Phoenix, Arizona

Here’s a free collection of resources about Phoenix, Arizona- blogs, videos, groups, first-hand experiences and advice from people who live in Phoenix, etc.

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*Learn about living in other cities in Arizona.

Phoenix, Arizona: Blogs

Here’s a list of Phoenix blogs and websites written by people who live in Phoenix, or are about Phoenix, AZ.

****Email alexbalinski@gmail.com to submit your blog to this list.***

City of Phoenix	phoenix.gov	2017
City of Phoenix News	phoenix.gov/news	2017
Phoenix Public Library	phoenixpubliclibrary.org	2017
Visit Phoenix	visitphoenix.com	2017
Fox 10 Phoenix	fox10phoenix.com	2017
AZ Central	azcentral.com	2017
ABC 15	abc15.com/news	2017
AZ Family	azfamily.com	2017
12 News	12news.com	2017
KTAR News	ktar.com/arizona-news	2017
Phoenix New Times	phoenixnewtimes.com	2017
Phoenix Business Journal	bizjournals.com/phoenix/news	2017
Zillow Real Estate	zillow.com/phoenix-az	2017
Wikipedia Article	wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_Arizona	2017

Phoenix, Arizona: Groups

Phoenix Groups On Facebook

Other Phoenix Groups, Forums and Events

Phoenix, Arizona: Survey

We’re surveying people about living in Phoenix, AZ. Here will be a collection of their responses.

*The information gathered via surveys may or may not be correct. Hopefully it will be helpful to you!

*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Phoenix)

**Click here to share your experience living in Phoenix**

Phoenix, Arizona: Favorites

What’s your favorite thing about living in Phoenix?

Food. (Dakiria, 2 years)
Variety. (Tamara, 9 years)
No snow, mild winters. (Lisa, 17 years)
Proximity to snow, ocean, the weather. (Evelyn, 24 years)
The weather during the fall/winter. (Michele, 29 years)
Being a kid. (Brad, 30 years)
The food. (Danae, 33 years)
The mountains. Desert flora. Saquaros. (Esta, 36 years)
Warm, open desert with bright skies. (Kerri, 40 years)
Monsoon season. (Mary, 40 years)
Warmth, beautiful sunsets, everything. (Kerrie, 49 years)
Sun. (Thomas, 50 years)
You don’t have to shovel sunshine. (Pete, 54 years)
It’s a huge grid, and easy to navigate; besides having some of the best music. (Michelle, 57 years)
The heat. (Donald, 61 years)
No snow. (Gary, 63 years)
The weather (cool). (Beveryn, 67 years)
The smell of rain on the desert; the almost nightly summer thunderstorms. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Least Favorites

What’s your least favorite thing about living in Phoenix?

The heat, lol. (Dakiria, 2 years)
Heat. (Tamara, 9 years)
Lack of “real” trees and greenery. (Lisa, 17 years)
Traffic. (Evelyn, 24 years)
Traffic, long work commutes/hot summers. (Michele, 29 years)
Heat. (Brad, 30 years)
The heat and the crowds. (Tom, 31 years)
Excessive heat. (Danae, 33 years)
Sprawl. (Esta, 36 years)
Poor education system. (Kerri, 40 years)
Summer electric bill. (Mary, 40 years)
Air conditioning. (Kerrie, 49 years)
Californians moving here in droves. (Thomas, 50 years)
Phoenix is growing too fast. (Pete, 54 years)
Traffic when the snowbirds arrive. (Michelle, 57 years)
Being cold. (Donald, 61 years)
The summer heat. (Gary, 63 years)
The weather (hot). (Beveryn, 67 years)
Watching the systematic destruction of historic structures in the city and being helpless to stop it. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Things To Do

What are fun things to do in Phoenix? Hidden gems, etc.

