, beautiful vegetation, amazing scenery.)

http://www.btarboretum.org/

But, I bet it will be hot too!

Post script...we did go and it was everything I expected, all except for the dramatic weather...108 the day we got there and 56 the next day..nearly froze. Got a bad sunburn the first day, and we spent lots of time on freeways, in traffic jams, etc. Did go to the Heard museum and had a wonderful lunch there...lots to see...and we did the zoo with a young family member...he loved it...Probably won't hurry back.

You went to the zoo and Heard in 6 days?? What else did you do? You should have done a little more research.

We had a family reunion so lots of time was taken with visiting, catching up, tending kids to give parents a break, scouting restaurants for later, driving the dam freeeway, sitting at the pool with a cooler, etc., etc.

Clara-A little confused how you were sitting by the pool when it was cold.

I grew up in the Phoenix area and most of my family still lives there. I know that at first appearances Phoenix is just another example of urban sprawl and yes it is spread out. But there is lots to do there if you do the research. It just seems like you aren't giving it much of a chance. Worried about being too hot, too cold, traffic, etc. I don't say you have to love it but I hope you at least had a good time with your family.

The kids you mention (and you too) would have loved the Firefly Exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum. Or hiking in South Mountain for the cool day. The Desert Botanical Garden is right next to the zoo...did you see it?

Any city is just exactly what you want to make of it!

Phoenix was the first place we visited in the USA. I loved it. It was very hot (early September), but everything was just so 'different' - the cacti, the hummingbirds. We stayed at the Camelback Inn, which was magic. We had a bad thunderstorm one day, but we hardly took any notice! We also got very lost one evening and saw a great deal more of the city (several times!) than we'd intended. I would go back there, willingly, any day.