Who's familiar with Arizona?

[Minimalist]

So, I have a trip to Arizona coming up next week.  Anyone here familiar with the Phoenix/Scottsdale area with some input?  Anywhere I need to try to visit or see while I'm in town (if I have time, that is).

So its going to be 108 degrees or so - if you don't get hammered by monsoon storms which is no bargain because they do not handle water on the roadways out here so well.....(no practice.)

Yes, it is usually a dry heat but all that means is that if you aren't careful and go walking around outside you will dehydrate quickly.  If you can't stay in the shade, wear a hat and long sleeves.  You want to keep the sun off your skin.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-...izona.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-...izona.html

Again, I wouldn't recommend anything out-doorsy if you are not used to the heat.  It is August.  Every day it seems the fire department pulls some idiot hiker down off one of the mountains because they fucked up and ran out of water.

Most of the locals wait until dark and then find a bar to get blasted.  Phoenix itself is not known for its night life.  For that you want downtown Scottsdale or Tempe around the university.

Driving around Phoenix is easy.  The city is laid out in a grid.  Driving around Scottsdale is maddening.  The city must have been laid out by a drunk.

Stay cool.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I'm familiar with 'Raising Arizona' ('Gimme that baby, you warthog from Hell!!'), but I don't imagine that'll be of much use to you.

Boru

[TaraJo]

So, I have a trip to Arizona coming up next week.  Anyone here familiar with the Phoenix/Scottsdale area with some input?  Anywhere I need to try to visit or see while I'm in town (if I have time, that is).

So its going to be 108 degrees or so - if you don't get hammered by monsoon storms which is no bargain because they do not handle water on the roadways out here so well.....(no practice.)

Yes, it is usually a dry heat but all that means is that if you aren't careful and go walking around outside you will dehydrate quickly.  If you can't stay in the shade, wear a hat and long sleeves.  You want to keep the sun off your skin.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-...izona.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-...izona.html

Again, I wouldn't recommend anything out-doorsy if you are not used to the heat.  It is August.  Every day it seems the fire department pulls some idiot hiker down off one of the mountains because they fucked up and ran out of water.

Most of the locals wait until dark and then find a bar to get blasted.  Phoenix itself is not known for its night life.  For that you want downtown Scottsdale or Tempe around the university.

Driving around Phoenix is easy.  The city is laid out in a grid.  Driving around Scottsdale is maddening.  The city must have been laid out by a drunk.

Stay cool.

Cool.

I lived in Houston from 2009 - 2016, so I'm used to hot.  In fact, since Lee is the one who had/has a car, I walked most places I went and the heat itself isn't a big issue for me.  The big difference will be humidity; Houston is basically built on a swamp (there's a reason it earned the nickname Bayou City).  Drying out will probably be easy and since I'm not bringing the car to Phoenix, I'll have to make sure I bring a good water bottle to keep hydrated.  I'm not entirely sure how I'll handle a dry heat.  I'll have to make sure to bring some chap stick for my lips, but I'll need to do something to help keep my skin from drying out, too.  Not sure what will help with that.

Most of my business will be in Scottsdale itself.  Truth is, the only thing I'll be doing in Phoenix itself is getting into to town and leaving; the rest of the time I'll be in Scottsdale, relying largely on Lyft or something to get around.  I could do the city bus if I have to; I've checked and one specific line goes by both of my appointments, not to mention it's not very far from my hotel.  I think I can handle transportation.  Worst case scenario, I can't handle the dry heat and waiting for the bus is to difficult and Lyft gets really expensive.  But I think I can manage; all those things together will be unlikely.

A friend paid for my hotel room while I'm there.  I'm only staying for one night and I'll be a few blocks east of Fashion Square Mall if that gives you any idea.  I don't know if I'm going to want to do a lot of drinking, but I'm certainly going to want to have somewhere to eat.  Might want to try to go out and do SOMETHING that evening, but I'm not sure what there is fun to do in that area that's within semi-reasonable walking distance.

[TaraJo]

Ok, went to Phoenix, came back. It was over 110 degrees the entire time I was there. I don't know how you people survive in that kind of brutal heat. I don't know if anyone would even notice a difference if the whole damn city was completely engulfed in fire. For dinner, since my hotel was in downtown Scottsdale, I walked around and found somewhere but why on earth would so many of these places have so many outside eating areas? I mean, if it's still over a hundred at night, I want to be inside where it's air conditioned, thank you very much.

Ok, so, I've established that it's stupid to travel to Phoenix/Scottsdale in August. I think I'm truly, extremely, ridiculously stupid because I'm going to be going BACK there next year towards the end of May. I seem to have some unhealthy masochistic tendancies.

[Whateverist]

Ok, went to Phoenix, came back.  It was over 110 degrees the entire time I was there.  I don't know how you people survive in that kind of brutal heat.  I don't know if anyone would even notice a difference if the whole damn city was completely engulfed in fire.  For dinner, since my hotel was in downtown Scottsdale, I walked around and found somewhere but why on earth would so many of these places have so many outside eating areas?  I mean, if it's still over a hundred at night, I want to be inside where it's air conditioned, thank you very much.

Ok, so, I've established that it's stupid to travel to Phoenix/Scottsdale in August.  I think I'm truly, extremely, ridiculously stupid because I'm going to be going BACK there next year towards the end of May.  I seem to have some unhealthy masochistic tendancies.

I'm going to take yours and Min's word for it and do without personal verification.  Thanks!!