I love to the central library because it’s calm and has many activities. (Dakiria, 2 years)
SeaLife Aquarium, Organ Stop Pizza, Jesterz Comedy. (Tamara, 9 years)
Lake Pleasant, hiking, Wet n Wild water park. (Lisa, 17 years)
Hiding rocks, biking, rock climbing, hiking, four wheeling. (Evelyn, 24 years)
Biking along the canal, hiking in the Phoenix preserve, casinos, staying at the resorts during the summer for deep discounts for locals. (Michele, 29 years)
In the summer- the parks. (Brad, 30 years)
The zoo, the rivers, the Native American history, Squaw Peak, Camelback Mountain. (Tom, 31 years)
Encanto Park, all the aquatic centers, downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row. (Danae, 33 years)
Hiking, biking, lake activities. (Kerri, 40 years)
White Tank Mountains. (Mary, 40 years)
Enjoy the sun year round. (Thomas, 50 years)
First Friday; the lakes; hiking; Deer Valley Petroglyph Cove; Musical Instrument Museum. (Michelle, 57 years)
Cardinal’s football. (Donald, 61 years)
Phoenix used to have Legend City, cruising central. (Gary, 63 years)
See the Mystery Castle. (Beveryn, 67 years)
Hole-the-Rock. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Reputation

What are some things Phoenix is known for?

They’re amazing them and water parks. (Dakiria, 2 years)
HEAT. (Tamara, 9 years)
Hot summer. (Lisa, 17 years)
All major sports teams are here, shopping, the art scene, Mill Avenue. (Michele, 29 years)
Heat. (Brad, 30 years)
Sports teams now. (Tom, 31 years)
People back east think we are in the wild west here. (Danae, 33 years)
Hiking. (Esta, 36 years)
Heat! (Kerri, 40 years)
Good Mexican Food. (Mary, 40 years)
Awesome winters. (Kerrie, 49 years)
Warm, hot, hotter. (Thomas, 50 years)
Heat. (Pete, 54 years)
The beautiful weather in the winter. Monsoons, Camelback Mountain, heat in the summer. (Michelle, 57 years)
Heat. (Donald, 61 years)
Cacti, famous people. (Gary, 63 years)
Heat, urban sprawl, sunshine. (Beveryn, 67 years)
Mild winter weather, but also extreme summer heat, relaxed lifestyle. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Crime

What’s the crime like in Phoenix?

It’s bad, but not completely terrifying. (Dakiria, 2 years)
Typical of any large city. (Tamara, 9 years)
I live in the North West Valley and crime here is mostly just typical petty theft stuff. (Lisa, 17 years)
Not as bad as in bigger cities. (Evelyn, 24 years)
Phoenix has fairly low crime considering the size of the city. (Michele, 29 years)
Not bad. (Brad, 30 years)
Bad. (Tom, 31 years)
The crime just depends on the area. It’s gotten worse over time, but thankfully hasn’t gotten to me. (Danae, 33 years)
Depends on the area. The Maryvale area is bad, and something needs to be done about it. I feel safe where I live. (Kerri, 40 years)
Maryvale is pretty bad. Scottsdale…North Glendale..and way east, not too bad. (Mary, 40 years)
I’ve never had an issue. (Kerrie, 49 years)
Getting worse. (Thomas, 50 years)
Very little in my house… (Pete, 54 years)
I don’t think the crime’s as bad as some of the other big cities, but it’s there. (Michelle, 57 years)
Fair. (Donald, 61 years)
Bad. (Gary, 63 years)
The same as anywhere else. (Beveryn, 67 years)
Bad. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Advice

Any advice for people moving to Phoenix?

Watch out for your surroundings, and making friends is pretty easy. (Dakiria, 2 years)
Don’t move in June, July or August. (Tamara, 9 years)
Find a good real estate agent to guide you to the parts of the valley that fit your budget and lifestyle. (PS, yes I’m a real estate agent). (Lisa, 17 years)
Heat kills, err on the side of caution. (Evelyn, 24 years)
Learn to get errands done early or late during the summer months. (Michele, 29 years)
It’s hot. (Brad, 30 years)
You will love it. (Tom, 31 years)
Get used to summer, don’t complain about it, we know. (Danae, 33 years)
Don’t come. There are too many people. (Esta, 36 years)
Research the different areas and neighborhoods to make sure you are in the best location for your needs, wants and likes. Phoenix has so many different areas to live in! (Kerri, 40 years)
Get a house with a pool. (Mary, 40 years)
Don’t move in the summer. (Kerrie, 49 years)
Stay away. (Thomas, 50 years)
Call me; I’ll help you relocate. 🙂 A pool helps. (Michelle, 57 years)
Get ready to drive a lot. (Donald, 61 years)
Be ready for the heat and high population. (Gary, 63 years)
Experience our summer BEFORE you move here. (Beveryn, 67 years)
Please don’t! We have too many people already. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Stories

