Two colleagues and I are traveling to Phoenix in a couple of weeks for a conference and we're coming in a few days early to enjoy the city. We are all three early to middle age women and planning to do some hiking, possibly a hot air balloon ride and enjoy some of the local cuisine. We hope to get around using only the lite rail, our six feet and possibly rented bicycles.
We'll be flying in late on a Friday evening and out again on Wednesday. We are booked into the airport Crown Plaza for our Tuesday night departure eve and are considering staying there Friday and Saturday of our arrival before going to our conference in a different location.

Typically, airport areas are not the most interesting parts of the city and so I'm looking for advice on neighborhoods to stay in - close to the lite rail, of course. We are wondering if staying downtown is safe, interesting and a better option than a hotel near the airport.

Any advice on hotels, hiking or restaurants would be appreciated.

IMHO, you will need a rental car.

Thanks for your advice. Is that because the interesting things are just not that close to the LRT?

You could stay in downtown Tempe and be near the light rail. It would probably be safer than downtown Phoenix and Tempe is more lively at night than downtown Phoenix which is dead at night.

Hi. I normally read the California boards, but I stumbled across your post and its reply, which is typical of those that arise when someone asks about how to get around in LA on public transportation. However, sometimes someone does use the LA system and finds that you can get where you want to go, although it inevitably takes longer than by car.

Also, those could answer your question are the lower wage working people of Phoenix, and by and large, they're not frequenting these boards.

So, I suggest you go to this web site and start figuring out how to get around. It looks similar to the LA site in that you can input where you want to go and it will respond with a route.
http://www.valleymetro.org/

The light rail system is new, with limited routes geared mainly for moving commuters from the 'burbs into downtown, so not as tourist-friendly as mass transportation in areas like the northeast or Europe that go almost everywhere.

I think you can use light rail with the bus system to get to several nice places (surely two days worth) but you'll have to figure out both light rail and bus schedules. For example here's a link with public transportation options to the Desert Botanical Gardens, which is a place you'll probably really enjoy this time of year: http://www.dbg.org/index.php/plan/directions

You could probably work backwards by figuring out where you wanted to go (Art Museum, Heard Museum, places in Scottsdale, etc) and then see if there was a fairly simple way to get there using LR and one bus route. But basically it's simpler to just rent a car for a day or two.

I agree that Tempe or Scottsdale would be nicer bases than a hotel near the airport (Tempe is actually a short drive east of the airport). Some hotels may have free shuttles for arriving passengers.

Great time to visit, it's worth the transportation hassles this time of year, I feel.

didn't you ask this question last year and I told you that at night in the downtown area it would be sketchy?
I would not advise it..lots of bad things are happening on the light rail..lots of homeless, gangs, etc..
I think it would be fine during the day around Tempe.

Thanks for the advice, ksucat. This is my first trip to the Phoenix area; so you must have shared advice with some other traveler.

msjo - you're right that the Crowne Plaza is not in an interesting area. Where is your conference? As already mentioned by a couple of posters, our light rail really isn't the best way to play tourist. I agree that a rental car is a much better way to go. Also you didn't mention a price range on hotels. There are all sorts of really nice resorts close to the downtown area, e.g. The Royal Palms, Biltmore, even a Ritz Carlton.

Some destinations lend themselves to visits without use of a rental car and some do not. And it isn't only where you go but what you wish to do when you get there.

The O.P. wants to go hiking, possibly hot air ballooning (which means getting up and out to the launch site either pretty early in the morning or later in the evening), etc. These types of activities would require the O.P. and colleagues to go further away from the more urban areas.

I usually visit my brother in Tempe each year (although I've missed a couple here and there). Because of his work schedule, a couple of years ago, I took Valley Metro to and from the Desert Botanical Garden, so as to not bother him.

I am a person who uses public transportation every day; believes strongly in public transportation; and probably has a little more tolerance/patience than those who normally just jump in their cars and go wherever.

I'm not saying that I didn't accomplish what I set out to do - but there was a major amount of time invested in doing so. After that experience, I've gone again to the Garden with others - riding in their cars.

Now, that's just the Desert Botanical Garden, which is in fairly close proximity to other points of interes. What the O.P. apparently wants is even more remote.

P.S. A very good way to determine what is best for you is to figure out what attractions you really want to see or do at your destination. Then just look at their website(s) and the specifically the section outlining the directions to get there. If they don't even mention public transportation as an option...

As an example of light rail/bus travel in the Phoenix area, here was my experience last month when I didn't want to bother my son and have him pick me up at the airport.

