Wake up early and take advantage of the only cool part of the day (before 9am–it will not cool off in the evening). Do this when you’re up in the high country too. Park your car in the shade, even if you have to walk a bit farther. Take water with you everywhere and drink it. I’ll add another vote for the Musical Instrument Museum. Sports? The Diamondbacks may be playing at home this weekend and Chase field is air conditioned.
There’s lots to do up in Flagstaff, especially if you enjoy hiking, but still wake up early and enjoy the cooler mornings. You can always nap in the afternoons. Lowell Observatory is nice if the weather is clear. There’s often afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the summer.
You didn’t say which part of town you’ll be in, but here’s a few I like. I do 2nd the recommendation of True Food and the other restaurants in the Fox group. I’m not really a big fan of Mexican but downtown I like the Barrio Cafe which is a small high quality chef-owned restaurant and you’ll love the murals on the exterior. In Old Town Scottsdale I like The Mission, which might be more Latin or Spanish but is in the general ballpark. I used to love a Mexican restaurant in the Clarendon Hotel called Gallo Blanco, but the chef closed that restaurant and opened a new one called Otro, which I hear is also very good but I haven’t visited yet.
Non-food related, if you decide to do a daytrip to Sedona and you’re feeling adventurous, you can do a self-guided ATV off-road tour. D and I did one last year in a 2-seater Polaris and it was a lot of fun. For the less adventurous you can just take a Pink Jeep tour with a tour guide; we’ve done that as well and it’s also fun.
New to CC, but live in desert. When it gets this hot, it’s nice to have a large umbrella when you go outside. B-)
A word of warning, the security line at the Phoenix airport is awful. Get there early.
^^^ The pre-check line tends to be pretty short though, at least for Terminal 4 Southwest gates. I’ve seen a lot of variation with the regular lines, anywhere from huge to short depending on the day and time.
FYI for terminal 4, all the gates are accessible once you get through security even though there’s 4 distinct security checkpoints. If one checkpoint is crazy long, just go to a different one although it’s a shorter walk to stay on the same “side” checkpoint vs going to the one that’s directly opposite as that might make for a much longer walk post-security. A and B gates are on one side, C and D gates on the other. The further apart the letters are in the alphabet, the longer the walk post-security.
Just last month I saw a crazy long line for the A checkpoint, when just a 3 minute walk away people could go through the B checkpoint with very short lines and still easily reach their gates.
Another local endorsing Fox restaurants. The rec for Los Dos Molinos is good if you want hot. A much more mild Mexican place…from a different area in Mexico than most “Mexican” restaurants is Restaurant Mexico on Mill Ave in Tempe near ASU. You will not find any melted yellow cheese here…it is all white crumbly cojita. I love the cheese enchiladas with cojita and green sauce and the burrito with chicken that has been slow cooked all day.
Totally agree with @anomander about the security checkpoints. Here’s a map to Terminal 4 which illustrates where the security checkpoints are and how you can access any gate once through security. https://skyharbor.com/docs/default-source/pdfs/AirportMaps/Terminal4Level3.pdf?sfvrsn=20
Tempe mom, really, Restaurant Mexico is still there? My favorite back in the day, when I lived in Tempe 30 years ago, I have looked for it, half halfheartedly. Next trip!
For the OP, Los Olivos in Scottsdale is an old tried and true Arizona Mexican place. A few years ago my brother and I (former Arizonans) had a visit we dubbed “all Mexican, all the time” Los Olivos won as best meal. As is Teepee Tap Room, a little ways into Phx from Scottsdale. Totally unassuming place. Arizona favorites not easily found elsewhere are green corn tamales and the green chili burros. And for the Teepee, chili rellenos.
Reading all of your responses to my H. Getting excited. Really appreciate the reaponses. Keep them coming.
Will definitely look into the MMI and Botanical. Will def look for some of the restaurants suggested. We are not afraid of spicy or hot. I lived in Santa Fe, NM for several years.
When you go to the MIM…get the headphones. It’s so much fun to just walk in front of an exhibit and hear the music start and the narrative begin. It’s an excellent museum.
I talked to my son today…he says it is really hot…and he never complains about the heat!
According to Accuweather, the weather predictions for the park are down. Tues 88/56, Wed Th Fr mid 80’s or a little lower/mid 50’s and rain. When we stayed at the park, no ac.
@lookingforward What park are you talking about?
Grand Canyon.
Sounds like home when we will be at the Grand Canyon, only less humid. Perfect, IMO. Still real hot in Pheonix.
A lot cooler thare than in Phoenix!!
80-something is what my great aunt would call “sweater weather,” after the 100+ days.
Please keep those restaurant recs coming. Any kind if you think it is great. Not majorly concerned about price, Do not want to spend $400 or 500 for two. Would rather put that money towards an airplane or helicopter ride in the canyon.
Quite honestly, unless it was a well known restaurant.
This is a place near Scottsdale City Hall and the downtown shopping and galleries that I have enjoyed for the beauty of the surroundings as well as food. http://www.az88.com/Home.html
Non of the restaurants named, except Nobu, are $$$. Is your trip over???
Agree with @TempeMom. Nobuo is really the only really pricey place that has been named.