Phoenix - Places to Walk.

kevininlb · #1 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 3:34 PM**

I am hoping we can get a little discussion going here about places to walk in Phoenix. I've lived here for a year now and the only thing I truly don't like about Phoenix is that there are so few places where people walk, hang out and generally spend time together.

I recently spoke with someone who's lived here for 10 years and I asked her where people gather, go to walk and get together. She listed exactly three places: Mill Ave in Tempe; Old Town Scottsdale; Kierland Commons. Obviously, there are also malls, but I'm thinking outdoor places.

So, longtime and new residents...are there places around town other than the three I listed where you can go, say at night on the weekends, just to walk around, enjoy the weather, eat, drink, be merry? I'd like to think Jackson Street Entertainment District will soon serve this function. But, until then, where to go?

PHX31 · #2 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 3:46 PM**

Very good question...

Mill Ave is the most obvious, and probably best, place to hang out and walk. I can remember being in high school a long time ago and we didn't do anything but walk up and down Mill, people watch, hit up some stores etc. (obviously you couldn't drink back then). I remember the streets back in the day completely packed, much more than it is now.

A new place I'd say is molding into a nice place to walk is Roosevelt Row between 7th and 1st Streets. Obviously, if it is First Friday, the entire downtown area is walkable, but on a normal Friday/Saturday night there are quite a few places open and a decent amount of people about. From Artisan and the small store fronts that I saw open until at least 11pm last Friday, to the row of art galleries along the south side, then back to the north side and MoonOrchid, Carly's, etc., even Fate and the Roosevelt Tavern just a bit south down the side streets. All in that small area you can shop, browse galleries, eat a nice dinner, hit up a couple places for drinks, etc. It may not have a constant stream of pedestrians, most might be mingling in front of the galleries and stores and restaurants, but with the addition of yourself and others, it could keep growing.

HooverDam · #3 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 4:40 PM**

^Agreed, I live right on Roosevelt and 2nd ave, and the west leg of Roosevelt from Central to 7th ave is nice and tree lined and great for walking. I'll walk through the Roosevelt neighborhood, down to Cibo, or up the library. Not a lot of pedestrians, but theres plenty of trees in the day, and plenty of light at night.

On an unrelated note...note to be too OCD, but we now have this thread, the Indian School thread, the thread about Central w/ all the trees- perhaps we should start a "Valley of the Sun General Discussion" thread? It wouldn't be about developments, but just have things like this, or general discussion about goings on not related to new projects and things.

DowntownDweller · #4 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 4:46 PM**

Hell, the wife and I walk around our neighborhood every evening. Why do you need a destination to go walk?

kevininlb · #5 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 5:20 PM**

I walk around my neighborhood all the time, with my dog but just about nobody's around. It's pretty and nice. But it gets kind of lonely, too. I'd like to walk around and socialize sometimes, too. That's what I'm talking about.

Vicelord John · #6 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DowntownDweller

Hell, the wife and I walk around our neighborhood every evening. Why do you need a destination to go walk?

EXACTLY... I was trying to figure out the point of this thread... did you really just pose the question of "where can I drive to walk?"

kevininlb · #7 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 6:08 PM**

What's the point? Um, "Places to Walk." Think that's clearly spelled out.

There aren't many places to walk in Phx. I'm still relatively new here -- as I'm guessing others are on this site -- and I'd like to know where people hang out. So, yeah, Where Can I Drive To Walk?

DowntownDweller · #8 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevininlb

What's the point? Um, "Places to Walk." Think that's clearly spelled out.

There aren't many places to walk in Phx. I'm still relatively new here -- as I'm guessing others are on this site -- and I'd like to know where people hang out. So, yeah, Where Can I Drive To Walk?

I have been known to drive to a place to bike. If I am going to bike in the squawpeak nature preserve, chances are I am going to toss bike on back of vehicle and drive up, bike, and then drive back home. If I bike downtown, I just ride from the house. I have two different wheelsets for my bike (street tires and mtb tires), so I swap based upon what I intend to ride.

HooverDam · #9 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevininlb

There aren't many places to walk in Phx. I'm still relatively new here -- as I'm guessing others are on this site -- and I'd like to know where people hang out. So, yeah, Where Can I Drive To Walk?

