Phoenix accommodation from AU$120

It’s also the name of Arizona’s capital, and believe us, it’s a fantastic place to go on holiday. You can stroll through beautiful desert gardens and then learn all about the native people who still occupy parts of the valley. Browse Wotif’s selection of deals for a Phoenix hotel and book one now.

Things to Do in Phoenix

First thing you should do on your trip to Phoenix is to pay a visit to the Heard Museum of Native Culture and Art. Native American traditions are important in this town, and it’s hard to find a place that showcases it better than this museum. You’ll be amazed at the 437 Hopi kachina dolls from the Barry Goldwater Collection, as well as 260 pieces of contemporary jewellery. If you go at the right time of year, you might be able to catch the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest!

After you’ve become familiar with native customs, take a walk through the Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park. This place has been designated a Phoenix Point of Pride, and after a couple hours of exploring it you’ll understand why. There’s over 21,000 different plants and 139 species that are endangered. One piece of advice: Don’t try and take any of the agave to make tequila, no matter how badly you want to experiment. It won’t end well.

Getting to & Around Phoenix

Flights to “The Valley of the Sun” will land at Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport (PHX), 5 km from downtown and close to many major Phoenix hotels. From the airport, there’s a number of taxi, limousine and shuttle companies that provide service not only to the city, but the entire valley. When you want to wander, the Valley Metro bus is a great way to go from here to there.

So you want to spend a holiday basking in the American Southwest, do you? Well look no further than Wotif’s unbelievable offers for Phoenix accommodation and rise from the ashes—just like the bird—or maybe from your couch, and get going today!

History

A productive and well-organised society occupied Phoenix for hundreds of years, building an elaborate irrigation system with about 135 miles of canals. What happened to this civilisation remains a mystery, but travelling Native Americans nicknamed them “Hohokam”, meaning “the people who have gone”. In 1867, Jack Swilling of Wickenburg caught sight of the area while resting his horse on the White Tank Mountains, and shortly after moved into the valley with his Swilling Irrigation Company. Due to the legacy of the Hohokam, the new city was named Phoenix, after the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes.

Things to do

Walking one of the trails of the Desert Botanical Garden is a bit like wandering on another world. This garden features more than 50,000 plants from around the world, including cacti of different shapes and sizes, succulents and desert wildflowers. It also has guided tours, events and concerts.

A Phoenix icon that rises high above the northeast horizon, Camelback Mountain offers rugged red hiking trails. Of course, if you really want to see nature at its most spectacular, a day trip to the Grand Canyon is a must-do.

Along with its stack of desert golf courses, Phoenix has culture, culture and more culture. Just for starters there’s the Heard Museum, for Native American history and art, the Phoenix Art Museum, for the most diverse collection of art in the Southwest, and the Musical Instrument Museum.

Shopping and dining

Shop at the Arizona Centre in Downtown Phoenix, visit a local boutique or wander an open-air market like the Phoenix Park ’n Swap. Phoenix’s dining scene ranges from restaurants with great mountain views to delicious Southwest and Mexican options, and distinctive local coffee houses.

Getting here

To take off to Phoenix, book your cheap flight to Phoenix with us to go with your Phoenix hotel. Get ready to enjoy bright sunshine, fascinating culture and the unique scenery of the Sonoran Desert.