Phoenix · Arizona, USA
Things to Do in Phoenix: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Phoenix, ranked by real traveller reviews: kayak the Salt River past wild horses, float over the Sonoran Desert in a hot-air balloon at sunrise, day-trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, ride an ATV through the cactus forest, hike Camelback Mountain, wander the Desert Botanical Garden and eat through Roosevelt Row. Compare 120+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
339 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Phoenix
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Phoenix
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Phoenix by interest
Whatever brings you to Phoenix — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Phoenix
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Grand Canyon
World wonder.
50+ toursView tours
Sedona
Red rocks.
40+ toursView tours
Sonoran Desert
ATV country.
50+ toursView tours
Balloon Rides
Desert dawn.
30 toursView tours
Antelope Canyon
Slot canyon.
20 toursView tours
Old Town Scottsdale
Galleries & dining.
30 toursView tours
Sonoran Hikes
Cactus trails.
20 toursView tours
Camelback Mountain
City summit.
15 toursView tours
3.5 hr awayGrand Canyon
World wonder.
from $120View trips
2 hr awaySedona
Red rocks.
from $90View trips
4.5 hr awayAntelope Canyon
Slot canyon.
from $200View trips
Nearby awaySonoran Desert
ATV trails.
from $65View trips
30 min awayScottsdale
Old Town.
from $55View trips
Day awayApache Trail
Scenic drive.
from $100View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Phoenix visitor asks before booking.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Warm, sunny and pleasant — the peak season for visiting.
Spring (Mar–Apr)
Warm days and desert blooms — ideal.
Summer (May–Sep)
Very hot — tour early morning or evening.
Autumn (Oct)
Cooling and comfortable after the summer heat.
For day trips
Spring and autumn are great for the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
Best overall
November to April is ideal.
One day
The desert and Scottsdale.
Two days
Add the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
Three days
Add Antelope Canyon or the Apache Trail.
For scenery
The Grand Canyon and Sedona.
For adventure
Desert ATV and ballooning.
With kids
Family ATV and the aquarium.
Car & taxi
A car or rideshare is the easiest way around the spread-out city.
Tours & vans
Guided tours are best for the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
Light rail
The light rail links central Phoenix and Tempe.
On foot
Old Town Scottsdale and Roosevelt Row are walkable.
Where to stay
Stay in Scottsdale, downtown or near Camelback.
US dollar
The USA uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted.
Book day trips
Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon tours sell out — reserve ahead.
Beat the heat
In summer, tour at sunrise or sunset and carry plenty of water.
Antelope permits
Antelope Canyon needs a guided permit; tours arrange it.
Sun protection
Bring sunscreen, a hat and sturdy shoes for the desert.
Sunrise balloons
Book balloon flights for sunrise, when conditions are best.
Cool season
Visit November to April for the most comfortable weather.
Grand Canyon
Day trips sell out — book ahead.
Antelope Canyon
Permitted tours fill up fast — reserve early.
Balloon rides
Sunrise flights book out — reserve ahead.
ATV tours
Popular desert tours have limited spots — book early.
Sedona trips
Sedona day trips fill up — reserve ahead.
Winter season
The cool season is busiest — book everything ahead.
Grand Canyon
Around $120–200 for a Grand Canyon and Sedona day trip.
Sedona
About $90–150 for a Sedona day trip.
Antelope Canyon
Roughly $200–300 for an Antelope Canyon day tour.
Desert ATV
Around $65–150 for a desert ATV or UTV tour.
Balloon ride
About $150–250 for a hot-air balloon flight.
How to save
Join group day trips and combine the Grand Canyon with Sedona.
When to visit
Phoenix through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Nov–Feb
- Best for
- Warm & sunny.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak.
Spring (Mar–Apr)
Mar–Apr
- Best for
- Desert blooms.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal.
Summer (May–Sep)
May–Sep
- Best for
- Fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Very hot.
Autumn (Oct)
October
- Best for
- Cooling down.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant.