Share an experience you’ve had in Phoenix (interesting/funny/crazy, etc.):

People have given us a free ride home and we’re really nice. (Dakiria, 2 years)
My first time out in the desert not only did I sit on a rock and stick my hand in the cactus, I got stung by a bee and fell down a wash and got stuck in a cat’s paw bush. (Lisa, 17 years)
Hiking 4 peaks when I was pregnant and I thought I saw a snake. (Evelyn, 24 years)
High school. (Brad, 30 years)
Cruising central. (Tom, 31 years)
Watching some friends get run down by a 5 foot tall tumbleweed while riding bicycles trying to escape a sudden dust storm. (Kerri, 40 years)
I got caught in bad monsoon storm and had a blowout on my tire going down a flooded 35th ave. After a kind stranger changed my tire, then my car stalled, and another kind stranger towed me home. (Mary, 40 years)
So many good times with friends. It’s hard to pick one specific incident. A lot of concerts. (Michelle, 57 years)
Meeting Al McCoy in Applebee’s. (Donald, 61 years)
Cruising, Legend City, watching Phoenix grow. (Gary, 63 years)
I have lived where I am now; before that, I lived next door. (Beveryn, 67 years)
A favorite memory I have from my early years was being privileged to see the native peoples selling their crafts on the streets of Phoenix; sitting on the pavement by the Hotel Adams with all their wares spread out around them. A bygone era. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: The Future

How do you think Phoenix will change over the next 10 years?

I don’t know, we’ll just have to wait and see. (Dakiria, 2 years)
The outer rim of the valley is expanding exponentially with new homes. And right now the job industry looks pretty darn good. (Lisa, 17 years)
More people, more business. (Evelyn, 24 years)
The younger generation is moving closer towards downtown. (Michele, 29 years)
More people, or Phoenix will run out of water. (Tom, 31 years)
Phoenix will be bigger and better. (Danae, 33 years)
I think Phoenix will keep getting bigger, more spread out. (Kerri, 40 years)
We will have more freeways and become more Hispanic-oriented. (Mary, 40 years)
Get crowded. (Thomas, 50 years)
Even more urban sprawl… (Pete, 54 years)
Light rail will go more places. More jobs. Better economy. (Michelle, 57 years)
Get bigger. (Donald, 61 years)
It’s gonna grow bigger farther north. (Gary, 63 years)
I expect that it will be more crowded. (Beveryn, 67 years)
It will get bigger, and lose even more of its uniqueness. (Marsha, 76 years)

Phoenix, Arizona: Facts

Any other interesting facts about Phoenix?

Phoenix can reach 120 degrees midsummer. A dry riverbed can fill with raging water in a minute during our monsoon storms. (Lisa, 17 years)
It has everything someone wants. A museum, sports, athletics, theater- big town, little town- you get it all here. (Evelyn, 24 years)
All the streets are on a checkerboard grid making it very easy to learn your way around town. (Michele, 29 years)
Flood irrigation. (Tom, 31 years)
You need a sweatshirt in the middle of summer because so many public places are kept freezing cold. (Mary, 40 years)
You hardly ever see clouds. (Thomas, 50 years)
We have THE MOST beautiful sunsets of any place I’ve been and I lived in Hawaii. Nothing beats our sunsets. (Michelle, 57 years)
What once was a small town, is now huge. (Donald, 61 years)
It’s a great place to live, if you can handle the heat. (Gary, 63 years)
It’s older and has more history than people give it credit for. (Marsha, 76 years)