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Guide to Phoenix and the Surrounding Area
The Greater Phoenix area is sometimes called “The
Valley of the Sun.” It is shaped like a bowl with a
floor surrounded by mountains. This comes as a big shock
to Easterners who are expecting the terrain to be flat and
without vegetation. Rather, the area is blessed with unrivaled
scenery and distinct desert vegetation, which makes it very
picturesque. The area boasts of having more than 320 days
of sunshine each year.
As is typical of the Sonoran Desert, the daytime temperature
reaches its peak at about 3 p.m. In late January, temperatures
in the 70s can be expected, but be aware that the temperature
may drop into the 50s when the sun goes down. Most people
will say that the weather is pretty near perfect at this
time of year. Because of its low humidity, it is conducive
to outdoor activities and sports year round – which
is why many “snowbirds” come from cold climates
such as Minnesota or Montana. Even in January, most restaurants
have the capacity to serve customers outdoors, if that is
the preference.
Greater Phoenix
The map below provides an overview of the Greater Phoenix area.
Most people will arrive by airplane at the Sky Harbor Airport, which is flanked
on the west by 24th Street and on the east by 44th Street.
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 Pointe
Tapatio Cliffs Peak Resort |
11111
North 7th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85020
1-800-Hiltons or 1-800-445-8667 |
 Sky
Harbor International Airport |
3400
East Sky Harbor Boulevard
Phoenix, Arizona 85034
(602) 273-3300 |
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The City of Phoenix
Visitors to Phoenix typically find it easy to navigate around the area, as Phoenix
was created on a grid pattern. Central Avenue divides the city, north and south.
To the east you will find numbered streets. To the west you will find avenues.
It is important to clearly understand whether the address is, for example, on 7th
Street or 7th Avenue. As a practical matter, most of the major attractions, restaurants,
museums, and places to visit are located to the east of Central, which is to say
on the street side of the map.
The north/south divisions of the city have a few predominant
streets which are helpful to know when navigating the area.
These include Central, 24th Street, 44th Street (which later
on becomes Tatum), and Scottsdale Road.
The east/west divisions have colorful names. In downtown
Phoenix, they take the names of U.S. Presidents. A few streets
farther north stand out, including Thomas Road, Camelback
Road, Lincoln Drive (which becomes Glendale Avenue), Doubletree
Ranch Road, Shea Boulevard, Cactus Road, Greenway Road, and
Frank Lloyd Wright Road, which becomes Bell Road.
Paradise Valley
Located northeast of the airport, Scottsdale is one of the most beautiful areas
of Phoenix and home to many fine restaurants and attractions.
Also located in Paradise Valley is the geographic epicenter
of Phoenix – Camelback Mountain, which resembles a
camel’s head and back. Camelback Road runs east and
west to the south of this mountain, and Lincoln runs east
and west on the north side of this huge rock.
The area also is home to many fine mountain parks that
are closed to development, but open to hiking and enjoyment
by the public, as well as the nearby Tonto National Forest.
Generally speaking, the area is booming. Arizona is second
only to Nevada in terms of population growth. Chandler, Mesa,
North Scottsdale and Glendale – which is where the
Glendale Arena, home to the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes,
and Cardinals Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals
are located – are all showing rapid increases. Phoenix
has replaced Philadelphia as the 6th largest city in the
nation and before long, is slated to become number four.
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