People also ask
Phoenix travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Phoenix?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) kayaking the Salt River past the wild horses, 2) a Grand Canyon and Sedona day trip, 3) a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert, 4) a guided ATV tour of the desert, 5) a guided hike up Camelback Mountain, 6) stargazing in Sedona’s dark skies, 7) the Desert Botanical Garden, 8) a Roosevelt Row food tour, 9) the Musical Instrument Museum and Heard Museum and 10) Old Town Scottsdale’s galleries, bars and Western storefronts.
How many days do you need in Phoenix?
Plan two to three days in the Valley plus one or two for the canyons. Day one: a sunrise hike, the Desert Botanical Garden, the Heard Museum and dinner in Roosevelt Row. Day two: a balloon flight or Salt River kayak in the morning, an ATV tour or the Musical Instrument Museum, Old Town Scottsdale at night. Day three: the Grand Canyon and Sedona on one 13–14-hour tour — or split them over two days for a proper look at each.
What to do in Phoenix for free?
Sunrise on Camelback’s Echo Canyon trail or the gentler Piestewa Peak, Dobbins Lookout in South Mountain Park, Hole-in-the-Rock at Papago Park, the murals and First Friday art walk on Roosevelt Row, Old Town Scottsdale and its Thursday ArtWalk, the Arizona Capitol Museum, Tempe Town Lake and ‘A’ Mountain, and the free wild-horse viewing along the Salt River’s Bush Highway pull-offs. Spring-training games in March are cheap rather than free.
What are the best day trips from Phoenix?
Sedona’s red rocks (two hours; tours from about $127–168 including Jerome and Montezuma Castle), the Grand Canyon South Rim (3.5 hours each way; combined Grand Canyon and Sedona tours are $226–243), the Apache Trail with Tortilla Flat and a Canyon Lake cruise (one hour), the Superstition Mountains and Goldfield Ghost Town (45 minutes), Tucson and Saguaro National Park (two hours), and Prescott’s Whiskey Row (90 minutes). Antelope Canyon is 4.5 hours away — better as an overnight.
What to do in Phoenix at night?
Stargazing tours in Sedona or the desert north of Scottsdale, the First Friday art walk on Roosevelt Row, Old Town Scottsdale’s bars and the Tempe Mill Avenue strip, a Suns game at the Footprint Center or a Diamondbacks game under Chase Field’s retractable roof, sunset from Dobbins Lookout on South Mountain, rooftop bars downtown, and in summer the Desert Botanical Garden’s Flashlight Nights.
What is there to do in Phoenix in winter?
Winter is peak season: highs around 65–70°F make it the best time for hiking, golf, ATV and balloon trips. Late February and March bring Cactus League spring-training baseball, the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Barrett-Jackson auction in January, and from late November there are ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo, Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden and Glendale Glitters. Sedona and the Grand Canyon may have snow — a bonus for photos.
What are the best things to do in Phoenix with kids?
The Arizona Science Center, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, the Phoenix Zoo and neighbouring Desert Botanical Garden, OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, the Musical Instrument Museum’s hands-on room, Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park, a gentle Salt River kayak or, in summer, tubing, the Wildlife World Zoo, Golfland Sunsplash and spring-training games in March.
When is the best time to visit Phoenix?
October to April, with November to March the prime months — sunny, dry and mild. March adds spring training and desert wildflowers but is the busiest and priciest. From June to September daytime highs reach 105–115°F: hiking and balloon flights move to dawn and many outdoor tours pause.
Is the Grand Canyon day trip from Phoenix worth it?
Yes, if it is your only chance — the tours are the highest-rated long-distance experiences in Phoenix, with about three hours at the South Rim plus a stop in Sedona, but they run 13–14 hours door to door. If you have two days, do Sedona on its own and stay overnight near the canyon; if you have one, book the small-group tour and accept the early start.
339 Phoenix experiencesfrom $45 · free cancellation
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