Is it crazy to visit Phoenix right now?

[Anonymous]

I visited Phoenix and Sedona (and Grand Canyon) several years ago in the middle of June with my then-4th grader. We had a great trip but I said never again. The Phoenix heat is brutal and relentless. It doesn’t even cool down much when the sun goes down (maybe 10 degrees cooler), it was always hot there with no relief. When leaving, we had to quickly board so we could take off, as they were canceling flights that sat on the hot tarmac for too long. It was ~120 degrees.

Thankfully we just did 1 night in Phoenix and spent the rest in Sedona, which was 20 degrees cooler than PHX. With that said, daytime temps in Sedona were still 100 degrees. The GC was probably 20 degrees cooler than that. Sedona heat felt much more pleasant than the PHX heat. PHX seemed to be more heavy and slightly humid heat. Sedona felt fine at night and in the shade.

After that trip I decided I would never visit PHX ever again after March or before October. It’s too hot too really enjoy everything it has to offer.

[Anonymous]

I’ll also throw in that Phoenix had the worst and scariest drivers I’ve personally ever seen. They get over and switch lanes on the interstate without looking and with no warning. They will hit your car if you’re in their way.

The only other place I’ve experienced that level of driving terror was the interstate near Tampa FL. Their drivers suck too.

[Anonymous]

I was in Phoenix a month ago and it was pretty awful to be outside. Even being at our resort’s pools I felt woozy from the heat. I don’t recommend. Fortunately we spent most of our time in Sedona which is cooler and less lovely.

[Anonymous]

*was lovely, not less lovely!

[Anonymous]

Yes, I feel that time of year is brutal. Save it for the winter months.

I also agree that the drivers there were frighteningly aggressive. It felt lawless on the roads, nobody monitoring speeds and people driving recklessly like it was Grand Theft Auto, I was just there earlier this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year we were in Las Vegas when there were " extreme heat warnings". It was crazy, but it was too hot to go to the pool...and we love hot weather. If you wake up early, you can do outside stuff until about 11 am and then once the sun goes down. Otherwise, plan to do indoor stuff in- between. Also, fly early in the day to avoid extreme weather delays later in the day. My attitude is always " YOLO"--- go for it & enjoy.

I live in Phoenix. It was 105 today so not awful. It’s actually still pleasant until about 9 or 10 am. We’ve had an unusually cool June so nighttime temps are still in the 70s. Do things in the morning and evening and swim in the afternoon.

My 13 year old is in a golf camp this week. The course was crowded with people playing despite the 105. Definitely don’t do that if you’re not used to it but you can still do things. The complete lack of humidity makes 100 bearable. Once it hits 110+ it’s just hot no matter what.

You could also go north for a day or two. Much cooler in Flagstaff, Pinetop, etc.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Some of these responses seem unhinged. I lived in Phoenix for many years and I never had potholders to open my car doors. And, no, it's not true that people "never ventured outside." In fact, some of my best memories are stepping into an outdoor swimming pool after sunset and never once feeling cold, which pretty much doesn't happen anywhere else. Go out in the morning, and evening. Find fun, indoor stuff to do in the mid-day. You can go out to eat and sit outside with the misters in early summer (not in monsoon season) and feel comfortable. I love Phoenix in the summer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in Phoenix a month ago and it was pretty awful to be outside. Even being at our resort’s pools I felt woozy from the heat. I don’t recommend. Fortunately we spent most of our time in Sedona which is cooler and less lovely.

I live in Phoenix. Its only just now starting to get really hot, has barely been 100 yet. May and June have been pleasant this year. I guess you get used to it when you live here. That said, the window has closed I wouldn’t plan a trip now.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see a reason to visit Phoenix any time of year. We have to go because family but I’d never go back if I didn’t have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see a reason to visit Phoenix any time of year. We have to go because family but I’d never go back if I didn’t have to.

So helpful.

[Anonymous]

I mean there are things you can do inside. FOr starters the children's museum, science center, natural history museum or legoland discovery center. There are also a number of indoor playgrounds/fun centers.

There are a few for profit aquariums but I know one of them (at least ) had some controversy re: animal treatment. SO double check that.

AS others have mentioned you could head up north. You could visit tucson and go to Kartchner's Caverns (it cool inside the cave!)

You can usually get pretty good deals at resorts in Phoenix in the summer and stay at one with a water park that you can hit in the evening.

I grew up there. It is hot. We mainly stayed inside during the hottest part of the day.

[Anonymous]

Stay a couple of nights in Sedona or Flagstaff, or at least make sure to take a day trip to the Grand Canyon if you haven't seen it before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some of these responses seem unhinged. I lived in Phoenix for many years and I never had potholders to open my car doors. And, no, it's not true that people "never ventured outside." In fact, some of my best memories are stepping into an outdoor swimming pool after sunset and never once feeling cold, which pretty much doesn't happen anywhere else. Go out in the morning, and evening. Find fun, indoor stuff to do in the mid-day. You can go out to eat and sit outside with the misters in early summer (not in monsoon season) and feel comfortable. I love Phoenix in the summer!

I am the potholders in AZ PP and returned to say, Yes it is that hot: https://nypost.com/2023/07/26/arizonians-are-being-hospitalized-for-severe-burns-from-asphalt/

Probably as an arizonan you know what to do in the heat, but tourist from balmy mid atlantic, lured by tourism boards’ claims of “but it’s a dry heat”, do not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Some of these responses seem unhinged. I lived in Phoenix for many years and I never had potholders to open my car doors. And, no, it's not true that people "never ventured outside." In fact, some of my best memories are stepping into an outdoor swimming pool after sunset and never once feeling cold, which pretty much doesn't happen anywhere else. Go out in the morning, and evening. Find fun, indoor stuff to do in the mid-day. You can go out to eat and sit outside with the misters in early summer (not in monsoon season) and feel comfortable. I love Phoenix in the summer!

I am the potholders in AZ PP and returned to say, Yes it is that hot: https://nypost.com/2023/07/26/arizonians-are-being-hospitalized-for-severe-burns-from-asphalt/

Probably as an arizonan you know what to do in the heat, but tourist from balmy mid atlantic, lured by tourism boards’ claims of “but it’s a dry heat”, do not.

The media would NEVER exaggerate or sensationalize a story to get readers. Is it freaking hot? Yes. Are some people getting burned? yes. Are most of them homeless who fell asleep on the ground? Also yes. There is a HUGE population of homeless people and unfortunately most of the heat related injuries are to that population. You have to lay on the ground for an extended period to get a burn. The average person walking (even barefoot) is not getting a 2nd degree burns. You don't instantly get a burn if you touch the ground despite what they would like you to believe.

I live in Phoenix. Just measured the asphalt in front of my house and it's 140. Hot but bearable to hold my hand on it for 10 seconds. While it may be 180 in some areas that's an extreme and most likely in an industrial area with no trees or grass (unfortunately where most of the homeless are).

Would I visit now? Absolutely not. But we're not spontaneously combusting left and right despite what's being reported.

[Anonymous]

I go there a lot for work. Do not go now. It is miserable and borderline dangerous with this heat.