We know a lot of you will be coming from out of state and likely staying a day or more in Phoenix. There’s a lot to do here and all manner of activities to fill the time - we figured we‘d give you some suggestions on our favorite places to go and things to eat. Some are traditional low-priced restaurants that we’ve been to multiple times, some are slightly upscale experiences we’ve only visited once or twice, but all are standouts.

Please note you will likely need to rent a vehicle while in Phoenix. Phoenix is very spread out and public transportation is limited. You may be able to get by with a Lyft, Uber, or Waymo if you’re just here for our wedding day but if you plan to be here a few days seriously consider a rental. That said, an electric vehicle with a 200 mile range will probably work great for a weekend and there are plenty of chargers across the county now.

One last consideration: Phoenix is really really spread out. Our wedding is in north Phoenix and we live in Tempe. Many of our recommendations are in or around Tempe, which will be a 15-30 minute drive if you’re staying in Phoenix.

$: $5-15 pp

$$ - $15-25 pp

$$$ - $25+ pp

We have no idea how long you plan to be in Phoenix prior to or after our wedding but figured we’d give you some ideas if you planned to be here a weekend.

The weather is actually pretty decent in December so it’s totally possible to do some hiking or walking around outside for longer than 20 minutes. That said, please please please please please pack several bottles of water and bring sunscreen and a hat. It can still get pretty hot here even in the holiday months and we’d prefer you spend the end of your weekend eating cake at our wedding rather than stuck in a hospital bed receiving an IV drip.

Hikes - Camelback Mountain is a longer hike in central-Phoenix that gives great views of the valley. Joel’s family used to climb the east face every Thanksgiving. East face is forgiving, west face is brutal, plan accordingly. A-Mountain is a much shorter hike in downtown Tempe that gives great views of Tempe Town Lake and downtown Tempe. It’s a little steep though, so bring good shoes. South Mountain has multiple hiking trails of varying lengths and okay views of downtown Phoenix but you’ll have lots more opportunities to see nature and wildlife. Finally, one very manageable excursion that could be a walk or a hike are the trails around Papago Park. The first set of trails into the park are very flat and easy to navigate but you can optionally choose to clamber up the rock faces.

Arcosanti – An experimental “arcology” town built about 70 miles from Phoenix. This is an unfinished city concept created by architect Paolo Soleri and still being worked on (though excruciatingly slowly). They do tours several times a day and have some really interesting insights into desert design and community life. Cool tour for architecture nerds.

Arizona Heritage Center – Small museum crammed to the brim with exhibits covering every part of Arizona history. Some cool stuff about early Phoenix transit, suburban growth, and WW2. Pretty close to Papago Park, Desert Botannical Garden, and the Phoenix Zoo, as well as Downtown Tempe.

Boyce Thompson Arboreteum – Large outdoor arboretum located in the mountains to the SE of the Phoenix area, It’s a bit of a drive but worth the travel time: there are tens of thousands of plants and miles of walking paths located in a mountain valley just outside the town of Globe. This can take 2 hours to half a day depending on how much walking you want to do/how much you like the scenery and plants. Pack a lunch: the arboretum sells a few snacks but nothing substantial and the nearby town of Superior, while charming, is not known for their food.

Desert Botanical Garden – Sprawling garden with thousands of succulents and cactuses nestled against a natural backdrop. Some interesting exhibits on early Arizona inhabitants and desert plant adaptations. Joel and Lauren really like this space: it was a strong wedding venue contender. The restaurant on site is pretty good – we really like their hibiscus limeade slushie which you can order to-go and carry around the garden.

1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008

Phoenix Zoo – Beautiful sprawling zoo with thousands of animals/reptiles/amphibians from across the globe. Tickets are discounted if you buy online.

455 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008

Sedona – Okay, this is a city, not a specific place, but we think it counts. One of the prettiest towns in Arizona and where we got our engagement photos done. Multiple wonderful dining options, hiking paths of varying difficulty, a creek with multiple swimming holes, and even a downtown shopping pavilion, all only 2 hours from Phoenix.

S'edav Va'aki Museum (formerly Pueblo Grande Museum) – Museum in east Phoenix built around a Pre-Columbian Native American village. Museum discusses traditional life of the Hohokam people and allows visitors to walk through the ruins and see the modern versions of canals they dug thousands of years ago to irrigate the Phoenix area.

Talesin West – Frank Lloyd Wrights former architecture studio and now UNESCO World Heritage site in NW Phoenix. Offers self-guided tours. Some very interesting designs and insights in Wright’s work.

Alter Ego – Slightly upscale hotel restaurant serving all meals. We haven’t been back in a few years but its notable for being the place Joel and Lauren decided they were dating, so, uh, maybe make a pilgrimage to this sacred site.

108 E University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281

Artichoke Basile’s – New York-style pizza chain known for large portions and an incredibly rich artichoke cream pizza. One of Joel and Lauren’s favorite places to go after hours of thrifting. Several vegetarian options, including the artichoke slice.

Multiple locations - $/$$

Brick Road Coffee – Cute local coffee shop that is incredibly supportive of the local queer community. Tasty selection of drinks and snacks.

4415 S Rural Rd #10, Tempe, AZ 85282 - $

Cartel Coffee – High-quality local coffee/tea chain that does their own roasting. Multiple locations, but if you want to wander around a downtown for an afternoon, the Tempe location is probably best.