Are you up for hiking? its like walking on an incline. Or in the words of Dmitri Marting "hiking is just walking where its OK to pee." South Mountain, Camelback, Squaw Peak, Lookout Mountain, North Mountain, the Papago Peaks, Tempe Butte's, etc are all great depending on where you live. Camelback is packed w/ hikers, so you may find a semi social experience there.

#10 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 7:09 PM**

The mall? (oh im only playing)

vertex · #11 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 7:51 PM**

Yeah, oddly enough, probably the best pedestrian environment in phoenix is the Squaw Peak trail.

But then again, how many cities can brag about something like that?

Vicelord John · #12 Posted: **Mar 20, 2007, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevininlb

What's the point? Um, "Places to Walk." Think that's clearly spelled out.

There aren't many places to walk in Phx. I'm still relatively new here -- as I'm guessing others are on this site -- and I'd like to know where people hang out. So, yeah, Where Can I Drive To Walk?

Hm, I walk just about wherever. In my living room, at work, on my way to the can, in line a Chipotle, etc. get it?

Turkpbr · #13 Posted: **Mar 21, 2007, 3:44 AM**

I had big expectations for Mill Avenue, hoping it would be similiar to State Street in Madison after hearing everyone hype it and complain about the West Valley and its chain restaurants. After passing Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's, Bath & Body Works, Gordon Biersch, and the Fat Tuesday's of the world, I was a bit disappointed.

vertex · #14 Posted: **Mar 21, 2007, 5:44 AM**

It looks like you only saw what you wanted to see, and didn't really pay attention.

I've complained about corporate creep on Mill for years now. Even so, 9 out of 10 businesses in the Mill Ave. district are still either locally owned, or part of corporations based locally, such as Coldstone, Z-Gallerie, Coffee Plantation, P.F. Changs and Buffalo Exchange. Other chain-based businesses in the district represent early expansion outside their territory. For example, the Gordon Biersch was the first one established outside California, and the Urban Outfitters was the first one west of the Mississippi.

delts145 · #15 Posted: **Mar 21, 2007, 9:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vertex

Yeah, oddly enough, probably the best pedestrian environment in phoenix is the Squaw Peak trail.

But then again, how many cities can brag about something like that?

Only a couple of communities, Phoenix and...

Squaw Peak Trail/Wasatch Front/Provo Canyon

vertex · #16 Posted: **Mar 21, 2007, 10:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145

Only a couple of communities, Phoenix and...

Squaw Peak Trail/Wasatch Front/Provo Canyon

Is this a city park, or a popular rec. area outside the city? Curious, because I'm not familiar with SLC.

Squaw Peak and it's trails were swallowed by the rest of the city some time ago; it's surrounded by the street grid and freeways.

i-215 · #17 Posted: **Mar 21, 2007, 11:16 PM**

When I think of Phoenix, I think of Salt Lake in the summertime. Is the temperature like that most the year?

Because if that's the case, part of why there are no places to hang out outdoors is probably because it's too hot. I've never been to Phoenix, though. Could that be part of the reason?

HooverDam · #18 Posted: **Mar 22, 2007, 12:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-215

When I think of Phoenix, I think of Salt Lake in the summertime. Is the temperature like that most the year?

Because if that's the case, part of why there are no places to hang out outdoors is probably because it's too hot. I've never been to Phoenix, though. Could that be part of the reason?

According to Wikipedia.org:

Month Avg high °F (°C)/Avg low temperature °F (°C)
Jan: 65 (18)/43 (6)
Feb: 69 (21)/47 (8)
Mar: 74 (23)/51 (11)
Apr: 83 (28)/58 (14)
May : 92 (33)/66 (19)
Jun: 102 (39)/75 (24)
Jul:104 (40)/81 (27)
Aug: 102 (39)/80 (27)
Sept: 97 (36)/75 (24)
Oct: 86 (30)/63 (17)
Nov: 73 (23)/50 (10)
Dec:65 (18)/44 (7)

Hope that answers all your Phoenix weather questions.

i-215 · #19 Posted: **Mar 22, 2007, 3:13 AM**

So about 8 months of the year it's too hot.

Actually doesn't look too bad.

HX_Guy · #20 Posted: **Mar 22, 2007, 3:29 AM**

"Actually doesn't look too bad" because the statistics paint a better picture then it really is...

Sure the average might be 104 in July...but it's already 104 by 10:00 AM and still 104 at 10:00 PM...not to mention 110 during the peak hours of the day.