In Phoenix-proper, see:

• Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., +1 602-716-2000, [10]. Science and Technology, along with a planetarium.
• Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., +1 480-941-1225, [11]. Plant life of the Sonoran Desert, and of arid lands around the world.
• Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Av., +1 602-252-8848, [12]. Celebrating Native American cultures and arts, especially those of Arizona and New Mexico.
• Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, 4619 E. Washington Street, +1 602-495-0901, [13]. M-Sa 9AM-4:45PM, Su 1PM-4:45PM. The US's only city-operated archaeological site, exploring and interpreting the pre-Columbian Hohokam civilization.
• Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Avenue, +1 602-257-1222 [14]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM (Th until 9PM). 16,000 artworks with an emphasis on American, Asian, Latin American, and modern and contemporary.

• Piestewa Peak, 2701 E. Squaw Peak Ln., (enter off of Lincoln Dr., just west of S.R. 51), [15]. Daily 5AM-11PM (Formerly Squaw Peak) Right in the middle of Phoenix lies Phoenix Mountains Park. The park offers a strenuous one to two hour hike to the top of Piestewa Peak (elevation 2,610 feet), offering fantastic 360 degree views of the city and its surrounding environment. Especially during the hot summer months (up to 110-115 degrees F in the afternoon), use caution and bring lots of water and a hat. There is no shade and parts of the trail can be quite steep and rocky. The Park also has several picnic areas.
• Chase Field, 7th Street and Jefferson, +1 602-514-8400, [16]. Formerly known as Bank One Ballpark (The BOB), the home of the National League Arizona Diamondbacks, capacity 49,033, with a retractable roof and air conditioning. You can get really decent tickets for $12.50.
• Phoenix Symphony, 455 North 3rd Street, +1 602-495-1999, [17]. The city's classical and pops orchestra, presenting a 25-week season of concerts.
• Arizona Opera, 4600 North 12th Street, +1 602-266-7464, [18]. Presenting a season of five grand opera productions, with emphasis on Verdi, Puccini, and Mozart.
• Arizona Theatre Company, [19]. Professional theater in downtown Phoenix's Herberger theater complex.
• Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main St., Mesa, +1 480-644-6500, [20]. Visit the newly constructed and award winning MAC. Home of contemporary art displays and studios, as well as the Southwest Shakespeare Company[21] and the Mesa Symphony Orchestra.
• Desert Storm Hummer Tours, 1-866-374-8637, [22]. Since 1995, Desert Storm Hummer has specialized in Sonoran Desert adventures. If you are truly adventurous, experience the dark side of the desert. Night vision tours let you witness desert life after dark!

• La Fonda Mexican Food, 1126 N. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, +1 480-966-8001. La Fonda is a great restaurant if you're looking for Mexican food. The problem with posting this restaurant in the budget section is that many will instantly assume that the food is mediocre. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is friendly; good pricing is an added benefit, not a factor.
• Guedo's Taco Shop, 71 E. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, +1 480-899-7841. Located in one of the eastern suburbs, Guedo's boasts a fanatical following... and for good reason. It's a simple formula -- superb soft tacos and Mexican beer, served in a hole-in-the-wall place with plenty of character. A salsa bar offers a choice of scratch-made and bottled sauces, ranging from mild to torrid. The cooks may sing Mexican ballads or pop songs while going about their work; your name will be called out when your order is ready. Some locals maintain that they have no interest in going to heaven if it doesn't include Guedo's.
• Pete's Fish and Chips, 22 S. Mesa Dr., Mesa, +1 480-964-7242, [26]. Eight other locations in the Phoenix Valley. Forget the tartar sauce -- "Pete's special sauce" is to die for. Family owned and operated since 1947. Only cash is accepted.
• Also look out for many 24-hour Mexican food places -- Filiberto's, Raliberto's and other restaruants offer a burrito the size of your forearm for less than $4.