Have you ever been to Phoenix and wondered what to do to pass the time while you were waiting to board a flight, arriving from a trip, or just wishing to explore the airport in your free time?

There are so many exciting things to do near Phoenix airport, like visiting world-class museums, taking in the city’s intriguing and distinctive architecture, learning about the desert’s natural beauty, hiking the several mountains nearby, and relaxing at resorts and spas. Also, there are some incredible off-season hotel and resort offers.

There are things to do all year long, even though spring is one of the busiest seasons for tourists.

These are the best & fun things to do near Phoenix Airport to keep yourself occupied for the ideal vacation around Phoenix.

Best & fun things to do near Phoenix Airport

1 Visit the Phoenix Airport Museum

The Phoenix Airport Museum’s purpose is to improve the airport’s tourist experience by developing an atmosphere that is memorable and that celebrates Arizona’s distinctive creative and cultural legacy through an art collection, an exhibition program, and an aviation history collection.

The airport owns and displays around 900 works of art across all media in its terminals, car rental lobbies, and Sky Train stations.

The collection, which features works by several local artists utilizing a range of artistic techniques and materials, emphasizes the cultural richness of Arizona. A visit to the museum is the best way to kickstart your journey around the airport.

2 Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo is a wonderful location to learn about wildlife and is located on 125 acres in Papago Park. It’s a genuinely unique wildlife experience with over 3,000 creatures, many of which are vulnerable or endangered species.

The Zoo was opened in 1962 and is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States.  the zoo was founded by Robert Maytag, a member of the Maytag family.

If you’re a lover of wildlife, the Phoenix Zoo should be included on your list of things to do near Phoenix Airport.

3 Taliesen West

From 1937 through 1959, Frank Lloyd Wright, a renowned architect, made Taliesin West his holiday residence. It is accessible for visits and serves as the primary site for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Taliesin School of Architecture.

The is located amid the McDowell Mountains’ foothills. The house is a genuine, one-of-a-kind work of art.

The natural surroundings served as inspiration for the home’s development. The rooms’ angles and flows were heavily influenced by the surrounding landscape, and the walls were constructed from local stones.

4 Pueblo Grande Museum

The Pueblo Grande Museum is conveniently located just 1.8 miles from the airport and can be visited if you have three hours or more to spare. There is no need for a cab or Uber; you can simply take the Sky Train there.

Learn about the early desert settlers who lived here long before Phoenix began by spending an hour or two here. See the interior display before going outside to the archaeological site.

You’ll learn how the desert’s first settlers survived in this hostile environment. Together with knowing where they “disappeared,” you’ll also comprehend why they are known as the canal creators.

You can see a section of the canal that still supplies water to Phoenix residents from the location. You will be in awe of the ancients’ brilliance when you see it since they dug out an earlier version of the same canal.

5 Phoenix Heritage and Science Park

If you have more than four hours between flights, you have enough time to get to Heritage and Science Park. You can take an Uber or a cab to get there in about five minutes, and it’s just 3.3 miles from the airport.

You may go to the Rosson House or the Science Museum at this location, however, you’ll need a few hours or up to half a day to really enjoy both. Or, just stroll about the area and eat lunch or dinner at one of the nearby eateries.

6 Dobbins Lookout South Mountain

One of the biggest municipal parks in the nation, South Mountain Park and Preserve is where it is situated. The greatest views of the Phoenix region are provided by this beautiful observation spot. At a height of more than 2,000 feet, it is the highest location you can drive to.

At this beautiful desert park, there are more than 51 miles of trails where you may go hiking and riding on any given day.

The valley is surrounded by several mountains that provide a variety of climbs and vistas. You can even defeat a camel (well, maybe not in the literal sense, but it’s still one of the most difficult walks in the valley and worth mentioning).

7 Rosson House

The Rosson House, a fully restored Victorian home built in 1895, doesn’t appear to belong in the desert. Although being so strange and out of place, it is nevertheless engaging and gives you a peek at Phoenix’s past.

You might be able to take a tour and go around the home if you’re there at the correct time and you have an extra hour.

8 Visit the Heard Museum

Visit the Heard Museum, one of the greatest museums in town, if you’d want to have the chance to learn more about the native people of Arizona and the Southwest.

You can do it while in Phoenix on a lengthy stopover, although it is a little further and still just around 5 miles from the airport. You can reach there in 10 minutes using an Uber or cab.