Arrived airport, took free shuttle to light rail (What great planning - no stop at the airport!!!), getting the shuttle right as I exited the airport. A few minutes later I arrived at the rail stop. Walked across the street to the actual stop. Bought my ticket. Even though I have done this once before, I find the instructions for paying cash to be non-existent and the slot for cash awkwardly located. I bought an all day ticket because the system does not use transfers and I would have 3 legs to this trip.

The train arrived soon and I boarded for the short trip to Tempe. I got off at the University/Rural stop near ASU. They do have a very well designed bus stop there. I waited just a few minutes before I was on bus 72 going south. In a few minutes I exited, crossed the street and took another bus to very near my house.

As you can see, the system worked well with no long waits for me on this trip. However, the total time was about 1 hour. Normal time to drive from the airport to home - 20 minutes max.

Have done some research on Phoenix (haven't been) and depending on what you want to see, it's certainly possible to use light rail for a good bit of sightseeing. These attractions all seem to be reasonably reachable that way:

--Arizona Capitol Building
--Arizona Doll and Toy Museum
--Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
--Arizona Science Center
--Heard Museum
--Heritage Square
--Phoenix Art Museum
--Phoenix Museum of History
--Wells Fargo History Museum
--Pueblo Grande Museum and Agricultural Park
--Arizona Historical Society Museum
--Arizona State University Art Museum
--Center for Meteorite Studies
--Ceramics Research Center and Gallery
--Desert Botanical Garden
--Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum
--Phoenix Zoo
--Tempe Center for the Arts
--Arizona Museum for Youth
--Arizona Museum of Natural History
--Mesa Contemporary Arts

That's surely enough to keep any tourist occupied for several days, depending on one's interest.

But several other attractions, including the Wrigley Mansion, Taliesin West, Shemer Art Center and Museum, Arizona Biltmore, Mystery Castle, McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, Penske Racing Museum, Scottsdale Museum for Contemporary Art, and Scottsdale Center for the Arts, plus most anything active/nature oriented, would not be. A car is probably wise to experience these.

"Reasonably reachable" are the operative words there. If it says a "5 minute walk" to an attraction that can mean a mile or more away.

For example, I didn't mention it above, but just walking to and from the main entrance of the Desert Botanical Garden is a considerable distance from the street entrance (which leads to and through the parking areas).

This is not a big deal to me because I walk 5-10 miles every day. And it may not mean a lot to the O.P. and crew because they want to hike - and I'm assuming that they are in good shape and fit for real hiking. But it may mean a lot to those who aren't in such good shape, need assistance, etc. And it will be even more of a deal if people try to do this when the weather warms up in the Valley of the Sun.

So just make sure you know how far (in mileage) it really is to the *main entrance* of an attraction ahead of time, if you are planning on taking public transportation.

I didn't mention the issue of dining. Every time that I go to visit and we go out for dining, it takes a little time by car to get to the various places. Just remember that when you are planning, because some of the places where you wish to dine may not be that available to you if you want a quick bus trip.

I don't want anyone here to think I'm undermining the use of public transportation because I am not. IMHO, it is absolutely the right move for a large, sprawling area such as Phoenix/Tempe/Mesa/Scottsdale and outlying cities/towns to reduce their dependence on automobiles. And also I believe that there are some other major metropolitan areas which really need to think in this direction as well - and/or bolster the system they have.

However, if the O.P. wants to do those things they've mentioned above, they'll need a rental car. Actually, if they are looking for a suggestion on where to go hiking, I would highly recommend that they drive north to Sedona for a daytrip and hike around there.

bigtyke, so glad for your input above.

I couldn't visit my brother last year because of work conflicts but probably will this year.

I usually go for a couple days before and through the weekend, then return on Monday. I, too, don't want to bother my brother with driving me to the airport before work; and, as you know, cabs aren't the cheapest mode of transportation. The light rail will definitely a good option for me.

THANK YOU all so very much for your advice. Being a mid-westerner with very little public transportation available and also a frequent Boston visitor where it really is possible to live without a car, my perception of ease of travel via LRT was a bit incomplete. I feel much enlightened.
Thanks also for your suggestions about Tempe. That sounds like a good direction for us to go.
Happy Travels!

Chicago of course is another city where many live without a car.

FYI: Tempe is OK but not particularly hopping, even on the main entertainment street. I guess sleepy is the word that I am looking for (a 50 year old's perspective).

Another option is to stay in Scottsdale (also very near the airport) and take shuttles around, bike, or just walk to lesser attractions or shops. Frankly, I think only Scottsdale has the critical mass of things to keep a non-driver occupied in Phoenix for a couple days.