The best things to do in Phoenix this summer: An ultimate bucket list

Jun 17, 2023

Welcome to summer 2023 in metro Phoenix. Are you dreading not seeing temps below 100 degrees for four solid months?

Here's a thought: This year, don't fear the hot season. Embrace it.

Consider all the opportunities: With hardly any tourists around, getting into your favorite bar or restaurant is a breeze. Glam resorts in Phoenix and Scottsdale drop their nightly rates and many offer day passes to their pools and water parks.

Want to get out of the city? Take a lazy float down the Salt River. Maybe your family or friends tradition is a beach getaway to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.

And if you just can't bear to be outdoors for any length of time now, we've got a bounty of movie, TV and music streaming ideas.

Read on for an entire summer's worth of fun things to do with family, friends or all on your own this summer.

Take a wild ride at a water park: The Valley's numerous water parks offer lazy rivers, thrilling waterslides and pools where people can cool off and have fun in the sun. Some venues even let you avoid the sun: Great Wolf Lodge near Scottsdale has an indoor water park where the temperature is maintained at 84 degrees year-round. And Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa has night hours that go as late as 10 p.m. on select days. From a floating waterslide on Lake Pleasant to wave pools and "gravity-defying water coasters," here's what you’ll find at 10 water parks in metro Phoenix.

Float down the Salt River: One of Arizona's staple summer activities is back in action. Salt River Tubing is open for 2023 in east Mesa, allowing Arizonans to rent innertubes, float down the lower Salt River and catch a ride back to their cars afterward. The adventure can be a quick trip or a half-day excursion, depending on where you begin and end your journey; it can take anywhere from 1½ to four hours to make your way down the mountain stream waters. The business is under new ownership after 40 years. Here's a complete guide to prices, safety tips and more.

New for 2023:Here are all the upgrades at Salt River Tubing this summer

Splash it up at a hotel pool or water park: Hotels in the Phoenix area have water features ranging from mellow lazy rivers to a thrilling surf simulator. One of the most popular locations, the Oasis Water Park at Arizona Grand Resort and Spa, is anchored by eight-story-tall waterslides. River Ranch at Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak has waterslides and a lazy river that winds around the resort's location at the base of Piestewa Peak at Phoenix Mountains Preserve.

Treat yourself to a hotel day pass: No room? No problem. Spend a day poolside at your favorite metro Phoenix resort by purchasing a hotel day pass. You'll get access to the pool and related amenities. Daybeds and cabanas are available for guests who feel like splurging a little. Many hotels offer day passes through ResortPass, and the price per person depends on the day and the property. Depending on the number of people in your group, booking a room for the night might give you the most for your money.

Plan a beach road trip: If you’d prefer a beach to a pool, load up the car: The closest beach to Phoenix is just 215 miles away in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, also known as Rocky Point. Here's what to know about driving across the border. If you don't have a passport here's how to get one.

Treat yourself to a swanky hotel stay: Now is the time when locals can savor the lap of luxury at a discount. Fancy hotels and resorts throughout metro Phoenix are offering their best deals now through Labor Day. Each hotel has its own staycation vibe. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has a 1980s and 1990s nostalgia-themed summer event anchored by a roller-skating rink. JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, which will reintroduce its pool area as a water park featuring three new slides this summer, has three staycation deals. If nightlife is your vibe, Tempe's Mill Avenue district is emerging as an upscale hotel hub, bolstered by the recent debut of the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU.

Kid-friendly outings: From kart racing to night hiking and getting up close with butterflies, there are plenty of ways to keep kids occupied during summer break. Maricopa County Parks hosts a variety of events that educate visitors on the Sonoran Desert's complex plants and wildlife. And Butterfly Wonderland near Scottsdale boasts what it calls "the largest indoor butterfly conservatory in America."

Here's a full list of fun activities you can do this summer.

Immerse yourself in da Vinci, Monet, Renoir and Degas: A "vivid and daring immersive experience" that encompasses Leonardo da Vinci's life and works is on show in Old Town Scottsdale. At the same time, "Immersive Monet & The Impressionists" is being shown on alternating days at Lighthouse Artspace Phoenix. Anyone who's been to a show like "Immersive Van Gogh" or "Frida Kahlo, An Immersive Biography" will be familiar with the Instagrammable event's concept. Renowned artists’ most famous works are projected across the ceilings and walls of a massive room in almost a kaleidoscopic way, and the sequences are accompanied by music that cocoons guests inside the multimedia experience.