9 Desert Botanical Garden

You probably picture sand and various tones of brown when you think of the desert. The Desert Botanical Garden exists to debunk the misconception that the desert is largely or entirely devoid of greenery. More than 50,000 plants are present in the 140-acre botanical garden.

You may learn about life in the desert, take leisurely strolls in the garden, go to entertaining events, eat at their restaurants, and more.

10 Tempe Beach Park

Tempe, which is close to Phoenix and is home to Arizona State University (ASU), is very much a college town and has a ton of entertaining things to do.

Explore Mill Avenue, which has a ton of unique boutique stores and fantastic eateries. There are several excellent ethnic restaurants close and on Mill, including Irish, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Greek, and others.

You may go kayaking, sailing, rowing, running, fishing, or picnicking at Tempe Town Lake. Tempe Beach Park hosts a ton of entertaining festivals and events all year round.

Also, the nearby Gammage Theater hosts performing arts performances all year long in addition to Broadway-style performances.

11 Walk at Papago Park

Searching for fantastic outdoor activities just a short distance from the city center and the airport? Explore the red butte formations in Papago Park on foot, including the well-known Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, throw a line in the seven acres of stocked fishing lagoons, play a round of golf at Papago Golf Course, or visit the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden just down the road.

Papago Park has played many distinct roles in Phoenix’s history, including being a reserve for native tribes, a fish hatchery during the Great Depression, a POW camp during World War II, and a VA hospital.

Today, the park is home to the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden, golf courses, several museums, baseball diamonds, lakes, and plants and animals native to the Sonoran Desert.

12 Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese friendship garden offers a lovely and unwinding contrast to the Phoenix desert. The Japanese The Garden takes you to a real Japanese garden in the center of Phoenix, whilst the Desert Botanical Garden celebrates the desert and native plants.

The 3.5 acres have a Koi pond with over 300 fish in it, a 12-foot waterfall, stone footbridges, lanterns, and a tea house where traditional ceremonies are held. It was developed as a result of a collaboration between Phoenix and Himeji, its sister city in Japan.

This is a tranquil area to appreciate if you want to get away from the desert scenery.

13 Wrigley Mansion

This magnificent home is a well-known landmark in Phoenix. It was constructed in 1932 as a 50th wedding anniversary present for his wife by chewing gum celebrity William Wrigley Jr. It is situated on top of a hill with breathtaking views of the city and the mountains.

It’s a perfect spot to enjoy yourself a delicious supper at Geordie’s Restaurant and Lounge or to unwind with a drink at Jamie’s Wine Bar while taking in the sunset. It is accessible for Sunday brunch, supper, and lunch.  Tours are also offered for those curious to know more about the history, as well as the ghost stories, told about it.

14 Canyon Lake and the Dolly Steamboat

Since 1983, the Dolly Steamboat has offered cruises on the stunning Canyon Lake. It has been run by the Grimh family since 1987, with a three-person crew accommodating up to 142 people.

For those who want to take in the stunning beauty and abundant animals of the lake, this ship provides sightseeing and dinner boat tours. Private trips are available, and there are many various cruises to pick from. It’s a special opportunity in Phoenix that you shouldn’t pass up.

There are a few additional locations at this old West stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail that you might want to check out while you’re out there

15 Tres Rio Wetlands

The Tres Rios Wetlands project aims to restore the ecosystem. Close to 700 acres in and around the Salt River were restored to their condition in the early 1800s. There are more than 150 distinct bird species in this riparian ecosystem.

There are also animals like bobcats, coyotes, skunks, beavers, raccoons, and muskrats. The cottonwood forests, willow trees, and other desert vegetation in this lovely location draw migrating and wintering songbirds.

16 Mystery Castle

On our last list of the best & fun things to do near Phoenix is to visit the Mystery Castle as it has a pretty interesting history.

Boyce Luther Gulley built it in the 1930s after moving to Phoenix after learning he had tuberculosis.

His 18-room, three-story mansion was constructed primarily from recycled and cheap materials. After his death in 1945, his daughter moved in and remained there until her death in 2010.

The house remains incomplete in certain areas, and electricity and plumbing weren’t installed until 1992. It’s interesting that this house was first constructed outside of the city. But, it is no longer as far away as it once was thanks to the Phoenix expansion.
You can see plates, cups, and other items embedded in the walls.

Best time to visit Phoenix

If you want to have a perfect trip in Phoenix and within, the best time to visit the city mostly is during the spring (March, April, May). A visit in April can help you avoid spring breakers and the heat if you’re searching for anything more specialized.