How to beat the Arizona heat this summer: 23 tips from AZ locals
Arizona summers are no joke—scorching temps, dry air, and relentless sun can turn a simple errand into a survival mission. But for those who call the Grand Canyon State home, beating the heat is an art form. From rising early for breathtaking canyon views to diving into underground adventures (literally), we asked 22 locals to share their go-to ways to stay cool, stay safe, and still enjoy everything Arizona has to offer in the summer. Whether you’re visiting for the season or living here year-round, these insider tips will help you make the most of the heat without melting in it.
- Spot Rare Wildlife and Cool Off in Madera Canyon
- Rise Early, Climb High, Wander Far
- Be Prepared For Severe Weather and Flash Floods
- Visit the Lava River Caves
- Stay at The Cabins at Hualapai Ranch
- Always Park Under Covered Parking
- Escape to an Immersive Cocktail Experience
- Park Underground, Eat Underground, and Shop Underground
- Visit Prescott and Attend a Music Festival
- Ingest in High Quality Electrolytes
- Plan Errands in a Clockwise Loop Around the Valley
- Hydrate Like Your Life Depends On It
- Visit the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)
- Check Out The Scottsdale Art Walk
- Rent a Boat or Captained Charter
- Visit Arizona’s Cooler Spots
- Prepare for Unreliable Cell Coverage in Remote Areas
- Stock Up on Lotion for Skin Hydration
- Take a Full Moon Walk Through a National Park
- Trip to The Petrified Forest National Park
- Have a Salt River Adventure
- Play Pickleball at Indoor and Outdoor Courts
- Must Know Hiking Tips
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Spot Rare Wildlife and Cool Off in Madera Canyon
For summer travelers in Southern Arizona, I heartily suggest visiting the higher elevations of the Sky Islands. At Madera Canyon in particular, visitors will hear a multitude of languages both human and avian, and will definitely encounter exquisite hummingbirds, and quite possibly see coatimundi, mule deer, and wild turkey. One may be lucky enough to gain bragging rights by spotting an Elegant Trogon. Be aware that bears and mountain lions roam here. There are trails for every ability, including a paved one for wheelchair accessibility. Overnight accommodations are limited, and include camping and cabins. The night time is the right time to hear and perhaps see wondrous crepuscular creatures– owls, bats, and if you are very lucky, a Ringtail cat, the state mammal.
Beth Surdut, professional wildlife artist, writer, and radio commentator, creator of the multi-platform Art of Paying Attention nature series, BethSurdut.com
Rise Early, Climb High, Wander Far
Get an early start at 4:40 am and hike up to the birthing cave, watch as the sun rises bringing morning to life. Bring a flashlight. Take a ride up Rout 89a to Snowbowl in Flagstaff and ride the gondola to experience the magnificent views from 11,000 feet. Then, go to the Lowelll Observatory. Hike West Fork trail, 13 water crossings and plenty of shade from towering trees.
Nicole Etzold, Innkeeper, Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast
Be Prepared For Severe Weather and Flash Floods
The one piece of advice I would have for travelers to Arizona this summer is to be prepared for severe weather, including making sure they can receive severe weather alerts as they explore the outdoors.
Severe weather, and particularly flash flooding, are life-threatening and can ruin your summer adventures. Flash flooding can occur quickly, even if no rain affects the area you are visiting, and it has killed 79 people in 2023.
J.S. Bergeron, Founder, Adiona Alert
Visit the Lava River Caves
My number one tip is to visit the Lava River Caves. Beat the desert scorch by driving 90 minutes up I-17 to the Lava River Cave on the San Francisco Peaks. This mile-long lava tube stays at a crisp 40 °F year-round, so you can ditch the ice packs and dive right into Mother Nature’s own walk-in cooler. Just pack a headlamp, sturdy shoes, and a light jacket, and emerge refreshed and recharged!
Caitlin Cullen, Content Director
Stay at The Cabins at Hualapai Ranch
As locals at Grand Canyon West, home to the iconic Skywalk, our best advice for Arizona summer travelers is this: rise with the sun and experience the Grand Canyon before the heat hits.
The best way to do this is to stay at the cabins at Hualapai Ranch, one of the few places where you can sip your coffee so close to the edge of the canyon.
While most visitors drive to the canyon during the hottest part of the day, those who stay overnight in our rustic cabins get to experience the coolest, most peaceful hours at the canyon. Step outside your door just as the sun comes up. In the early hours, the air is crisp, the views are spectacular, and you’ll have the West Rim nearly to yourself. It’s the best way to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the Grand Canyon, without the midday crowds or scorching heat.
