100 enjoyable issues to do in Phoenix when it is 100 levels or hotter

Sunday, June 21, 2026, marks the official first day of the summer time season. Although, these of us residing in metro Phoenix have been experiencing summer time temperatures for some time now.

It’s no secret it will get dangerously sizzling in metro Phoenix in the course of the summer time months with the temperatures rising to just about 120 levels some days, so it is essential to have a plan on how you are going to beat that warmth all summer time lengthy. And preserve the children busy whereas they’re out on summer time break.

No matter in the event you’re on the lookout for methods to remain cool in the course of the scorching summer time months or seeking to save just a few {dollars} with free and low cost issues to do, there’s one thing for you on our record under of 100 methods to outlive the summer time within the 100-degree Arizona warmth.

Free issues to do in the summertime

• Want to avoid wasting cash whereas absorbing all this data? The Act One Culture Pass offers free admission to museums round Arizona. All you want is a library card.

• If you’re keen on birdwatching or wish to choose up the interest, discover the Base and Meridian Wildlife Area on the confluence of the Salt and Gila rivers in Avondale. You might see hawks, doves, Western yellow-billed cuckoos and plenty of extra species. Bats, bobcats, Sonoran Desert tortoises and different wildlife stay right here.

• If you wish to see a few of Arizona’s iconic, breathtaking sunsets, there are various nice places to see a beautiful sunset, whether or not you wish to hike, drive or sit on the water.

• Take a calming sit at WaterWorks at Arizona Falls in Phoenix. Sitting within the “water room” offers you the sensation of being behind an actual waterfall. Arizona Falls is a pure 20-foot drop alongside the Arizona Canal. Visit srpnet.com/water/canals/azfall.aspx.

• The Scottsdale Arts District is house to dozens of distinctive artwork galleries and Thursday ArtWalks which might be the proper option to discover the world. You can discover a new treasure to your house whereas strolling the streets and attempting a few of Scottsdale’s finest eating places and bars. Visit scottsdalegalleries.com.

Things to do in metro Phoenix with children in summer time

• Kids can get some summer time studying with a aspect of enjoyable on the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. It has three flooring of interactive reveals for teenagers as much as age 10. There are weekly summer time camps to get them much more concerned.

• Another enjoyable, hands-on possibility is the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. Ranked nationally as a prime vacation spot for households, it is simple to see why. Kids are inspired to play, hear and expertise music in new methods. Visit mim.org.

• If you could have a kiddo obsessive about music, Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers supply a spot for ages 12-20 to get free music, vocal and dance coaching. Visit almostcooper.com.

• For the proper family-friendly day outing, the Arizona Boardwalk close to Scottsdale has a ton of enjoyable actions, together with a brand-new attraction: the Boardwalk Carousel.

• Looking to study a brand new ability? Tempe Town Lake presents lessons for teenagers and adults to study rowing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Plus, they sometimes throw a nighttime glow paddle celebration. Visit tempe.gov.

• The Great Arizona Puppet Theater has been introducing youngsters to the magic of puppetry and stay theater since 1983, and so they have a number of enjoyable reveals to take the children to, together with “Rumpelstiltskin” and “Rapunzel.” Visit azpuppets.org.

• Ice skating in the summertime? Heck yeah. Three AZ Ice arenas across the Valley have a number of public skating instances, will let you hire skates and so they’ll even educate you how one can lace them correctly. Visit azice.com.

• See 70 species of butterflies, study how they stay and even watch them hatch out of their cocoons on the Butterfly Wonderland, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community close to Scottsdale. Visit butterflywonderland.com.

• Want to study the science behind bubbles? What about being immersed in a 360-degree planetarium? The Arizona Science Center has that and extra and is open seven days every week. Visit azscience.org.

• Plan a day of enjoyable at Castles N Coasters, the place you possibly can expertise 20 rides and sights, spend hours successful tickets within the arcade and play 18-hole mini golf. Visit castlesncoasters.com.

• Flex your creative abilities and paint your individual pre-made pottery at As You Wish. Visit asyouwishpottery.com.

• Get your recreation on at Japanese arcade Round 1. Video video games, billiards and an indoor sports activities advanced with trampolines — there’s actually one thing for everybody.

• Located within the Talking Stick Entertainment District on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community close to Scottsdale, Medieval Times transports you again in time with jousting knights, horsemanship, falconry and a four-course dinner. Visit medievaltimes.com.

• The children would love a day on the water park and fortunate for you metro Phoenix has a ton of choices from the tallest waterslide within the state at Golfland Sunsplash to all the wonderful resort swimming pools and water parks you possibly can take a look at for a day on Resort Pass.

