Geography

Phoenix is the largest and most populous city in the state of Arizona. It is also the state capital and the largest state capital in the United States in terms of population. Phoenix is the only state capital with a population of more than a million. It is also the county seat of Maricopa County.It is the largest city in the Mountain Time Zone as well as the second largest city in the Western United States after Los Angeles, California. It is the region's primary cultural, economic, and financial center, while it's airport is a major transportation hub. The Phoenix area is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains to the northeast, the White Tank Mountains to the west, the Superstition Mountains far to the east, and the Sierra Estrella to the southwest.

The Jim McLean Golf School at Wigwam Resort is located 20 minutes outside of central Phoenix. The Wigwam Resort is located west of the downtown area in an exclusive suburb called Litchfield Park, AZ. This is a perfect location for golf, recreation, and relaxation while visiting the the city of Phoenix.

Climate

Phoenix has an arid climate, with very hot summers and temperate winters. Winter months are mild to warm, with daily high temperatures ranging from the mid-60's to low 70's, and low temperatures rarely dipping below 40. March is the wettest month of the year with June being the driest. On average, Phoenix has only 5 days per year where the temperature drops to or below freezing.

Culture & Places to Visit

Phoenix has long been renowned for authentic Mexican food, thanks to both the large hispanic population and proximity to Mexico. But the recent population boom has brought people from all over the nation, and to a lesser extent from other countries, and has since influenced the local cuisine. International food, such as Korean, Brazilian, and French, have become more common throughout the valley in recent years. However, Mexican food is arguably still the most popular food, with Mexican restaurants found all over the area.

Phoenix is home to a large number of parks and recreation areas. Many waterparks are scattered around the valley to help residents cope with the harsh desert heat during the summer months. Some of the notable parks include Big Surf in Tempe, Waterworld Safari in Glendale, Golfland SunSplash in Mesa, and the Oasis Water Park at the Arizona Grand Resort; formerly known as Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix. The area also has one amusement park in north Phoenix called Castles N' Coasters, next to the Metrocenter Mall.

Many parks have been established to preserve the desert landscape in areas that would otherwise quickly be developed with commercial and residential zoning. The most noteworthy park is South Mountain Park, the world's largest municipal park with 16,500 acres (67 km2); others include Camelback Mountain, Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park and Sunnyslope Mountain, also known as "S" Mountain. The Desert Botanical Garden displays desert plantlife from deserts all over the world. Encanto Park is the city's largest and primary urban park, and lies just northwest of downtown Phoenix.

Some museums include the Arizona Science Center, Fleischer Museum, Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum, Arizona Historical Society Museum, Phoenix Museum of History, the Phoenix Zoo, and the Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park.

Source: Wikipedia