Fantastic Phoenix

Phoenix is the capital of the US state of Arizona. This city is known for its year-round sun and warm temperatures. Here you'll find the Valley of the Sun with high-end spa resorts.

Papago Park located in the southeast part of Phoenix is a lovely natural area. You can enjoy hiking along the nature trails and climbing on the red rocks all over the park. There are routes for cycling and places for golfing. You can enjoy the two most popular trails the Elliot Ramada and the Double Butte Loop. These will take you to the strange rock outcroppings that are a key feature of the park. Occasionally you can see wildlife mostly rabbits and at times bighorn sheep. Within the park, you'll also find the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo.

The Desert Botanical Garden features both nature and art, There are art installations all over the gardens which are home to many plants and display examples of vegetation from deserts all around the globe. You can also enjoy butterflies and hummingbirds that are attracted by the many different plants. There are trails that wind their way through the gardens and a particularly wonderful time to visit is in the spring when everything is blooming.

The Phoenix Zoo is home to over 1,400 animals among them endangered species. It's especially known for its Sumatran tigers and orangutans. Four different trails lead through the zoo – the African Trail, Tropics Trail, Arizona Trail, and Children's Trail. The zoo offers children's programs and events, splash pads, and play areas. A highlight of the zoo is animal encounters.

People enjoy The Monkey Village which offers an open exhibit with monkeys swinging by. Children enjoy the Red Barn, a petting zoo with sheep, goats, and horses. The zoo also has a 4D theater.

Heard Museum dates back to 1929 and is known for the art and culture of the Indians of the Southwest. You can see displays of basketwork, pottery, jewelry, textiles, and a large collection of kachina dolls. The museum features galleries and outdoor courtyards with traditional and contemporary Native American art. Outside is a sculpture garden. You can relax at the outdoor care with courtyard seating.

The Phoenix Art Museum has a permanent collection that displays the art of the European Renaissance and Baroque periods, the Far East, and the American West. You can also see modern and contemporary artwork, fashion design, live performances and films. The building is a work of art by itself and was designed by New York architects Tod Williams/Billie Tsien& Associates in the mid-1900s. Since the founding of the museum in 1959 it has developed into one of the leading art museums in the American Southwest.

South Mountain Park/Preserve is one of the largest city parks in the US and covers more than 16,000 acres of desert landscape. There are miles of hiking trails, trails for horseback riding and also for mountain biking. There are great views over the desert. If you come at night you can see fantastic views of the lights of the city. The highest point in the park is Mount Suppoa.

The highlight here is the highest lookout that can be reached by trail or road – Dobbins Lookout at 2,330 feet.

The OdySea Aquarium is the largest of its kind in Arizona. There are many interesting exhibits as well as three different touch pools. There are over 70 exhibits, many of them interactive. The aquarium is home to more than 6,000 aquatic animals from penguins to sharks to stingrays, otters and octopuses. There are also sloths and tropical birds.

One of the highlights is helmet diving where you descend into a pool filled with fish in a special diving suit or you can have an interaction with the penguins.

Arizona State Capitol Museum is set in lovely gardens and was the seat of government until 1974. The state building is now a museum that focuses on the history of Arizona. Exhibits are on four floors with a unique display of the Arizona flag made of 113,998 Lego bricks. Each Lego brick represents one mile in the state.