Start the day by shaking off the hours of sitting on a plane with a good workout at the Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center. The 62,000 square foot, universally accessible facility features an indoor track, aquatic center and full workout room with free weights and accessible workout machines. Check the schedule online to join the many group activities.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Your first visit is free. Fuel up before your workout at Café Cultivate known for its coffee drinks and locally-sourced “clean” menu. Don’t worry, it’s delicious and healthy!

Just 10 minutes from Ability360 by car, the Desert Botanical Garden has plenty of accessible parking. You’ll want to plan for two to three hours to explore the garden. Many of the walking paths are accessible to those in manual wheelchairs but people who use power wheelchairs should find almost no restrictions in public areas. Open from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. daily, the Garden is made of five themed trails that showcase the Sonoran desert. Explore desert cacti, riotous local wildflowers, succulents or tree-lined trails with the red rocks of Papago Buttes in the background.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Check the website before you go for daily local programming and ever-changing exhibits. Save time for lunch at Gertrude’s, an award-winning Valley favorite located next to the gift shop.

Back in the city, get out of the heat at the Phoenix Art Museum. The museum is the largest art institution in the Southwestern U.S. It has a permanent collection of over 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art and fashion design. If photography is more your thing, there’s plenty to “focus” on. The museum has a partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona that brings regularly rotating exhibitions to its galleries.

Wheelchairs are available at the Visitor Services desk in Greenbaum lobby.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Packages, umbrellas and bags exceeding 11" x 15" cannot be taken into the galleries. Lockers are available free of charge in the lobby.

Located on the roof of the Hotel Palomar, Lustre Rooftop Bar is the place to enjoy a fabulous Phoenix sunset while you get all the day’s photos into your Instagram feed. Lustre Bar overlooks some of the best views of downtown Phoenix and it’s a great place to people watch over cocktails and gastro-pub menu before heading out for a night on the town.

Start with a great cup of coffee and people watching at Fair Trade Cafe. All bakery items are made in-house. Inside, you can enjoy the art of local artists in the cozy, quirky space or soak up Arizona’s sunshine near the courtyard fountain. Free WiFi is available.

An oasis in the middle of the metropolis, Tempe Town Lake is a man-made reservoir. The lake is stocked for fishing and there are plenty of accessible spots. Visit nearby Tempe Center for the Arts for a cooling spell, then enjoy sunset along the five miles of paved paths that follow the shoreline. Bike and Segway tours are available. Boats from kayaks to pontoons are available for rental. 

Finish off your visit with an evening on Mill Avenue. Tempe is home to Arizona State University, the nation’s largest public university. Mill Avenue has evolved from a college town watering hole to a sophisticated hub of nightlife with unique shops, award-winning restaurants and clubs to dance the night away. Whatever genre of entertainment suits your mood, you’ll find it on Mill.

Phoenix is served by Sky Harbor International Airport.

All terminals have: curb cuts, automatic doors, elevators, ramped access to all lobbies and gate areas, designated areas on inner curbs for vehicles with disability plates to load or unload and wheelchair accessible telephones, automatic teller machines, restrooms and drinking fountains.

Accessible parking is available in all garages closest to the elevators. In the East Economy lot, accessible parking is available north of the PHX Sky Train Station. In the West Economy Park & Walk, accessible parking is available at the east end closest to Terminal 2.

Over-height or oversize parking is available in the uncovered economy parking areas and Oversized Vehicle parking area east of Terminal 4.

Each terminal has at least one family restroom with a private changing area including an adult changing table and shower with shower bench.

The airport has nine animal relief areas, including areas in the terminals post-security.

Hearing-aid compatible, amplified and text telephones (TTY) are available in each terminal, on each level and in baggage claim. Contact the Airport through 711 Relay or TTY at 800-781-1010.

Find out more here.

Accessible taxi and van service vehicles are available. Ask the curb coordinator to order a cab.

The following companies offer wheelchair-accessible transportation from the airport:

SuperShuttle– 602-244-9000 

Arizona Shuttle–800-888-2749

The PHX Sky Train provides a fully accessible connection between the Airport terminals and Valley Metro Rail at the 44th Street Station.

Valley Metro is Phoenix’s regional public transportation provider. All Valley Metro buses and light rail vehicles are accessible. There is level boarding at all light rail stations and lifts or ramps for bus access.

There are onboard audio stop announcements on all buses and trains.

Accessible features at Valley Metro Rail stations include: a level path of travel between all station entrances and platforms, high-color contrast, textured strips along the edge of each train platform to indicate the platform edges and fare vending machines with braille, raised print and audible speech.

Find out more here.

Base yourself at the smoke-free 4-star Westin Phoenix Downtown Hotel with its rooftop saltwater pool and 24-hour fitness center. This pet-friendly hotel offers a bed for Fido and food bowl for your pups under 40 pounds. Try Westin’s gear lending program if you forget your workout stuff (don’t worry, they also provide brand-new socks with every use and replace the insoles monthly and clean the shoes thoroughly with anti-bacterial solution after every use. Westin Kids Club amenities are available.  

Some packages include lounge access for complimentary continental breakfast and evening snacks.

Accessibility features are available at every room level and include:

• Roll-in showers
• Bathtubs with grab bars
• Portable communications kits containing visual alarms & notification devices
• Portable tub seats
• TTY (Text Telephone Device)
• Televisions with closed captioning
• Meeting rooms include assistive listening devices
• Accessible pathways to the business center, swimming pool, exercise facility, and restaurant.

The hotel is in the heart of beautiful downtown Phoenix, within walking distance of many of the city’s attractions and right next to the light rail station and the Central Station, where you’ll always find a bus or taxi.

Find out more here.