• What has bowling, arcade video games, motion pictures and glow golf all below one roof? Fat Cats, in fact. Spend the day pulling down pins and testing your mini-golf ability, then finish the day with a film. There are places in Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek and Surprise.

• Stay cool indoors and throw it again to the nice previous days by curler skating at USA Skateland. Go to unitedskates.com to see all of the household occasions and themed skate periods taking place all summer time lengthy.

• Don’t low cost how enjoyable an evening bike experience or hike might be. Maricopa County Parks supply after-dark mountain bike rides, scorpion hunts and different family-friendly outings. Visit maricopacountyparks.net.

How to beat the warmth in Phoenix

• Let’s begin with the plain: Pools, waterparks, and splash pads are the primary issues we take into consideration in terms of summer time. Thankfully, we have plenty of options.

• Salt River Tubing has been a summer time custom right here for the reason that Nineteen Eighties. Hit the river and revel in your float.

• And in the event you’d moderately surf than float, Revel Surf, a part of the biggest Cannon Beach water park and leisure growth, lastly opened in early 2025. And only in the near past Cannon Beach introduced extra eating and leisure choices are coming quickly.

• And in fact, you possibly can’t neglect a day on the lake. There are loads of Arizona lakes that you may take a dip in to maintain cool.

• Take benefit of summer time film offers at AMC Theatres, Harkins Theatres, Cinemark and indie film locations like Pollack Tempe Cinemas and West Wind Drive-In. Plus, FilmPass is again which means it can save you at any of your favourite theaters.

• The Phoenix Art Museum presents “Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays” from 3-9 p.m. for common admission, with particular exhibition tickets being $10 for adults and $5 for anybody below the age of 18.

• Take {golfing} to a brand new stage by going to HighGolf and make it a celebration with pals, drinks and snacks whereas listening to some tunes, all from the consolation of a mister-cooled {golfing} bay. Visit topgolf.com.

• Or, in the event you’re extra into basic {golfing}, Golfweek named the 30 best Arizona golf courses, and the most effective half? All those on that record do not require gamers to have a membership.

• Another option to keep cool is to go bar hopping. There are many essential Phoenix bars; see what number of new ones you can also make it to by the tip of summer time.

• And do not miss The Cork, the Tucson bar that made it onto Esquire’s record of the Best Bars in America in 2026 for being a spot “where that deep sense of American comradeship is alive and well.”

• Don’t go day ingesting and bar hopping with out the right gasoline. Consider visiting one of many 100 essential Phoenix restaurants and revel in a summer time of attempting new meals.

• There’s nothing higher than a scrumptious sandwich on a sizzling summer time day, whether or not that is on the park, on the seashore or whereas mountain climbing. Downtown Phoenix restaurant First and Last has eight ‘Seinfeld’-inspired sandwiches which might be so good, they’re TikTok well-known.

• And what’s summer time with out a cool, candy deal with? Whether you head to Novel Ice Cream, in Phoenix for the well-known dough soften (heat glazed doughnut full of ice cream? Yes please.) or if you wish to throw it again to the adorably pink and retro Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale, our information to the best ice cream in metro Phoenix may help you out.

• You also can do a meals crawl on the farmers’ marketplace for a chance to style the most effective Arizona fruits, veggies and treats. Several farmers’ markets are open during the summer.

• If you have not checked out Changing Hands Bookstore and First Draft Book Bar in Phoenix or Changing Hands in Tempe (which just celebrated 50 years), go peruse the stacks, get your self somewhat reward and in the event you go to the Phoenix location, seize a drink or snack on the bar to take pleasure in along with your new summer time learn. Visit changinghands.com.

• Travel again to the times of gold mining at Goldfield Ghost Town on the base of the Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction. There’s a pottery store, a museum, a church, livery stables and a reptile exhibit; plus, you possibly can pan for gold, go to a capturing gallery and experience on a zipline, practice or a horse. Visit goldfieldghosttown.com.

• If you are extra into basic animal excursions, the Phoenix Zoo opens at 7 a.m. for nonmembers and 6 a.m. for members and closes at 1 p.m. to keep away from the most popular instances of day, making it the proper early outing.

• For a one-stop wildlife expertise, you possibly can go to Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park in Litchfield Park to see over 600 species and over 6,000 animals.

• The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is gorgeous within the vibrant sunshine, however it is best to test it out below the beam of a flashlight for a cooler expertise. During the backyard’s Flashlight Nights, you possibly can see its magnificence whereas strolling below the night time sky with cool drinks and treats.