Additionally, the Skywalk offers the awe of a canyon hike without the effort and heat. Suspended high above the canyon floor, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views in every direction without having to trek in the Arizona sun. Then you can step inside and enjoy the views and AC while you dine in our SkyView Restaurant.
Paul McGuire, Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer, Grand Canyon Resort Corp.
Always Park Under Covered Parking
As a long-time Arizona resident and the owner of Epoxy Werx here in Surprise, AZ, I can tell you—surviving summer here isn’t just about cooling off, it’s about strategizing like a local.
Here’s my go-to tip: plan your outdoor stops around businesses with covered parking — especially if you’re renting a car or driving your own. Locals know the brutal difference between a vehicle that’s been baking in the open sun versus one parked under shade. Shade structures aren’t just for comfort; they protect your interior, electronics, and save you from the searing seatbelt snap.
And here’s the kicker: many newer shopping centers and local spots—especially west of Phoenix—were intentionally built with shade in mind. When I’m on-site for epoxy installs, I always pick client locations or supply runs that give my truck a shady reprieve. You’ll thank yourself when you slide into a seat that doesn’t feel like a stovetop.
Bonus pro move?
Keep a pair of light work gloves in the car. It’s not uncommon for steering wheels or gear shifts to get so hot they’re actually painful to touch in July and August.
Sheldon Sutherland, Owner of Epoxy Werx
Escape to an Immersive Cocktail Experience
When the Arizona heat becomes unbearable, I love escaping to the Century Grand in Phoenix, an immersive cocktail experience housed in a beautifully restored mid-century building. Inside, there are several themed bars, including Platform 18, Undertow, and Grey Hen Rx.
My personal favorite is Platform 18, a luxurious train-themed bar that transports you straight into a glamorous 1930s railcar. With lifelike window displays that simulate movement and a vintage soundtrack playing softly in the background, you truly feel like you’re aboard a luxury train gliding through time.
The cocktails are served in stunning, era-appropriate glassware, and each drink feels like a carefully crafted story. One of the coolest parts is that you can even purchase a souvenir menu, which is designed like a vintage travel brochure. Reservations are required and tend to book out weeks in advance, and the experience is 90 minutes long. It’s the perfect place to cool down, sip something spectacular, and take a brief but unforgettable ride into the past.
Gina Bambinelli, Owner, Jet Set and Forget
Park Underground, Eat Underground, and Shop Underground
Head to places like the Arizona Center or Biltmore Fashion Park where garages and buildings stay shaded and climate-controlled all day. Then hit the Heard Museum or Phoenix Art Museum, both of which stay quiet in summer and are wrapped in cold air and thick walls. These spaces were literally designed for desert survival. You get history, culture, and a break from the sun without wasting energy dodging UV rays every 30 feet. That kind of loop keeps your core temp low and your patience high.
Danny Niemela, Co-owner, Vice President and CFO, ArDan Construction
Visit Prescott and Attend a Music Festival
When the Arizona summer heat kicks in, heading up to Prescott is one of the best ways to cool off without leaving the state. At 5,000 feet elevation and surrounded by the Prescott National Forest, it offers a refreshing escape with incredible hiking, lake views, and cooler temps. If you’re looking for something memorable to do in May, the Pure Imagination Festival at Watson Lake is a perfect excuse to visit—it brings together amazing music from artists like Cheap Trick, Matisyahu and Arrested Development–and stunning scenery in one of Arizona’s most beautiful secret summer spots.
Candace Devine, Further West, Pure Imagination Music Festival
Ingest in High Quality Electrolytes
High quality electrolytes are what I recommend to all my family who come to visit! They help with staying hydrated. We lose electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium when we sweat so making sure we replenish them is a big help in summertime.
Gina Woods, Yoga Instructor, Business Development Pro, Tribal Health
Plan Errands in a Clockwise Loop Around the Valley
Plan your errands in a clockwise loop around the Valley. Start on the West side and end on the East side if you can so the sun is always behind you when you’re driving.
Don’t trust your weather app. Trust the pavement. Phoenix heat radiates from the ground up. Even if it’s 105 on paper, it could be 120 on the sidewalk.
Bree Jackson, Operations Expert, Tribal Health
Hydrate Like Your Life Depends On It
Arizona isn’t just hot, it’s record-breaking hot. And with that heat comes real risks like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, especially if you’re dehydrated. Heat exhaustion can cause dizziness, nausea, and muscle cramps. If untreated, it can progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition where your body temperature rises above 103°F and you may stop sweating altogether.
