Phoenix Convention Center – Experiences

Phoenix is in the top five of the most populated cities in the United States with over two million residents. Annually, Phoenix welcomes nearly 22 million tourists, which is half of the yearly visitors to Arizona as a whole. Some of those people are in the city to attend an event at the Phoenix Convention Center. If you’re visiting the convention center, you should take advantage of being in such a vibrant city by spending a day out sightseeing.

There is a ton to do in Phoenix, and the weather is great for outdoor activities. In such a diverse city, there’s a lot of choices to sort through when it comes to spending one day out and about. This day itinerary is to help you narrow down those options while seeing as much of Downtown Phoenix as possible in the vicinity of the Phoenix Convention Center.

Since the weather tends to never stray away from sunshine and warmth, Phoenix is known as the Valley of the Sun. While that might sound amazing, it could also mean that you won’t want to walk everywhere all day with the sun beating down on you. When you want some time out of the sun, use the public transportation available, like the Metro Light Rail or rideshare services.

 

Morning

Noon

Night

 

Morning

Matt’s Big Breakfast is your first stop and is a 12-minute walk from the Phoenix Convention Center. This is a local favorite that regularly will have lines extending out the door. Make sure you arrive early to get a seat. Even though their popularity has grown, this 800-square-foot restaurant hasn’t changed its menu. They continue to use locally sourced ingredients from artisans. Some of the artisans are Hickman’s Family Farm, Niman Ranch, Wildflower Bread Company, and Red Bird Farms.

The menu is small, but the quality is apparent. When you sit down, you’ll be able to choose from dishes like breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, omelets, waffles, and pancakes served with 100% real maple syrup. If you need some caffeine in the morning, fear not because Matt’s Big Breakfast offers bottomless coffee from Cave Creek. There’s also freshly squeezed orange juice and honey lemonade.

After breakfast, you will want to use a rideshare service to get to the Phoenix Zoo. Getting there will take about a 13-minute drive. Visitors can purchase tickets for the zoo ahead of time online. If you or someone you are with is in the military, a student, a senior, or a AAA Member, you could receive a discount on your ticket. Additionally, guided tours through the zoo are also available to guests and will take you through the zoo in about an hour.

Phoenix Convention CenterWith over 40 animals, there is quite a lot to see in the Phoenix Zoo. Some of the animals you will be able to visit are jaguars, lions, tigers, elephants, squirrel monkeys, pronghorns, and lemurs.

Remember, since you are visiting a zoo in the Valley of the Sun, you are advised to wear sunscreen and a hat. Even the animals rest up in the shade! Also, fountains are located throughout the zoo so bring a water bottle to fill up.

Before you head back toward the Phoenix Convention Center and into the city, you’re going to make a quick stop at the Hole in the Rock. It is an 11-minute walk from the Phoenix Zoo. This is a great spot to get some cool pictures of Downtown Phoenix.

At this site, erosion created cave-like holes in the sandstone. From one of these holes, visitors can see the surrounding desert and the cityscape of Phoenix, which makes for some great Instagrammable photos. While you’re here, you can hang out in the shade created by these holes before getting a ride back to the city.

 

Noon

When you have all your pictures, take a 23-minute drive back to the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. This plaza is home to a few different monuments and some gorgeous and well-kept park grounds. It is named in honor of Wesley Bolin. Bolin was the 15th governor of Arizona between 1977 and 1978. Prior to his position as governor, he was the longest-serving Secretary of State of Arizona, serving for 28 years.

Some of the monuments in this plaza include the following: Bill of Rights Monument, USS Arizona Memorial, Ernest McFarland Memorial Arch, K9 Police Service Dog Memorial, and Field Cross. These various monuments are commemorating those who served in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and Desert Storm. This is a wonderful plaza to learn some of the history of the United States.

Once you’ve seen all the monuments at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, you will grab public transportation over to Oh My Poki for lunch. The ride over should be about 15 minutes. Phoenix is typically considered to have some of the best Mexican food, but the city has grown so much that it now features cuisines from around the world. Poke is Hawaiian. Poke means “to slice or cut,” and it features various types of fish.

At Oh My Poki, guests will customize their own poke bowl, wrap, or salad, choosing from five base choices, nine types of protein, and nine toppings. Cooks make the poke bowls fresh with high-quality ingredients. Some of the different types of fish you can choose from are tuna, salmon, octopus, and shrimp. Even the sauces are customizable to be as spicy as you’d like.

Once you’ve finished your delicious poke, you’ll head in the opposite direction of the Phoenix Convention Center to the Heard Museum. Using the light rail, it only takes 12 minutes to get to the Heard Museum.

This museum is dedicated to American Indian art and teaches visitors about the American Indian culture. They bring first-person stories from American Indians to the public eye in stunning exhibitions of traditional and contemporary art. The Heard Museum has grown to an impressive size since its original opening in 1929. It is recognized internationally for having world-class exhibits. There are over 40,000 objects on display in the museum. Some of the most interesting objects include Hopi katsina dolls, Navajo and Zuni jewelry, Navajo textiles, and Southwestern ceramics.

 

Night

After some time at the Heard Museum, you will be heading back toward the Phoenix Convention Center on the light rail. You will be getting off at the Roosevelt and Central Avenue stop and walking over to the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix. This should take about 23 minutes.

Phoenix Convention CenterThe Japanese Friendship Garden brings the look and feel of Japan to Phoenix’s desert. In the garden, guests will be able to walk through the three and a half-acre garden and take in the gorgeous landscape and architecture. There are lanterns, hand-picked stones, and footbridges throughout the garden that contains over 50 different types of plants. Additionally, there’s a 12-foot waterfall and a pond that is filled with over 300 koi fish. This is a wonderful space to take some pictures and leisurely stroll as you begin to wind down your night.

For dinner, you’ll have pizza at POMO Pizzeria, which is a 13-minute walk from the Japanese Friendship Garden. POMO Pizzeria cooks traditional Napolitano pies, meaning the crust is fluffy. However, they do also cook pizzas that are typical of Northern Italy. This means the crust is rolled to be thin and crispy. If you are not in the mood for pizza, they also sell salads, soups, and handmade pasta.

Make sure you save room for dessert because they also serve traditional Italian desserts such as tiramisu, cannoli siciliani, panna cotta, and semifreddo. If none of those desserts appeal to your sweet tooth, there’s also gelato from Luna Gelateria.

Phoenix Convention CenterJust steps from the pizzeria is where you will be wrapping up your night with old-fashioned arcade games and drinks. Cobra Arcade Bar is a bar that has a rotating list of vintage arcade games, including pinball. The bar does use tokens for the games, and these tokens can be purchased from a machine at the bar. Guests can find ATMs on site. If you plan on visiting with a group of friends, you can reserve a table after 8 p.m.

There are some cool promotions that take place at Cobra Arcade Bar. If you visit on a Tuesday, they hand out free tokens with any drink purchase. On Wednesdays, ladies can play for free. And, if you have leftovers from POMO pizza, no worries because you can bring outside food into the bar.

Ending your night at Cobra Arcade Bar will put you just over a half-mile from the Phoenix Convention Center. This day itinerary does not cover everything that Downtown Phoenix has to offer, but it gives a wide scope of what is in the area while not straying too far from the heart of Downtown. You’ll get to spend time outdoors, learn about some history, and above all, have fun in the sun.