Car Hire Phoenix - Mini guide to Phoenix

Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is rapidly becoming one of America's mega-metropolises. This growing city is situated in America's ruggedly beautiful southwestern desert and retains an old southwestern flavor. Mixed among the office towers and the abundance of resorts, spas and restaurants are museums dedicated to pre-Columbian, Native American and pioneer history.

Your first stop should be the Desert Botanical Garden, which is located in lovely Papago Park and contains the Phoenix Zoo. Additionally, the garden houses an intensive collection of the beautiful and hardy plant life that adorns the local desert. It's a good place to view the amazing desert environment without having to deal with the heat.

The Heard Museum is a good place to learn about local tribal history and enjoy some great arts and crafts shopping. The museum is a great place for visitors of all ages, who come here to view the thousands of exhibits, as well as the great audiovisual displays and live presentations by the staff. Nearby is the Arizona Science Museum, which is home to hundreds of hands-on displays, a planetarium and a five-storey movie theatre.

The heart of Phoenix's downtown cultural centre is the lush Margaret T Hance Park, also known as Deck Park. It is the city's second-largest downtown park (the largest is half-century-old Encanto Park) and is a good place from which to survey revitalized downtown neighbourhoods and to appreciate the area's museums.

South Phoenix, the area south of Buckeye Road, is a mostly residential area and is home to much of Phoenix's substantial Hispanic population. Here you'll find family-style restaurants and roadside stands offering some of the best Mexican food in the city. Additionally, you can visit South Mountain Park and the Mystery Castle, two of Phoenix's most remarkable sights.

The major suburbs in Phoenix are: Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Surprise and Tempe.