Ok, I'm going to give this place 5 stars because, technically, it is a cool place that not a lot of…read morepeople know about. It's actually a hydroelectric plant along the Arizona Canal. As we approached the building (you can't go in it), the smell hit us and I thought, oh no, I've made a huge mistake. I think I was just there on a bad day or something, because I didn't see many reviews mention the smell at all. What smell? Raw sewage, very sulphur- and trash-like. I mean, it STUNK. It was strongest at the top overlook, right next to the building. As we went down the staircase to the lower level, the smell began to dissipate and eventually, to my nose, disappeared altogether. On the lower level, we saw the waterfalls. You can walk under/behind two of them and there are "seats" made of stone blocks in front of the third. The water was flowing pretty hard the day we visited, so the seats and all the pavement was wet and there was a slight mist coming off the middle one. The overall place is like a mixture of industrial and environmental architechture. There are metal-looking columns holding up the upper deck, yet the waterfalls look like they were copied from Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, and there are large stones/rocks embedded into the walls everywhere. It sits on the edge of a small park with a decent sized lot and there are hiking paths. We only came for the falls, so I can't speak to the hike, but the area looked fairly nice. I'd like to see it at night as it looks pretty cool in pictures I've seen. If you're looking for something a little different to do or show your visitors from out of town, this is a neat place to go. Hopefully, the smell is a one off, but even if not, hold your breath and go down the stairs..... 13/2026

Arizona Falls is an unexpected delight. The small hydroelectric plant, paired with multiple…read morepicturesque waterfalls, creates a perfect blend of nature and history. It's serene, interesting, and well worth the visit. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and beautiful stop.

Over the years, I have visited the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Civic Space Park on a regular…read morebasis. While there have been different people, different roles, and even different buildings, one consistency has been the "Her Secret is Patience" sculpture in the park. In fact, almost 13 years ago, I even did a photo shoot under the sculpture. The sculpture is in the Civic Space Park, where there is a nice, grassy area, some tables, and chairs right next to the US Post Office and ASU Student Center. I have seen groups of students and even community members holding events in the park either in front of the Student Center entrance at the tables and chairs (gatherings by students or staff), on the grassy lawn area (community members playing soccer, frisbee, or having a picnic), or even on the south side of the walkway (though the lighting wasn't very good in the evening in that area). "Her Secret Is Patience" is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the City of Phoenix. The sculpture consists of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and colored lights. It is 145 feet tall and suspended as an aerial sculpture. It is monumental yet soft, fixed in place but constantly in motion. It dances gently in the air, choreographed by the flux of desert winds. During the day, the sculpture hovers high above heads, treetops, and buildings. The sculpture creates what the artist calls "shadow drawings," which she says are inspired by Phoenix's cloud shadows that captivated her from the first site visit. At night, the illumination changes color gradually through the seasons. The goal in selecting the colors is to provide residents some small climate relief through color, adding cool hues in summer, and warm tones in winter. The lighting design also changes what portion of the sculpture is illuminated, leaving parts obscured in mystery, much like the phases of the moon. I've heard students and staff at ASU discussing how the artist was supposedly inspired by monsoon cloud formations and the shadows they cast, in addition to forms found in desert flora. Now that I work only a short walk away from the sculpture, I see it almost every day at work!

This is one of the most eye-catching pieces of public art that I have had the pleasure of seeing…read more It is located in the Civic Space Park and is the work of artist Janet Echelman who made the piece in 2009. Echelman got the name of the piece from a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is constructed of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and an assortment of ground mounted colored lights that give the nets its color. The piece is not cheap though and costed $2.5 million. The massive piece starts at 38 feet off the ground and extends to 100 feet in the air. To give it more perspective, the piece's largest ring is about 100 feet wide. The piece is intended to resemble a cumulus clouds. However, I see a tornado or jelly fish when I looked at it. It was given the title of Best Public Art by the Phoenix New Times. The wonderful mix of blue, orange and purple just draws you in like a moth to a flame. It is cool to visit during the day, but is amazing at night. The color of the piece changes constantly with the seasons throughout the year. The piece is not without its critics. Many people question the cost of the piece and whether that money could have been used elsewhere. Additionally, the piece's nets and lighting has to be replaced every five years, which makes this piece a gift that keeps on costing. It is unknown how much this periodic maintenance costs the city. This piece has metered street parking located within a reasonable walking distance, as well as commercial parking lots. There is also a train stop right in front of the piece, if you are plan on taking public transportation to get there. I really like this piece. It is a marvel, but I too am a critic of the price tag and reassuring maintenance fee. This piece can rally become the face of the city and one of its iconic images. It is very picturesque and Instagramable. Anyway, as with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You can start with Civic Space park, where the piece is located.

