Top 10 ‘things to do’ in Phoenix

Let’s get something straight: Phoenix is a city all its own. It doesn’t include Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Avondale, Peoria, Surprise, El Mirage or Goodyear. Since much of the region looks and feels the same, non-locals refer to the Phoenix-Metro area as "Phoenix." We locals, however, know better.

So I’m going to save those other cities for some other time. Right now, it’s all about Phoenix.

That said, here are 10 things to do in Phoenix if time and weather are on your side.

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN PHOENIX

Coffee at Lux : This is where you want to start your day. There are many up-and-coming coffee houses to choose from and, as a caffeine-slurping journalist, I’m always trying to sample them all. However, this quirky spot south of Camelbback Road on Central Avenue is more than just a pit stop. Free WiFi is available, and the pastries are incredible. Try the strawberry scones if there are any left.

Hike Piestewa Peak : The mountain formerly known as Squaw Peak is a great place to gain some perspective on our fair city. The entrance to the park is just east of 22nd Street on Glendale Avenue. I like this hike over Camelback because the parking situation is much easier and the crowd is less, ahem, uppity.

Visit the Heard Museum : If you’re looking for the history of the Southwest’s Native American culture and influence, this is it. The Heard Musuem is considered one of the premier places in the world for native arts, crafts, festivals and folklore; no trip to Phoenix is complete without visiting it. Try to time the visit with the museum’s annual guild fair, which is held every spring and features loads of native artisans, food, music and dances.

Attend a Phoenix Suns basketball game : Before you D-back fans revolt at this suggestion, consider this: The Phoenix Suns are one of the oldest and most successful sports franchises in the Valley. For decades, it was all we had, along with Arizona State University football (also worth a visit for football experience that’s cheaper and more fun than an Arizona Cardinals game). The stadium is downtown near a developing entertainment district on Jackson Street. Suns play in the fall/winter, D-backs play nextdoor in the spring. Pick one and go with it.

Visit Lost Leaf and Cibo’s : I like this one as a pre-game ritual because it covers the spread. These two downtown spots are minutes from the action. The Lost Leaf Wine Bar features microbrews, wine and plenty of people-watching on weekends (especially on the First Friday of every month, when the downtown’s free art walk is in full swing). And I swear Cibo’s pizza – served up from a historic home about six blocks from Lost Leaf – is nearly as good as the pies from Pizzeria Bianco, and with a shorter wait time to boot (try 30 minutes versus five hours).

Get the blues at the Rhythm Room : Although I’m a big fan of Char’s, this other blues hot spot near 10th Street and Indian School Road has more parking available and more space to get your groove on. It lures big names like Big Pete Pearson and more, plus the Rhythm Room All-Stars are worth a listen. Beers are cheap and the cover is reasonable.

Visit the Desert Botanical Garden : The garden features 139 different species of Southwest plants from cacti to trees and everything in between. If it’s got spines or leaves and grows in the hardscrabble desert, it’s here. The Desert Botanical Garden near 68th Street and McDowell Road attracts about 300,000 visitors a year.

Check out the Phoenix Zoo : One of the top zoos in the nation is right around the corner from the Desert Botanical Garden. Try to visit in the winter around the holidays, when you can grab a cup of hot chocolate and see the "Zoolights" at night – the perfect complement to an eyeful of animals in the daytime.

Spring Training baseball : A right of passage for most Valley dwellers (and a lot of visitors) is a chance to see their team up-close, on the cheap and under ideal weather conditions. The Cactus League has been going strong now for more than 50 years. Although teams are spread out all over the Valley, the teams that play in Phoenix are the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland A’s.

Sunset cocktails at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort : Although it may strike some as sacrilegious to put a resort atop a city mountain preserve, it’s what we’ve got. And what an experience it is. The resort, which is just north of Dunlap Avenue on 7th Street, is a great place to have a nice dinner and tasty cocktails while looking south over the city as the sun sets. Park at the bottom and take the shuttle service for a "different point of view.