What to Do in Phoenix

Article Transcript

Walking Distance

Many of the convention attendees won’t have a vehicle during their stay. But not to worry. There are plenty of places to eat and hang out in the area immediately around the hotel. Here are just a few of them.

Downtown Chandler Cafe & Bakery 40 S San Marcos Plaza Get breakfast and lunch here. About 1 block from the resort. Hours 7:00am - 3:00pm

Murphy’s Law
58 S San Marcos Plaza
Irish Pub with live music. Around the corner from the resort. Hours 11:00am - 12:30am

San Tan Brewing Company
8 S San Marcos Plaza
Pub food for lunch and dinner. Across the street from the resort. Breakfast served Fri.- Sun. only. Hours 11:00am - 12:30am Mon-Thu. and 8:00am - 1:00am Fri.- Sun.

Ice Cream Sammies
135 W Boston St.
Ice cream and hand made ice cream sandwich creations and cookies. Two blocks from the resort. Hours 11:00am - 9:00pm

Getting Around

The Phoenix metro area is spread out with suburban housing developments that stretch for miles and miles of single family homes. Public transportation in Phoenix is not efficient. There is a bus system that is rarely on time, if it shows up at all. There is a surface rail system that goes from downtown Mesa to a rough area of Phoenix. But it does not run near the Crowne Plaza Resort. $3.50/day pass for either.

Uber is available in Phoenix and suburban areas.

The general consensus is you must have independent transportation as the city is not walking friendly and downtowns are small. I choose a motorcycle. If you’d like to do that, here’s an option to rent one during your stay.

AZ Funtime Rentals
1215 N Scottsdale Rd. Tempe, AZ 85281
Call Jerry (owner) at 480-968-2522 to reserve a bike or find more details. Must have motorcycle endorsement on your license or from your country.
Prices start from $89/ day + tax & insurance
Doesn’t put a $2000 hold on your credit card.

EagleRider
1000 N McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281
From $149/day, 3 days at $133/day
Jason Lyman is the shop manager
480-905-9397

Hertz Rent-a-Car office is inside the Crowne Plaza Resort if you prefer a vehicle with more than two wheels.

Below are places to eat, drink, hike and visit, around the Phoenix metro area. Also included are some popular spots farther away, but worth the time.

Coffee Shops

Giant coffee
1437 N 1st St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 This coffee shop is right across the street from the Phoenix Art Museum, north of downtown Phoenix.They also serve food. I recommend the breakfast burrito. Free wi-fi.

Cartel Coffee Lab (2 locations)
225 W University, Phoenix, AZ 85281
Bicycle themed. I recommend the toddy. In Tempe by the hangouts, comic shops, skate shops and made-expensive second hand stores. Free wifi.

7124 E 5th Ave. Scottsdale 85251
In Scottsdale’s Old Town which has a lovely/fancy arts district mixed in with souvenir shops and mass produced art galleries. The artists are usually in there on third Thursdays.

Jobot 918 N 5th St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 You can literally start a friendly conversa12 tion with anyone in this coffee shop. I met my sweetheart here. The floor creaks and the bathroom is very close to guest seating. But the parking is superb. There are walkable art galleries nearby and the famous Tammie Coe cupcakes if you want to get “American fat” as quickly as possible in the most heavenly way. It is a chamber of the still beating heart of the Roosevelt arts district. The Made Art Boutique is there and has fun, fun, fun trinkets that you can fit in a pocket of your jacket and take with you, and a TON of art magazines. They have savory cupcakes that taste like thanksgiving stuffing. Ask the barista what their favorite is and you won’t be disappointed. I believe there is currently an orange mocha on the menu. Free wifi.

Food/Drink

If you’re fully charged with caffeine and looking for lunch or dinner, here are some local spots I visit repeatedly even though there are new ones I could probably try out.

Filibertos
1050 W Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85224
Fast Mexican food chain with locations all over the valley.

Thai Rama Chandler
2040 W Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85224
They close at 10:00pm. Good size portions.

India Oven
5204 1315 S Gilbert Rd. Mesa, AZ 85204 I recommend this place because they offer an all you can eat buffet that is partially vegetarian and low fat. It’s about $13, nice and dark. And the food is spicy. Although it’s kind of far from Chandler.

Los Reyes de la Torta (a Mexican sandwich shop)
1528 East Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85282
Recommended by a friend

Via De Los Santos
9120 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85020
My favorite restaurant in the world! Famous for margaritas. About a 35 minute drive from the resort. There are velvet paintings on the wall, bright, caked-on paint, great staff, spicy salsa, loads of beans, 8000 kinds of yum. On Sundays there is a live mariachi band playing for tips! The sopapillas are okay, but the dinner won’t leave room for them anyway.

Here are some fancy places:

The Vig Uptown
6015 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014
Tavern with food, drinks, live music, and games. Also open for breakfast and lunch.

The Vig Downtown
606 N 4th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Tavern with food, drinks, live music, and games. Also open for breakfast and lunch.

Southern Rail
300 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013
American classics with a Southern twist.

Postino
302 N Gilbert Rd #102, Gilbert, AZ 85234
Italian bistro with large wine selection.

Culinary Dropout
5632 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014
Gastro pub.

Old Town Scottsdale area
4101 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Kierland Commons
15205 N Kierland Blvd #150, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Upscale outdoor shopping and chain restaurants.

Bars

Casey Moore’s Oyster House
850 S Ash Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
College kid hangout. Beer, beer, beer. Fried, fried, fried. Loud music, fun, tons of seating, fabulous parking.

T&T Roadhouse Bar
2915 N 68th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Excellent biker bar.

Bikini Lounge 1502 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007
The bar that sometimes has DJs, nice cocktails. CASH-ONLY!
On Grand Avenue, in the arts district. Art friends are here a lot. Great people watching.

Sip Garage
3620 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
They took a Jiffy Lube and turned it into a bar. My friend Adam recruits local musicians to get up and sing and play guitar on the last Monday of the month. Highly recommended. Lots of beer choices, local brews, excellent food menu. Parking is extraordinarily limited here.

Breakfast

Hangar Café Chandler
1725 E Ryan Rd 85286
Breakfast on the tarmac of a small airport (my favorite). 10 minute drive from resort.

Joe’s Farm Grill
3000 E Ray Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296
They grow what they serve. 15 minute drive from resort.

Art/Museums

On the first and third Fridays and all weekends, galleries are open on a walk-in basis. Museums have regular hours.

Phoenix Art Museum (Free on Wednesdays) 1625 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Our city’s art museum has a great collection of contemporary works, a fashion section, Asian art, and a good selection of European works.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (Free on Thursdays) 7374 E 2nd St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Gallery {9} - Phoenix

Eye Lounge - Phoenix