So how can you beat the heat and stay comfortable? Start with water. Drink it often, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid peak heat hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and stay indoors or in the shade when possible. Wear breathable clothing like cotton T-shirts, linen shirts, moisture-wicking athletic wear, or lightweight sundresses. Stick with light colors and loose-fitting styles to help your body cool off naturally. A wide-brimmed hat can also go a long way.
Bottom line: Stay smart, stay cool, and stay hydrated. Arizona’s beauty is best enjoyed safely.
Dr. Jeannette Musset, Naturopathic Physician and Owner, Healthcierge Medical
Visit the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)
When you hear the words “musical instrument museum” it may conjure up images of a dark room filled with dusty old nostalgic instruments hanging silently on the walls. The MIM is nothing like that. Robert Ulrich, the founder of the MIM was a visionary in bringing the sounds, history, and the beauty of instruments from every country on the planet to life in this one-of-a-kind space. Visitors can also get their hands on some fun instruments in the Experience Room, and see unique memorabilia from famous artists like Taylor Swift, George Benson, and Carlos Santana in the Artist’s Gallery.
Nancy Hann, Founder, Traveling with Purpose
Check Out The Scottsdale Art Walk
Something I would recommend checking out is the Scottsdale ArtWalk. This is a free experience that happens every single Thursday from 7-9 pm, including in the summers. It’s true that you’ll probably be spending most of the daytime indoors somewhere because Arizona heat is pretty unbearable, which is why it’s great that the ArtWalk happens later in the evening, when it is a bit more bearable. You can wander around and check out various galleries, listen to live music, eat some great food, and just enjoy the area.
Steve Schwab, CEO, Casago
Rent a Boat or Captained Charter
I’d like to offer some concrete advice on how visitors to Arizona can get out on the best lakes for a swim and to beat the heat — book a super-unique and affordable boat rental or captained charter. The lakes I’d recommend boating on are Lake Havasu (the #1 boating spot in the state!), Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Lake Powell.
Nothing beats cruising out into the lake, rolling out a floating mat, and jumping in for a swim and a float with a drink. You may see an epic “liquid limo” party pontoon, a tiki boat on Lake Havasu, a pink party barge, and a patriotic, and a USA-themed pontoon ideal for the 4th of July.
No boating experience? No problem. Visitors can book with professional local captains who will take care of the navigating — just show up with your drinks to pop in the already-iced cooler!
Val Streif, Marketing Manager, getmyboat.com
Visit Arizona’s Cooler Spots
My advice would be to plan summer travel around the cooler spots in Arizona during the summer months. Hikes like the Lava River Tube in Flagstaff are underground and a brisk 40 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Oak Creek in Sedona offers the Arizona summer traveler a cool refreshing spot with shade. Places like Grasshopper Point and Slide Rock State Park are perfect for a summer refresher. Taking the gondola up Mt. Humphreys and enjoying the breeze at the top is such an amazing retreat from the heat!
Shannon Nolan, Owner, Sedona Wedding Films
Prepare for Unreliable Cell Coverage in Remote Areas
One thing many visitors—especially those planning to hike, camp, or head off-grid in Arizona’s summer heat—should seriously consider is the risk of unreliable cell coverage in remote areas. With temperatures climbing and more people venturing outdoors, emergencies like dehydration, injury, or allergic reactions can happen fast, and in places where help isn’t easily accessible.
That’s why it’s smart to have an emergency coordination plan in place. Services like Overwatch x Rescue (OxR) offer SOS support and can help connect people with rescue teams while also easing the financial burden of emergency response. According to National Parks Traveler, some people delay or avoid calling for help entirely due to cost concerns—having coverage in place can make a big difference.
Greg Pearson, CEO of FocusPoint International and Overwatch x Rescue
Stock Up on Lotion for Skin Hydration
Especially when you’re not accustomed to the dry climate of Arizona, those first few days can be pretty brutal for your skin, and especially your nose. Despite living in Arizona for so many years, when I’m away for a while and then return, my skin immediately starts cracking and my nose gets so dry that it bleeds quite often. I suggest bringing plenty of lotion when visiting Arizona (anytime of year, but especially in summer), but making sure it’s non-toxic so you’re protecting your skin and keeping it healthy. I also recommend keeping some tissues with you wherever you go in Arizona because nosebleeds can be fairly common, but also because you may often feel the need to blow your nose because of how dry and cracky it can get.
