Consolidated "Layover in PHX - What to do, questions, suggestions" thread
#46
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
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Things to do if you have a five hour or more layover at Sky Harbor would include the following.
- The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix (outdoor, right next to the Phoenix Zoo)
- Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale (indoor, next to Old Town)
- Old Town Scottsdale Art Galleries (outdoor/indoor)
- Octane Raceway go-karts at Scottsdale Pavilions (indoor)
- Butterfly Wonderland just outside Scottsdale in the Salt River Indian Community (indoor)
- Spa treatments at every good hotel in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale (indoor/outdoor)
- Phoenix Art Museum right downtown on Central Avenue (indoor)
- The Children's Museum of Phoenix downtown Phoenix (indoor)
- Hike Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley (outdoor, sweaty)
- Lose your shirt at the Talking Stick Casinos on the Salt River Maricopa Indian Community (indoor)
- Golf (outdoor, everywhere)
- Spring Training games in Spring, obviously (outdoor)
- Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa (indoor/outdoor)
I have served as the personal guide and taxi driver for friends stopping over for several hours, and if you have at least five hours flight-to-flight, a middling taxi ride will take you to all of these activities.
- The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix (outdoor, right next to the Phoenix Zoo)
- Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale (indoor, next to Old Town)
- Old Town Scottsdale Art Galleries (outdoor/indoor)
- Octane Raceway go-karts at Scottsdale Pavilions (indoor)
- Butterfly Wonderland just outside Scottsdale in the Salt River Indian Community (indoor)
- Spa treatments at every good hotel in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale (indoor/outdoor)
- Phoenix Art Museum right downtown on Central Avenue (indoor)
- The Children's Museum of Phoenix downtown Phoenix (indoor)
- Hike Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley (outdoor, sweaty)
- Lose your shirt at the Talking Stick Casinos on the Salt River Maricopa Indian Community (indoor)
- Golf (outdoor, everywhere)
- Spring Training games in Spring, obviously (outdoor)
- Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa (indoor/outdoor)
I have served as the personal guide and taxi driver for friends stopping over for several hours, and if you have at least five hours flight-to-flight, a middling taxi ride will take you to all of these activities.
#47
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
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I had a nice MR to PHX the other day that exploded in my face - my flight to EWR was going to misconnect; my reroute on US through CLT was going to misconnect; and then my supposed CLT-PHX connection went down for maintenance. End result was 3.5 hours at BWI and no flights.
The UA CSS was nice enough to rebook me for next week. But, to ensure that this one goes through, I have a seven hour down period in PHX before my return on the red eye.
So, from about 2:30 until about 9:00 pm I have free time. I can kill some time at the United Club (I imagine I will do that from 7:30 pm onwards). But that still leaves 5 hours free. Whats a guy to do in PHX for 5 hours (without a car)?
The UA CSS was nice enough to rebook me for next week. But, to ensure that this one goes through, I have a seven hour down period in PHX before my return on the red eye.
So, from about 2:30 until about 9:00 pm I have free time. I can kill some time at the United Club (I imagine I will do that from 7:30 pm onwards). But that still leaves 5 hours free. Whats a guy to do in PHX for 5 hours (without a car)?
Alternatively, you can take the Light Rail to Downtown Phoenix but frankly, there's very little there.
#48
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA XPlat
Posts: 103
I'll be doing this on Saturday. In town for ASU-Wisc Blackout, thanks to MR! ^
#49
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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#50
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA XPlat
Posts: 103
Heckuva game, and how about that finish! Was crazy to be there in person.
Mill Street had plenty of places to grab food and drink. Palm Walk was very nice, the entire campus is great. I did the "A" Mountain hike. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't a cake walk. Mostly paved or wooden stairs. But I was out of breath at the top in 100 deg heat (a dry heat, as they say).
Be sure and allow adequate time from airport to metro station. If you're in Terminal 2 or 3, you have to ride a airport shuttle bus to Terminal 4, then walk to Sky Train, and the time adds up. I thought it would be 35 min, but I think it was closer to an hour.
Mill Street had plenty of places to grab food and drink. Palm Walk was very nice, the entire campus is great. I did the "A" Mountain hike. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't a cake walk. Mostly paved or wooden stairs. But I was out of breath at the top in 100 deg heat (a dry heat, as they say).
