Our Holiday Guide to Phoenix, So You Can Sleigh the Season
Let’s face it: it’s hard to get in the holiday spirit in the Valley. Sure, you can’t beat walking around in flip flops and tank tops in December, but it’s a little difficult to listen to “White Christmas” and cozy up next to the fireplace when your A/C is humming in the background.
But you don’t need to give up on the holiday season just because you’re in the desert. There are plenty of local attractions that turn your backyard into a winter wonderland! Check out these holiday attractions next time you’re looking for some holiday cheer:
Zoo Lights
Yes, the same Zoo Lights that your parents took you to as a kid. Haven’t been to Zoo Lights as an adult? You’re in for a treat. You’ll have a newfound respect for the epic holiday displays, ranging from a music-in-motion show to a 200-foot long Polar Slide. Every year, the Phoenix Zoo decks out their grounds with millions of lights to get locals in the holiday spirit. They also have a 4D theater, live reindeer, and hot cocoa for sale. Grab someone special and enjoy! Zoo Lights runs nightly until early January.
CitySkate
Okay, downtown Phoenix isn’t exactly New York City. We may not have Rockefeller Center, but we’ve got the next best thing: CitySkate. CitySkate is an outdoor ice skating rink located in the downtown CityScape development. The ice rink opened in late November and runs through the holiday season. It also includes a 30-foot unity tree decked out in thousands of LED lights. Where else can you wear shorts while ice skating outside?
#FrayLife Tip: Still hanging on to your old student ID? Students skate for a discounted $10 every Sunday.
Las Noches de Luminarias
Nothing says southwest like the Desert Botanical Garden. This Valley staple is home to 140-acres of the desert’s finest flora and fauna. Every December, the Desert Botanical Garden illuminates with over 8,000 hand-lit luminaria bags. This event also includes countless twinkle lights and a number of live music performances. You can stroll through the gardens nightly from 5:30pm-9:30pm, excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Christmas at The Princess
There’s no shortage of resorts in Scottsdale. While there’s holiday displays at a number of award-winning Scottsdale resorts, none quite stack up to Christmas at The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. This annual festival features attractions like enchanted train rides, marshmallow roasting, and Christmas tree light shows. Not to be outdone by CitySkate, the Fairmont also has its own 6,000 square-foot outdoor skating rink. Want to know the best part? You can get a picture with Santa’s dogs (also known as Bixby and Gibbs) as part of their Santa Paws attraction because…who doesn’t love puppies?
Lights of the World
Looking to celebrate New Year’s in style? You might want to check out Lights of the World at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Lights of the World is a giant holiday-themed light and lantern festival. Inspired by Chinese lantern festivals, this dazzling display includes over 10 million lights. You can see displays representing cultures from around the world. Of course, the Fairgrounds also offers a number of carnival rides and games to go with nightly live performances. Lights of the World runs annually from early December until early February.
When you’re out and about ringing in the Holidays, don’t forget to use #FrayLife and #PHXFray so we can get in on the action!
After all the upcoming family gatherings and holiday activities, you’re going to want to kick back and relax. Well, at least do it in style with some of Phoenix’s best kept secrets: speakeasies.
View More Articles By John Kuells