THE LOCALE: America’s Sunniest City

 

Things are different in Phoenix. The sky is bigger. The stars are brighter. The sunsets stop you in your tracks. The heart of the Sonoran Desert still has real cowboys and rugged mountains. Phoenix is the gateway to the Grand Canyon.

 

Experience the Extraordinary Culture

The Desert Botanical Garden and the Heard Museum offer unique Southwestern experiences, while the Phoenix Art Museum and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art appeal to contemporary art types. The Children’s Museum of Phoenix, the Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Zoo are must-dos for adults and children alike.

 

Get Outdoors

By foot, by bike or even by horse, there’s no shortage of mountain trails. Climb Camelback Mountain, see the cityscape from Piestawa Peak or head to South Mountain for more than 50 miles of trails.

Experience the tranquility of strolling in a garden abloom with wildflowers or drift silently along the Sonoran Desert in a hot-air balloon. And don’t forget that Phoenix offers a variety of golf, shopping, spa and nightlife options.

Sunny weather is the number one reason visitors come to Greater Phoenix. According to data compiled by the National Climatic Data Center, Greater Phoenix basks in sunshine during 85 percent of the daylight hours — more often than any other major metropolitan area in the United States.

Greater Phoenix’s average annual temperature is 72 degrees, and the average annual high is 85 degrees. As for the summer, it gets hot, but it’s a dry heat. The Sonoran Desert’s super-low humidity means 90-degree temperatures feel quite nice, and the arid climate causes perspiration to evaporate quickly, keeping you cooler and drier. In June and July, highs average around 103 degrees Fahrenheit, while lows dip to an average of only 75. While you most likely won’t need a sweater at night, it doesn’t hurt to come prepared!

For more information, check out visitphoenix.com or explore the map below.

 

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