If you're into murals, stop by Roosevelt Row (otherwise known as RoRo)!…read more I loved checking out the alley that had various murals from different local muralists. The area also has art galleries, boutiques, and various eateries. Easily accessible via the bus or the light rail. +murals

Welcome to the colorful urban area of Roosevelt Row of Phoenix. Here you will find small funky…read morebusinesses, plenty of graffiti and restaurants throughout the area. The area has undergone some gentrification with shiny new bars and eateries popping up here and there. You can still find free street and metered parking. Fewer galleries now than before. All in all, it's a cool hangout for a beverage Al fresco. This is also the First Fridays art walk where vendors will take over the streets selling their goods. Past issues during First Fridays has caused the event to shrink in size.

World of illumination is such a great family, friendly event! It's a moment away from the hustle,…read morebustle of daily life and time for everyone to come together, regardless of age or ADA status to take time to be grateful and share the happiness of the season! I would definitely recommend this activity to families of all sizes and ages! We stumbled upon this event through Costco, and we decided to buy tickets since we love holiday lights. It was such a great decision!! Plan for a long lines to enter, but once you're in, almost everyone will be dazzled by the lights and join in for the merriment! We're looking forward to returning next year!

Drive through Light show is an annual tradition now. As always the show and synced music didn't…read moredisappoint. Unfortunately, this year the wait to enter WITH AN ASSIGNED TIME was ridiculously long. One hour and 20 minutes to enter. At 9 pm. In the past we'd drive up and enter immediately at that time. If this is the case now, they either need to limit tickets sold at later times or have more efficient traffic control.

So much fun and many places to visit. Beautiful murals too. Lovely coffee shops. I like the shoe…read moremill for Birkenstock and other leather shoes. Great festivals and block parties too. Recently saw Luke Bryan and Kane Brown at Innings Fest. Tempe is so good for entertainment. Walking the lake trail on both sides is gorgeous too. Jogging Mill ave is fun and don't forget the east side of Mill for additional restaurants and couple churches and donut shop- Voodoo donuts, and places to jog.

Mill Avenue is a staple out here in Tempe and a must stop if nearby. Yes it's a college spot as ASU…read moreis in walking distance, but it's also rich in history with the Hayden Flour Mill and more. You can rent boats disguised as ducks and go adventure Tempe town lake and more. You won't find a shortage of bars here as well as so many great restaurants and shops. A few of my faves have to be 411 Pizza, Daily Jam, Loco Patron and more. We visited Pedal Haus Brewery today and it was awesome as well. Plenty of parking garages nearby to spend some time adventuring.

