Are you looking for the top things to do in Downtown Phoenix? Then, you have come to the right place. The vibrant downtown mixes old and new and Arizona‘s center for arts, culture, and entertainment. Museums and old mansions reflect the city’s past and history. Likewise, theatres host local and big-name performances. This area also houses an infamous arts district boasting several art galleries and spaces. And let’s not forget the downtown’s rich culinary scene. It is home to world-class restaurants, cafes, bars, and eateries. So, let’s get to the goodies right away.
Also Read:
- Top 14 Things to Do in Phoenix, Arizona
- Top 12 Popular Restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona
- Zion National Park: All You Need to Know
- Catch A Fly Ball At Chase Field
- Tour The Rosson House Museum
- Embark On The RoRo Street Art Tour
- Watch Fantastic Performances In Downtown Phoenix
- Take A Walk To The Papago Park
- Smell Flowers At The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix
- Marvel At Instruments Of The Musical Instrument Museum
- Eat And Drink Your Way Through Downtown Phoenix
- Go For Scavenger Hunts In Downtown Phoenix
Catch A Fly Ball At Chase Field
(Source: Chase Field Facebook)
- Address: 401 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; Google Map
- Contact No: +16025148400
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
We begin our list with the state-of-the-art Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the top MLB clubs. Its best feature is its retractable roof, which allows games to continue in any weather. The D-Backs played their first regular season game on the field on March 31, 1998. Since then, they have played numerous matches and won many at this ballpark. In addition to baseball matches, this stadium hosts many sporting events, concerts, and fests yearly.
Chase Field has 48,500 seats, including 69 luxury boxes, 6 party boxes, 1,200 field-level seats, and 4,400 club-level seats. It has a signature pool, dbTV, and the Coors Light Strike Zone. Even if there is no match, visitors can book guided field tours. All participants can enjoy 10% off regular-priced merchandise in the Team Shop. On non-gamedays, they will receive 20% off at Guy Fieri’s DTPHX Kitchen and Bar. The ballpark has several restaurants and lounges where visitors can rest and have meals after their tours.
Tour The Rosson House Museum
- Address: 113 N 6th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 10 AM – 4 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
The Rosson House Museum is a fully-restored 1895 Queen Anne Victorian house in Heritage Square. It is one of the oldest surviving Victorian mansions in Phoenix. Dr. Roland Rosson built this house in 1895 and sold it in 1897. The Goldbergs and The Gammels bought the mansion subsequently before the city bought it in 1974 and turned it into a museum.
This museum features a kitchen, a dining room, an attic, a sewing area, a nursery, a foyer, a family parlor, a doctor’s office, and several bedrooms. It offers 60-minute-long guided tours throughout the property. Visitors will tour the rooms and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of the house’s previous owners. Moreover, the Rosson House Museum boasts a series of strange happenings. It is believed to be haunted by a caretaker who was murdered outside in the early 1980s.
Embark On The RoRo Street Art Tour
(Source: Viator)
- Duration: 2 hours
- Price: $26.67~
- Free Cancellation
Ratings ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Downtown Phoenix has the infamous Roosevelt Row Arts District, which features numerous shopping, dining, and nightlife spaces. It is also home to many art galleries and venues. Art enthusiasts must visit these galleries at least once. To elevate their experience, they should book the RoRo Street Art Tour in Phoenix. This two-hour Viator tour is perfect for groups and can accommodate up to 12 participants. This walking tour takes visitors to learn about the street art downtown.
A local guide will lead you to explore the Phoenix’s art scene. You will wander the streets, checking art, murals, and graffiti. Many local artists, including Ashley Macias, La Morena, Lalo Cota, and Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, have made downtown pretty and artistic. You can snap pictures in front of these colorful alleys and learn about artists from your guide. This tour also includes visiting food courts, The Churchill, and Carly’s Bistro.
Check Out This Handpicked Tour:
Watch Fantastic Performances In Downtown Phoenix
A stroll around the Downtown Phoenix will lead visitors to many unheard and underrated attractions. These include theaters and performing arts centers that tourists often miss during their trip to this Arizona city. They host incredible performances and shows every other day. For instance, The UP-CLOSE Magic Experience is something you don’t want to miss out on. This 90-minute magic show features famous magicians from America’s Got Talent, Penn and Teller’s Fool Us, Broadway, and Masters of Illusion.
If you enjoy live music performances, The Van Buren and the Crescent Ballroom are your destinations. The former has hosted concerts by many Western and Korean artists and can accommodate 200 to 1,500 guests. On the other hand, the Crescent Ballroom can accommodate roughly 500 guests and has a restaurant, Cocina 10. Moreover, visitors can enjoy comedy shows in Downtown Phoenix. Local and renowned comedians often hold gigs and improv shows to entertain the crowd.
See These Handpicked Activities:
- The UP-CLOSE Magic Experience! Downtown Phoenix
- The Main Street Comedy Show Storytelling and Improv
- Competitive Comedy @ Neighborhood Comedy Theatre
Take A Walk To The Papago Park
- Address: 625 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 5 AM – 11 PM
- Things To Do: Yoga, Picnicking, Hiking, Mountain Biking
Visiting Papago Park is among the top things to do in Downtown Phoenix. This municipal park offers many recreational activities, including hiking, biking, trail running, and picnicking. It is also a top spot for yoga sessions. Many locals and tourists attend yoga and meditation classes at the park. Yoga classes are flexible and often accommodate participants’ schedules.