Be sure and allow adequate time from airport to metro station. If you're in Terminal 2 or 3, you have to ride a airport shuttle bus to Terminal 4, then walk to Sky Train, and the time adds up. I thought it would be 35 min, but I think it was closer to an hour.
#51
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Heckuva game, and how about that finish! Was crazy to be there in person.
Mill Street had plenty of places to grab food and drink. Palm Walk was very nice, the entire campus is great. I did the "A" Mountain hike. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't a cake walk. Mostly paved or wooden stairs. But I was out of breath at the top in 100 deg heat (a dry heat, as they say).
Be sure and allow adequate time from airport to metro station. If you're in Terminal 2 or 3, you have to ride a airport shuttle bus to Terminal 4, then walk to Sky Train, and the time adds up. I thought it would be 35 min, but I think it was closer to an hour.
Mill Street had plenty of places to grab food and drink. Palm Walk was very nice, the entire campus is great. I did the "A" Mountain hike. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't a cake walk. Mostly paved or wooden stairs. But I was out of breath at the top in 100 deg heat (a dry heat, as they say).
Be sure and allow adequate time from airport to metro station. If you're in Terminal 2 or 3, you have to ride a airport shuttle bus to Terminal 4, then walk to Sky Train, and the time adds up. I thought it would be 35 min, but I think it was closer to an hour.
#53
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,612
#54
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: TK *G, Spirit Gold, Marriott Plat, Hilton HHonors Gold, Amex Plat, Chase SR
Posts: 353
4 hour connection in PHX
Hi all, I have a 4 hour connection in Phoenix coming up in a few months (returning from Mexico so will need time to clear customs). Is there anything quick/fun/exciting to do near the airport?
#55
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If you were running short on time from either location, it's a fairly cheap (and quick) cab ride back to PHX.
#56
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,612
You can take the Light Rail to Downtown Tempe fairly quickly. It's connected to the airport via a monorail. Once you're there you can have a pleasant stroll on Mill Avenue which is right by Arizona State's campus. Alternatively, you could go the opposite direction to Downtown Phoenix but that area is pretty much dead.
If you were running short on time from either location, it's a fairly cheap (and quick) cab ride back to PHX.
If you were running short on time from either location, it's a fairly cheap (and quick) cab ride back to PHX.
#57
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
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#58
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
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From mid-May to mid-August, Mill Ave is nearly a ghost town, while downtown Phoenix has a work crowd every day, and evening events many days too.
4 Hours would be my threshold for leaving the airport. Given that safra1 is coming from Mexico, they'd have to re-clear security anyway.
Even if not flying on US, you may want to check out this thread in the US forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...x-airport.html
#59
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DTW
Programs: Delta SM, ICH PLAT
Posts: 1,188
Shower in/near PHX?
I have an upcoming flight (returning home from vacation in AZ) leaving PHX airport at 11pm. The flight is on Delta (terminal 3)
I would really like to hike camel back mountain during the day. With the exercise in the AZ heat, I'm sure to get sweaty and grimy. So, I'm looking for a shower before my redeye flight home...
I did some research and found that PHX has showers in Terminal 4. There is also a sentence in the official PHX website that say "all their family bathrooms have showers, but are for emergencies only, not for normal use". I don't know what that mean. If I bring my own towel and tolietries, do I have access to a shower in Terminal 3? How difficult/troublesome would it be to go to T4, take a shower, then go back to T3?
Can someone point me to a place where I can pay a small amount of $$ for a shower? (i.e. any truck stops near Camel Back or PHX?)
I would really like to hike camel back mountain during the day. With the exercise in the AZ heat, I'm sure to get sweaty and grimy. So, I'm looking for a shower before my redeye flight home...
I did some research and found that PHX has showers in Terminal 4. There is also a sentence in the official PHX website that say "all their family bathrooms have showers, but are for emergencies only, not for normal use". I don't know what that mean. If I bring my own towel and tolietries, do I have access to a shower in Terminal 3? How difficult/troublesome would it be to go to T4, take a shower, then go back to T3?
Can someone point me to a place where I can pay a small amount of $$ for a shower? (i.e. any truck stops near Camel Back or PHX?)
#60
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Good call on hiking Camelback Mountain ^ The last time I did that, I got a room at one of the motels in Tempe by the University (a Rodeway Inn) for $35 and just showered and cleaned up there. They're often pretty cheap, not sure if that would be an option for you.