Escape to the mall: In the grand tradition of hopping from one air-conditioned space to another, check out the new stores that have recently opened in malls across the Valley. Over in Epicenter at Agritopia in Gilbert, shops, fitness clubs, personal care services and restaurants continue to open at the new mixed-use development. And there's usually something new — including a local streetwear retailer and luxury fashion house — at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

Coming soon:Paradise Valley Mall development welcomes new restaurants and bars. Here's who's moving in

Explore pre-Phoenix history: The recently renamed S'eḏav Va'aki Museum — formerly Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park — is open this summer as signs are updated to reflect its new name. The National Historic Landmark highlights the Indigenous Huhugam civilization — known for hand-digging hundreds of miles of canals, some of which are still in use today. The museum has walking trails, the centerpiece platform mound (va’aki), replica homes and ballcourt. If you’d rather stay indoors, the exhibition "A:shiwi A:wan Ulohnanne: The Zuni World," which features artistic representations of culturally significant locations and themes for the Zuni, is on show through Sept. 17.

Must-see movies for the summer of 2023: The pandemic wrecked going to movies (but exploded streaming). Things were working their way back to normal when writers went on strike. But we're OK ... for now. There are plenty of good choices this summer; these are the 10 movies we're most looking forward to.

Best summer movies of all time: These classic summer movies won't bring the temperature down, but the right ones can make things a lot more pleasant. They also serve as a reminder that no matter what the climate, summer is a time when big things happen. It's a marker, a transitional period, sometimes between grades, sometimes youth and adulthood. Sometimes it's just fun.

The hottest concerts in Phoenix this summer: Some of the biggest names in pop music are making their way through the Valley this summer, with stadium concerts from Beyonce and Metallica, two names we rarely have occasion to use in the same sentence. Here's a look at what we've got on tap for June to get you started. We'll be updating each month to keep it fresh so do check back to make sure you're not missing any of your favorite artists. Want to be the first to know who's coming? We've also got a list of the latest concert announcements.

Summer songs to get you in the mood: Summer, summer, summer. It's like a merry-go-round. Or so we've heard. And you know Ric Ocasek wouldn't sing that if it wasn't true. Speaking of "Magic," there's plenty more where that came from in our playlist of 35 timeless songs about summer, from the Beach Boys to a former Sweathog smitten by a girl named Sandra Dee. Sunscreen not included.

Summer flashback mixtape: Every summer has a soundtrack. And for those who listen to pop radio, that soundtrack tends to have one song so unavoidable that hearing it years later can transport a listener right back to whatever else was going on that summer. Here's a look back at the biggest hit songs of each summer from Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" to Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," as determined by the folk at Billboard magazine.

I scream, you scream: There is no better way to cool down that with a creamy cup or cone of ice cream. You could try the new Blue Bell Dr. Pepper Float flavor from the comfort of your home or head to one of the 16 best ice cream shops in town for creations ranging from ice cream-stuffed donuts to flavors like salted peanut butter or lavender honey.

Grab a hot seat: The summer is the perfect time to check out all the great (air-conditioned) restaurants that have been on your dining to-do list. Our list of 100 essential restaurants includes eateries new and old from the Westside to the East, North to South Mountain. Consider it the ultimate edible scavenger hunt.

Taste something new: More than half of the restaurants on our most anticipated openings of 2023 list have indeed opened. With fewer crowds to battle, the summertime is the perfect time to check out the buzzy new wine bar Sauvage, groundbreaking pan-African restaurant Latha or while away and evening savoring multiple courses at the aptly named Course restaurant.

Biggest restaurant openings of 2023:14 metro Phoenix spots we can't wait to try

Down a cold one: What's better than an icy cold beer on a hot summer day? An award-winning craft beer, of course. Metro Phoenix has long established itself as a great beer-producing area and the results of this year's Beer World Cup just confirm what we already know. Four brews from three local breweries took home honors. Seems only right to raise a pint to them.

Party at a poolside day or night club:Hotels and clubs throughout the Valley host summertime pool parties where people can cool down in the water, drink specialty cocktails and dance to music from some of the world's biggest DJs. Talking Stick Resort has a new pool party series this summer called Wave, which promises a vibe like a music festival. DJs on the schedule include Above & Beyond, Deadmau5 and Black Tiger Sex Machine.

Go for a scenic, boozy ride: Or at least feel like you've entered another realm with cocktails and a journey to the Big Easy at the bar named one of the 50 best in North America. With tipples like The Aunt Emily, made with Fords gin, Laird's grey hen private barrel five-year apple brandy, Combier liqueur d'abricot, orange juice, pomegranate and orange oils, you'll have no trouble forgetting about the heat that awaits after your 90-minute experience.

Cheers!New wine bars in metro Phoenix offer unique drinking experiences. Here's where to sip