This alley is very busy, as far as art goes, and has a lot going on. It is almost overwhelming…read more Murals runs the full length of the alley and is very vibrant and colorful. It spans between 1st and 2nd Streets and Adams and Washington Streets. A large portion of the alley pays tribute to Latino icons. This was a herculean effort led by the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), with help from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Phoenix Convention Center, and Latinos Now. When they say that it takes a village, that it an understatement when it comes to this area. The alley features work from many local artist including Jose Andres Giron, Roman P. Reyes, Carlos Rivas, Ramon Aguirre, Edgar Fernandez, Elizabeth Toledo, Alfred Bilducia, Noreen Ayonayon, Tavo Barrios, Angel Diaz, Karlito Espinosa, Ivan Garcia, Luis Munoz, Edgar Munoz, Raul Rodriquez, Rey Lugo and Catyana Falsetti. This alley really grabs you and draws you in. The mural is on the backside of a parking garage and faces the back of some local business and has a good view of their dumpsters. Some notable images that I saw in the alley were the Virgin Mary, a rose, a portrait of U.S. Army Private First Class Silvestre Santana Herrera, who was presented the Medal of Honor during World War II, there arew a bunch of flowers, R2D2, Lalo Guerrero, American guitarist, singer and farm labor activist, a phoenix, a horse head, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, in Uniform and Carlos Santana, That is just a fraction of the images of art in the alley. It is something that you just have to see. You will notice the different styles of murals that make up the collection and also different skill levels of the artist. Most of the work is pretty good, but some of them are notable better than others. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance from the alley if you want to park, get out and take a closer look. This is definitely not a destination stop, so I would highly recommend combining this with other stops or making this part of a larger itinerary.

This spot should definitely be on your radar if you are an art lover and happen to be in Phoenix!…read moreTouring the spot Is as easy as driving your car down the alley! If you wanna get out and take some hot photos with some really dope backgrounds, that's a choice too but keep it cute because you are literally in someone's alley! I'm not sure of the story behind these installations but whoever owns these properties have to be cool AF and I tip my hat to them for allowing such an amazing situation to happen!

With public art, the effort -- if not the outcome -- is almost always appreciated. But in this…read morecase, they really hit a home run! George Rhoads is one of my favorite artists. And "Based on Balls" is one of my favorite sculptures. This is an audiokinetic sculpture. Like much of his work (which can be found in public buildings, science museums, hospitals and airports around the world -- from Rishon LeZion to LAX), "Based on Balls" is a complex sequence of tracks and contraptions. In the middle, a conveyor belt continuously brings balls to the top and gently releases them onto the track. What happens next is easy to enjoy but hard to describe. It's not enough to say that the balls simply roll down the tracks. As they go, they push pinwheels, change direction, and trigger mallets to hit everything from wood-blocks to gongs. The result is an awe-inspiring symphony of sound and stimulation. Listen, I'm trying to describe this thing and I'm failing miserably. Why not just take a look at the thing yourself?! I put a couple videos of "Based on Balls" on youtube to help you do just that. Take a look, review it, visit it, and -- most of all -- voice your support. Governments and businesses will only provide us with things like this if they know that they're appreciated. Click on the following links for videos of "Based on Balls", one by me and one by fellow-yelper Matt R: http://youtube.com/watch?v=40qWtKwEOI8 http://youtube.com/watch?v=-SE-Jld6uKA Enjoy!

Yes there was fries what that. But what else would one expect from a Ronald McDonald after party…read more Alice and her crew from the wonderland were there. Fun times were had with a video to flip book setup. I think they should call this steam punk you tube. There were chess boards all about, topple tower on the patio. Two bars, some music and of course food. Antipasto platters, French fries platters, Sliders and cookies for desert. Overall all a nice evening party, however I think a bit more music and a dance fool could have helped spur the fun as it did not seem to quite make it over the cocktail hour hurdle to a true party. Maybe next year.

I was so impressed with the communication, planning, and outcome of the special bachelor party…read moreevent AZBrew provided us with! My brothers' friends and I all met up easily and the tour blew our minds with delicious beer, great behind-the-scenes access and information, yummy dinner, and so much personal attention to detail. SUPER happy people, would HIGHLY recommend this tour operator to anyone interested in a great local experience. They are amazingly knowledgeable, prepared, accommodating and kind. super fun!

When I first reached out and spoke with the owner, I couldn't believe they hadn't had a review in…read moretwo years! Nice guy, tells me everything I needed to hear. Then he basically ghosts me. If you want what this company was offering, rent a party bus. It's cheaper and you can explore without an itinerary. I won't say which party bus company we went with, but they're out of Queen Creek and it's a Ride that Rambles.