This park offers east and west-side hiking trails. The former leads to the infamous Hole-in-the-Rock, a scenic viewpoint. It is also among Phoenix’s best hikes and is only 0.2 miles long. The West Side Trails lead to the 2.3-mile Double Butte Loop. This easy hike only takes 45 minutes to complete. Furthermore, Papago Park houses two 18-hole golf courses, the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo.
Check Out These Handpicked Activities:
- Amazing 2-Hour Guided Hiking & Yoga At Papago Park
- Private Guided Yoga Session At Papago Park
- Magical Sunset Yoga Experience, Unique Views
Smell Flowers At The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix
- Address: 1125 N 3rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 8 AM – 12 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Retreat to the serene Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix. It is a joint project of Phoenix and the Japanese city of Himeji. It was created to offer serenity and peace and share the essence of a Japanese garden. This 3.5-acre garden features a tea garden and a tea house. Its over 1,00 tons of hand-picked rock, lanterns, and stone footbridges further add to its charm.
Visitors will see over 85 varieties of plants throughout the garden. They will also encounter a 14-foot waterfall, several flowing streams, and a Koi pond with over 300 colorful Koi fish. This Japanese garden offers guided garden and tea tours. The latter lets participants learn the basics of Chanoyu and Japanese tea. They will also tour the Musoan Tea House, learn its history, and admire Japanese seasonal art displays. Tea tours also offer tea tasting of Sen-cha, Hoji-Cha, and Genmai-Cha.
Marvel At Instruments Of The Musical Instrument Museum
- Address: 4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Downtown Phoenix is home to the world’s largest global musical instrument museum, The Musical Instrument Museum. It was launched in April 2010 and houses over 16,000 instruments and memorabilia from over 200 countries and regions. The museum even has subsections for the US, China, Brazil, India, and Mexico. It houses many musical masterpieces, such as Componium, Transverse flute, Shoulder harp, Muchosa, Ondes Martenot, Street organ, Kit violin, Sarangi, and Bible regal.
The MIM is housed in an Old England building in Art Nouveau style in the Mont des Arts. Its 20,000-square-foot space has numerous collections and multiple exhibitions. This museum has several galleries: the Geographic Galleries, Mechanical Music Gallery, Artist Gallery, Collier Stem Gallery, Orientation Gallery, and Experience Gallery. Each section features various themed exhibitions. For example, the Artist Gallery displays instruments by renowned musicians, including Elvis Presley and Maroon 5.
Look At These Handpicked Tickets:
Eat And Drink Your Way Through Downtown Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix is the best place to have meals. In addition to the best breakfast, burger, and pizza, it serves Phoenix’s favorite dishes: Chimichanga, Sonoran hot dogs, guacamole, and burritos. The downtown restaurants also serve handmade cocktails, local liquors, beers, and wines. Even if you are not a foodie, you should have at least one meal in the city. Check out some of the top dining spaces downtown:
- Pizzeria Bianco: 623 E Adams St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; 11 AM – 9 PM
- Bacanora: 1301 Grand Ave #1, Phoenix, AZ 85007, United States; 5 PM – 10 PM
- The Arrogant Butcher: 2 E Jefferson St #150, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; 11 AM – 9 PM
- Taco Chelo: 501 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; 11 AM – 12 AM
- The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub: 1 N 1st St # 108, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; 11 AM – 11 PM
- Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour: 1 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003, United States; 4 PM – 12 AM
Check Out These Handpicked Tours:
- Pedal Bar Crawl Tour of Downtown Phoenix
- Party Bike Private Party Up To 14 People in Downtown Phoenix
- Half-Day Phoenix Brew Tour
Go For Scavenger Hunts In Downtown Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix is a vibrant neighborhood with many art, culture, and entertainment options, including thrilling escape rooms. It houses several of the 20 escape venues in Phoenix. Puzzle Effect Phoenix features several themed rooms with a unique storyline. Each room is 60 minutes long and can accommodate up to 10 players. Likewise, Eludesions Escape Rooms feature The Land of Unfit Toys, Escape From Oz, Black & White, and Runestone.
Another adventurous activity in Downtown Phoenix is scavenger hunts. These are usually 2 to 3 hours long and can accommodate large groups. Here, participants will be divided into teams and given some clues. They must follow the clues, perform challenges or tasks, and solve the riddles. Scavenger hunts help visitors explore and learn about the city in a fun and engaging way. A guide will be with the team throughout the tour, dropping hints and helping them solve the mystery.
See These Handpicked Activities:
- Outdoor Escape Room in Phoenix – Downtown
- Phoenix Puzzling Adventure
- Phoenix: History, Mystery, and Ghost Hunting Tour
- Phoenix City Scavenger Hunt by Wacky Walks
Our recommended top things to do in Downtown Phoenix help you navigate this walkable neighborhood while enjoying everything it offers. You can also add shopping to your itinerary and buy souvenirs and gifts from the local stores. Downtown hosts many festivals and events throughout the year. You can join the Artlink‘s First Friday Art Walk and tour over 70 venues, galleries, and art-related spaces. Likewise, you can pad your stomach at Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market every Saturday morning. You should also check the calendar for musical fests and events happening in the city. Overall, a day in Downtown Phoenix will never be dull.
