I recently came back from a very long trip to Phoenix! Unfortunately, while I was there, I got sick and was out of commission for quite some time. A trip that should’ve been weeks of slow content creation ended up being a single weekend of extremely packed photography and visiting fewer spots than I had originally intended! Nevertheless, I had a wonderful time and wanted to share 5 unique and fun weekend ideas in Phoenix.
1. Walk among giant cacti at the Desert Botanical Garden
I’ll be honest, Arizona’s gigantic botanical garden is the number one thing I wanted to see while I was in Phoenix. I’m a huge plant nerd, to the point that I used to compete at the national level over invasive species in high school. (Unexpected, I know! But I won first place, so that’s all that matters.)
The Desert Botanical Garden hosts towering saguaros, prickly chollas, and every manner of cactus that you could think of in between. Not only do they feature cacti, but also many kinds of trees, flowers, and even an edible herb garden! They often host events here, including this beautiful Chihuly in the Desert exhibit while I was visiting. I felt so lucky: Chihuly is one of my favorite 3D artists! You can also find his work in many other gardens, such as Seattle’s flagship museum or the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Note: I was invited to the Desert Botanical Garden on a free press trip, but the above thoughts are all my own.
Truly one of the most stunning sights in all of Phoenix and one of my favorite botanical gardens to date.
2. Get drawn by robots at Wonderspaces Arizona
As an artist myself, Wonderspaces was one of my favorite places on my visit to Phoenix. They are a constantly changing immersive art exhibit that features pieces from independent artists in mini-rooms. Unlike a lot of “immersive art exhibits” that I’ve been to, which are just glorified Instagram ops, Wonderspaces manages to put together pieces that are both interesting to look at and interact with while also being quite photogenic.
My favorite exhibit is 3RNP, where you get drawn by 3 robots named Paul. (Cute!) Other experiences include the Rainbow Rooms, a VR journey into a black hole, a ferrous liquid that pours out of a skull, Candy Chang’s famous “Before I Die” chalkboards, and Light Leaks’ glittery disco balls.
There are 13 mini rooms and some of them take a good amount of time (3RNP takes at least 20 minutes), so get there with plenty of time to spare! We spent 2 hours here, and the Wonderspaces website says most visitors take about 90 minutes.
Note: I was also invited to Wonderspaces on a PR invite, but the above thoughts are all my own.
3. Eat your heart out in Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town Scottsdale is the culinary heart of the greater Phoenix area. In fact, I’m pretty sure every meal we had over the weekend was in Scottsdale! My most memorable meal might have been lunch at Farm & Craft, a beautiful natural-lit airy restaurant featuring colorful, healthy meals and some of the cutest drinks! For a bonus, snap a shot at their chalkboard outside or at the famous Scottsdale saguaro mural located just across the street.
Other notable restaurants that we saw that won’t entirely break the bank include Roku for delicious nigiri (my favorite is their hotate, or scallop), Olive & Ivy, and The Canal Club.
Best of all, a lot of Old Town Scottsdale is walkable! You can find one-time parking and hit multiple restaurants, as well as Wonderspaces (#2 on this list) at the Scottsdale Fashion Mall.
4. Embrace your natural side at Papago Park
Papago Park is as beautiful as you make it. My boyfriend’s family lives in Phoenix and when he heard I wanted to go to Papago Park, he was like, “why in the world would you want to go there?” But we found a beautiful little dock overlooking the water and the palm trees at sunset and it was absolutely lovely.
Papago Park is photogenic mostly because it combines palm trees and water, which are always great photo ops. The park also has a small mountain with a hole in the rock that makes for a popular climb!
Bonus: Papago Park is located practically adjacent to the Desert Botanical Garden (#1 on this list), so you can do both in one day if you wish.
Looking for more outdoorsy weekend activities in Arizona? How about a trip to Sedona? You can easily fit it into a weekend using my Weekend Hiking Guide to Sedona.
5. Snack on a diamond popsicle at Pop ‘N’ Tea Bar
I love cafes, and I love dessert. Pop ‘N’ Tea Bar is located a little further out of Scottsdale than these other locations, but makes for the loveliest recharge stop. They are famous for their diamond-pattern popsicles, which you can then dip into chocolate and other toppings for a more textured experience. They also have coffee and other drinks such as boba, which is my favorite!
The cafe is quite small but very Instagrammable. They have a leafy green wall with a neon pink sign–automatic photo qualification–and I’m also a big fan of their natural light, big windows, and plant corner. Come to have a popsicle, sip on a latte, and bask in the afternoon sun!
That’s all for the most unique weekend activities for a weekend in Phoenix and Scottsdale! Phoenix is easily bypassed because many don’t find it worth visiting, but I had a wonderful time there.
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