Multiple locations - $

Cocina Madrigal – High-quality Mexican food at a super reasonable price located south of downtown Phoenix. Several really good vegetarian options.

4044 S 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85040 - $/$$

Daily Dose – Joel’s favorite diner/brunch restaurant in Phoenix. High-quality diner brunch classics at a super reasonable price point.

Multiple locations - $/$$

Feringhee – Really nice modern Indian food and cocktails. Pretty upscale place but very unique menu and flavors. If you like Indian food and wonder what a fine dining version would look like, this is the place for you. Joel and Lauren have been multiple times. Several vegetarian/vegan options.

3491 W Frye Rd, Chandler, AZ 85226 - $$$

Four Peaks – Award-winning brewery serving classic American staples. Their beer has won a number of regional awards, if that’s your thing. Can be hard to get into on weekends.

1340 E 8th St #104, Tempe, AZ 85281 - $$

Ghost Ranch – High-quality Mexican classics and a nice cocktail selection.

Green: New American Vegetarian – A poorly named restaurant: everything is actually vegan. Don’t let that stop you meat-eaters though – they serve up dozens of American classics that are indistinguishable in taste from the real deal.

Multiple locations - $/$$

Haji Baba – Simple but tasty Mediterranean food tucked inside a Middle Eastern market. Site of the date where Joel and Lauren really hit it off. Many vegetarian/vegan options.

1513 E Apache Blvd, Tempe, AZ 85281 - $$

Joe’s Real BBQ – Longtime Gilbert Arizona BBQ joint Joel used to go to frequently as a child. Located in the heart of downtown Gilbert if you want to do some sight-seeing. Some vegetarian/vegan options like pulled jackfruit but it’s not their focus.

Little Rituals – Award-winning cocktail bar with an ever-rotating list of custom drinks. Nice view of Downtown Phoenix from the windows and good selection of snacks.

132 S Central Ave 4th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 - $$/$$$

Loving Hut – Local vegan restaurant chain serving a mix of Asian and American dishes. Food is all really tasty and affordable plus there’s the fun drama of sitting at a table surrounded by tchotchkes and spiritual iconography slowly realizing that the chain is owned by a cult. Not a weird cult, but a cult nonetheless.

Multiple locations - $/$$

Old Town Taste – Award-winning Sichuan food that leans a little more authentic than Szechwan Noodle. If you like lots of spice and a variety of menu options, this is the best Chinese places, if your tastes lean more American-Chinese, check out Szechwan Noodle. Multiple vegetarian/vegan options.

1845 E Broadway Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281 - $/$$

Pedal Haus – Award-winning brewery in the heart of downtown Tempe. Very good traditional American food and large variety of Arizona-brewed beers.

730 S Mill Ave #102, Tempe, AZ 85281 - $$

Pie Snob – Bakery offering high-quality pie and cheesecake slices. Joel attempted to bring Lauren’s family here when they first met but messed up the hours, forcing them to pursue several other dessert options.

Multiple locations - $

Poke2U – Joel used to manage this Poke/Korean BBQ restaurant for several years. Is the food still good? Probably yes. Will they remember him? Probably not. Will mentioning him get you a discount? Definitely not. Bowls can be fully customized to be vegetarian/vegan.

414 S Mill Ave, Tempe AZ 85281 - $/$$

Quartz/The Cave – Fancy cocktail bar with truly special drinks themed after different birthstones. Call ahead to get reservations in their backroom, which has a menu with drinks themed after different deserts of the world. No food menu here but some great options nearby

341 W Van Buren St Suite B, Phoenix, AZ 85003 - $$/$$$

Salad N Go – Phoenix’s best fast food choice, a quick-service chain offering high quality salads, wraps, and drinks. These are not the best salads you’ll ever have but the prices are super reasonable and you can find these anywhere you are in the Valley.

Multiple locations - $

Snakes and Lattes – Boardgame café in downtown Tempe with hundreds of games and an extensive food/drink menu. They have sommeliers who can recommend games tailored towards your interests/group size and can very quickly teach the rules to get you going.

20 W 6th St, Tempe, AZ 85281 - $/$$

Superstition Meadery – Downtown Phoenix restaurant serving dozens of varieties of award-winning mead. The food is great too but trying a flight of honey wines is a really fun experience.

1110 E Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85034 - $$/$$$

Szechwan Noodle – There’s a lot of good Chinese food in Tempe and Mesa but this unassuming strip mall eateries provides one of the best balances of quality and price and makes their noodles in house. Multiple vegetarian/vegan options.

3330 S Price Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282 - $/$$

Testal – Unique Mexican restaurant serving Chihuan-style Mexican food. Deep flavors in all their dishes and a great selection of vegan options that are just as savory as their meat. Joel’s favorite Mexican restaurant in Arizona, but that could just be because he’s a poser.

1325 Grand Ave Suite #1, Phoenix, AZ 85007 - $

Valentine – Award winning pastries, brunch, and dinner, with many menu items incorporating traditional Arizonan ingredients. Also home to a cute vintage furniture store in the back. Multiple vegetarian options.

4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013 - $/$$

Venezia’s Pizza – Local pizza chain offering sit-down or to-go slices. Make sure to eat it hot: one of the best slices in the Valley. Multiple vegetarian options and several fake meat options for your slices.

Multiple locations - $