Surviving the Summer in Arizona

It's hot!

Well, it's that time again to get ready for our annual heat-induced existential crisis.  With temperatures already regularly over 100F, the summer seems like an insurmountable obstacle between us and a habitable ecosystem.  With a little creativity, planning, and my help, though, we will get through this together.  Because no matter how hopeless life seems when the LOW temperature is still over 90F, if Arizona has done anything well it's bending the climate to its will. Below are my 2017 suggestions for surviving the Summer in Arizona.

For starters, check out my prior year's suggestions here:  Things to Do When It's Hot.  Also, check out my Hot, Hot Heat Survival Guide.

Scottsdale Museum of the West

Go to museums.  They're cool!  Museums are a great way to spend time soaking in culture and air conditioning.  Previously I wrote specifically about the Phoenix Art Museum.  But there are so many more, large and small, expected and not.  From the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), to the Heard Museum, to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMOCA), to the Museum of the West, to the Children's Museum, to the Science Center, to the Natural History Museum...there are enough to fill a summer's worth of weekends.  Many of them have free days/weekends, special events (like Adult's Night), and other inducements to visit, so if you do some research and advanced planning you can make the most of your time and money.  For now, I'm gonna let you Google for museums and their specials.  You can also follow @getthefunout for updates about promotions.

Bikini fashion show not necessarily included.

Go to Pool Parties!  If being hot and in water is your thing, then the Valley is the place for you!  From the mega parties at places like Talking Stick, to lower-key relaxation at The Clarendon, you can find sun and water that will tickle your fancy.  Newcomers beware:  you'll get drunk and dehydrated REAL quick in the sun and heat; and your hangover might be unforgiving.  Our friends over at the Arizona Republic have put together a list of some of the more popular pool party destinations; Google will help you find others.

Support Arizona Sports!  There are at least three Arizona professional sports teams whose regular seasons go through the summer:  Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Rattlers, and Arizona Diamondbacks--each of which play in an enclosed, air-conditioned stadium in Downtown Phoenix.  Additionally, the Arizona Cardinals start their training camp in late July, with free admission and parking at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale; then preseasons games begin in August.  With admission starting at free, and ticket prices in a wide range of affordability, catching a game or practice from any of these teams can be a great way to spend a hot summer evening.

Get out of town!!!!  I've always said the best thing about Phoenix is how easy it is to leave.  And while that's becoming less true recently as the population (and, thus, traffic) booms but our highways out of town have not kept pace, it's still impossible to argue with how many amazing destinations are within a few hour's drive from Phoenix.  Flagstaff, Prescott, Payson, Sedona, and more, are all within just 1.5-2.5 hours drive and tend to be at least 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix.  You can explore the areas on your own, or check back later for more detailed suggestions.  For now, a few prior posts and/or ideas:

Lush forest off Kachina Trail

• Hike Mt. Humphreys in Flagstaff
• Hike Thumb Butte in Prescott
• Hike Kachina Trail in Flagstaff
• Hike to Wet Beaver Creek outside of Sedona 
• Hang out in Jerome and Sedona