Phoenix Dopers check in!
I have a 2 day layover in Phoenix, AZ on 30th & 31st August. Is there anything special happening on those dates? Anything in particular I should see? The art museum and botanical garden are already pencilled in. I’m expecting it to be hot and to have to scuttle from shady point A to shady point B.
Where should I eat? How about joining me?
I also have a 6AM flight on 1st Sept so will likely have to be up at 04:00. So I can’t stay up too late on the 31st. 
There are a number of “things to do in Phoenix” threads - search for them.
As you can imagine, the end of August is not the greatest time to visit, since a lot of attractions out here are outdoors.
As for restaurants:
Gadzooks
Los Dos Molinos
Pane Bianco
Green and Nami
Tru Foods
If you are downtown at night, stop by Her Secret is Patience at Civic Space park - I designed the lighting controller for it.
I had just about the best guacamole of my life at a place called the “Barrio Cafe.” They mix it right at your table, and include fresh pomegranate seeds! Awesome.
Also love having drinks/snacks at the pool bar at “The Buttes,” a Marriott resort. You don’t need to be staying there to enjoy the facilities and the awesome views.
You might end up being thankful for that outside of the midday time: It’s Too Hot For Some Planes To Fly In Phoenix.
I read that. The flight was originally at 09:00. I am NOT a morning person.
Unfortunately, I can’t move the eclipse.
That’s true.
Where are you going? (I’ll be in Oregon).
I’ll be watching the eclipse from Riverton, Montana, then meandering my way southwards through various canyons, craters, and mountains to Phoenix.
If you’re a zoo fan, the Phoenix Zoo is very, very classy. I’ve visited there three times, and hanker to go again.
(And I’m from San Diego!)
I am currently in Phoenix. The official temp is 108F (42C), but it feels much hotter because all of the buildings as well as the ground are radiating heat. (It was 118F 47C when I landed last weekend, so this is an improvement.)
There are many, MANY things close to my motel that would be fun to see, but that would mean going outside. :eek:
August will be better. It will be at the end of monsoon season, so things will have cooled down somewhat so you won’t melt just walking from an overly AC’d building to your very hot car.
The zoo is indeed much fun, but the Butterfly Wonderland is worth visiting at least once and the Botanic Garden is worth visiting every time you are here. IMHO.
I used to live in Phoenix. The end of August is miserable, I’d rather have the hot dry weather than the misery that is monsoon season in August.
However, there are three excellent restaurants I can recommend.
Arriba Mexican restaurant serves excellent New Mexico cuisine. It’s a must.
http://arribamexicangrill.com/
Los Dos Molinos hosted a Phoenix dopefest.
http://losdosmolinosphoenix.com/
Macayo’s also has great Mexican food. As you can tell, this is a favorite cuisine of mine and since most of Phoenix is endless chains, may as well enjoy what Phoenix does best.
http://www.macayo.com/location/central-phoenix/
Quartz -
What kind of food do you like? There is lot’s of great Southwest cuisine out here, but there are very good restaurants of all types (on of the best Ethiopian restaurants I’ve ever been to is out here).
If you like Contemporary Art, SMOCA is very good.
I don’t do spicy food - or rather, it doesn’t do me - but I’m always interested in trying new foods.
I love butterflies, so that’s on the list. So museum, butterflies, botanical garden, and zoo. That should about fill the day and three-quarters that I will have. How about the evenings? Los Dos Molinos seems a little too happy with the chillies for my taste. The Arriba looks interesting - I see they do a taster plate, which is nice.
Pane Bianco looks nice, and refreshingly chilli free.
There’s a lot of spicy food out here…
The Vegan place I mentioned (Green) is very good, as is Tru Foods and Seasons 52. All of those places have non-spicy dishes. I try to avoid “chain” restaurants, but all the major ones are well-represented out here. If you like meat, Fogo De Chao is a carnivore’s paradise.
So many choices!
Taxis aren’t going to be a problem, are they?
Uber or Lyft. Taxis are so 2000’s…
Oh, I forgot to add: Vincent’s Bistro for breakfast/lunch on Sunday. Best bang of the buck in town. Great food, good sized portions, endless coffee, and mini croissants and dessert included.
Never mind the coffee; what’s the tea like there?
I’ll be staying at Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort.
Honestly, I’ve never ordered tea there. My wife is a big tea drinker, and even does it English-style, with milk, but she rarely drinks it with meals.
I saw your other thread - if you are particular about your tea, it might be wise to bring your own (although, as a major city, Phoenix has loads of places to buy loose teas, but this won’t be true when you are on the road).
Seeing as you will be here when it’s hot, you will find that the vast majority of tea is consumed cold here - I drink quarts (quartz?) of Iced Tea every week.
The Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak is nice, and a good location. Tutti Santi (walking distance) is a very good Italian restaurant.
That is going to be a real trick since Riverton is in Wyoming. 
It’s right there near Brokeback Mountain!