Haley Sauls, Owner and Author, Adventure Evermore
Take a Full Moon Walk Through a National Park
People like real, human experiences — the kind you can’t buy off a shelf. Tucson’s desert landscape, its wild ecosystem, and its rich, rooted culture offers something rare.
Take a full moon walk through a national park at night. It’s surreal, the moonlight bounces off the desert floor and lights up the land so brightly, it’s like daytime after dark. The pathways next to the cactus and greenery backdrop make it look like you just walked into a storybook.
Andrea M. Garcia, Co-Founder, COMMS/NATION
Trip to The Petrified Forest National Park
Northeastern Arizona is cooler than the Phoenix area owing to its higher elevation, and presents many unique and spectacular natural landscapes that are well worth visiting. In particular, I would recommend a trip to Petrified Forest National Park which, in my opinion, is one of the most underappreciated National Parks in the Southwest.
At Petrified Forest, beautifully tinted badlands expose layers of rock formed 225 to 207 million years ago, which contain many different types of fossils; not only the colorful petrified wood (fossilized trees) for which the park is known, but also the bones of early dinosaurs and extinct relatives of crocodiles and birds. You can explore these geologic wonders yourself, out on the landscape on hiking trails and at overlooks, and also in the museum and visitor center in the Park. (Be sure to wear a broad-brimmed hat and layered clothing in summer, prepare for cold and possible snow in winter, and always carry plenty of water at any time of year!)
The rocks and fossils of Petrified Forest constitute fossilized ecosystems that record significant climatic and environmental changes in the geologic past, and also offer information that helps us better understand and assess future changes to climate and environments.
Steven Semken, Ph.D., C.I.G., Professor of Geology and Education, Senior Global Futures Scientist, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
Have a Salt River Adventure
Grab your tour guide and get out on the Salt River in search of the Salt River Wild Horses! No need to bring any equipment—your guide has you covered. This calm float down the river lasts a few hours, and you’ll see more than just horses. On our trip, we even spotted a bald eagle nesting in a tree!
If you’re looking for a more lively experience, grab a tube from Salt River Tubing + Recreation and spend the day floating through the desert scenery. It can feel like a party on the river depending on the day and who you’re with. We always bring a tube for our cooler and tie it to one of us so it doesn’t float away. Just don’t forget your water, sunblock, and a hat!
Wendy Doris, Owner, Mostess
Play Pickleball at Indoor and Outdoor Courts
Unlike many places around the country, Arizona boasts a host of courts where you can play pickleball, indoors or out, during the daytime or at night for relatively little cost. You or your travel companions can even take a private lesson on an instructors’ private court – Lutz Pickleball in Tucson is highly recommended!
Robin Sparks, Cultural Curator & Writer, Collards Are The Old Kale
Must Know Hiking Tips
I am a hiker and still hike in the summer. Here are some tips from a local.
1) Understand your heat tolerance. I have a high tolerance, but I freeze at 65°F and under. Generally, the heavier you are, the poorer your heat tolerance, as your body heats up quickly but will cool down more slowly than others because of fat under the skin. It’s just physics, and my heat tolerance was greater when I was slimmer.
2) You are advised to wear breathable clothes. Heavy cotton T-shirts and blue jeans are not a good choice. Clothes made for fishing are usually ideal.
3) Your natural radiators to cool your body are your back, neck, and head. Backpacks make temperature regulation much harder. Hats without good ventilation are also a problem. The typical baseball cap is an inferior choice.
4) Yeah, drink water, but add rehydration minerals in the water or as a tablet.
5) Be like a local and do all errands in the am.
6) Park your car so the sun is not shining through the windshield, and use a sun screen for the vehicle and a towel to cover vinyl seats and the steering wheel. There are jokes about driving with pot holders—I have done that, but with work gloves when I made the mistake of not having a windshield shade screen.
7) Come to enjoy sunrise walks and hikes.
8) Embrace the heat and the dryness, and visit places with outdoor cooling for dinner and drinks, and meet the locals. Zonies are fun.
9) Not all of Arizona is hot; the mountains and the highlands across the state offer refuge from the heat.
10) And heck, resort prices are really good over the summer, so put the luxury a notch or two. Even locals hit our resorts for a staycation!
11) And ugh, really, don’t forget the sunblock.
Burke Files, AZ Local Hiker & President, Financial Examinations & Evaluations, Inc.