• For rock climbers, summer time temperatures might be lethal. Thankfully, there are many indoor climbing gyms in metro Phoenix. Try out ClimbMax Climbing Gym or Phoenix Rock Gym in Tempe, Ape Index in Peoria on the Rocks in Scottsdale.

• Want to broaden your eating horizons? Arizona is house to many James Beard award-winning cooks which might be positively worth checking out.

• Many folks have opinions on the final word summer time drink. In Arizona, the michelada is the one to beat. Visit one of many many Phoenix Mexican restaurants that make the most effective ones.

• Why not cool off within the air-conditioned Arizona Broadway Theatre in Peoria? Its summer time lineup contains “Cats” and “The Prom.” azbroadway.org.

• Take a tour of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter house, Taliesin West, in Scottsdale, with the attractive McDowell Mountains as a backdrop. Visit franklloydwright.org/taliesin-west.

• You know what has nice air-con, a enjoyable ambiance, a wide range of meals and beverage choices and is a kid-free zone? Casinos. The latest one within the Valley is the Santan Mountain Casino on the Gila River Indian Community close to Chandler.

Best Arizona highway journeys for summer time

• If you wish to discover Arizona’s wildlife from the security of your individual automobile, take a look at Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, a drive-through and walk-through expertise had been you possibly can see bison, bighorn sheep, goats, wolves and bears.

• Test your daring spirit on the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course at Fort Tuthill County Park. This elaborate above-ground impediment course has aerial challenges like cable bridges, zip strains, swings and extra at flagstaffextreme.com.

• For time journey with out all of the butterfly impact nonsense, take a drive to Bisbee. In its mining heyday, it was Arizona’s largest metropolis. Today, it is a laid-back, artsy and historic group.

• If you are touring north this summer time, you possibly can discover myriad interesting museums alongside the best way, from the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott, which covers Arizona’s territorial historical past, to the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, which presents a complete have a look at the folks and pure historical past of the Colorado Plateau.

• Take a visit to the Arizona Snowbowl close to Flagstaff and experience the chairlift to the highest of an extinct volcano about 11,500 ft above sea stage. Just remember a jacket! Visit snowbowl.ski.

• Spend the summer time in a cool cabin within the woods. You cannot go incorrect with these amazing cabins from Sedona and Flagstaff to the Mogollon Rim and past.

• If you are actually attempting to keep away from the solar, go underground. Outside Benson, in southern Arizona, is Kartchner Caverns State Park, the place you possibly can discover wonderful residing caves.

• Puerto Peñasco, Mexico – often known as Rocky Point – is a beloved seashore vacation spot for Arizonans. Plan the perfect beach getaway together with passport and Mexican automobile insurance coverage information.

• Want to study one thing this summer time? Arizona’s most uncommon museum is dedicated to coprolites, or fossilized poop. Check out the Poozeum in Williams.

• Speaking of museums, Tucson’s Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum only in the near past gained the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service resulting from its excellence in service to the group. So, it is likely to be price trying out.

• Arizona is thought for its nationwide parks and not too long ago there have been two that had been named the best for seeing wildlife like mountain lions, bison and birds.

• Explore Arizona’s newest state park, Rockin’ River Ranch State Park. The Verde River runs proper via it, making it the proper place for swimming, fishing or lounging spot. Plus, there are 6 miles of flat trails.

• While it is now not generally known as Bedrock City after the Flintstones, Raptor Ranch in northern Arizona close to Grand Canyon is the proper day getaway to study extra about raptors and study extra concerning the wildlife conservation they’re doing with the Northern Arizona Raptor Foundation. Visit raptor-ranch.com.

Things to do in Phoenix in June

• The Broadway touring solid of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” will likely be at ASU Gammage from June 24-July 3. asugammage.com.

Things to do in Phoenix in July

• In July Hilary Duff will likely be heading to the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on July 3.

• And on July 12 Young the Giant will likely be enjoying the Arizona Financial Theatre.

• On July 15 Evanescence will likely be bringing Spirit Box together with them to the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.

Things to do in Phoenix in August

• And on Aug. 15 Ne-Yo and Akon will likely be headed to the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheater.

• You will not wish to miss out on catching Benson Boone doing backflips on the Mortgage Matchup Center on Aug. 17.

• And lastly, the one and solely Noah Kahan will likely be coming to Chase Field together with GiGi Perez on Aug. 19.

And remember to take a look at music reporter Ed Masley’s full record of 2026 concert events coming to or close by Phoenix.

Meredith G. White covers leisure, artwork and tradition for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She writes the most recent information about video video games, tv and finest issues to do in metro Phoenix.

This article initially appeared on Arizona Republic: Summer fun in metro Phoenix. 100 ways to beat the heat