4 Years Later: Moving to Phoenix
Phoenix has been my home for the last 4 years after living in NYC, CT, and the DC area on the East coast. It was a huge transition, but after spending a year considering what was most important to me I felt like this was the move I always wanted. In October of 2020, I decided I was just going to try out Phoenix for a year and see what happens. Four years later, here’s my honest review!
Lets talk about the first obvious shock - the weather! I knew that moving in February it would be hot but this is a heat like no other. Within 5 weeks of moving I was putting on all the sunscreen and sweating everywhere as we were already at 100 degrees regularly. This feels like a rite of passage for people who move to Phoenix. You will overheat your phone most regularly in your first summer and careful of burning yourself on your car seatbelt.
My favorite Phoenix summer finds are:
Hydroflask or Brumate cold cups to keep your beverages cold (there are other brands but these are my preference)
Supergoop sunscreen for hikes or pool days
A few hats - Any shade is always welcome
Sunglasses - get a sturdy pair or 4
Dry fit clothing - feels nice when your clothes aren’t sticking to you
Pool Clothes, towel, slides, everything for being at the pool
Chapstick (your lips will constantly be dry)
How to find things to do?
The biggest shock after the weather is finding things to do and people to do it with. The city is growing and changing quickly so its hard to know what is happening and where to find people who share similar interests. Most websites recommend things to do in Scottsdale and Tempe but each neighborhood in Phoenix has their own vibe. The only way you will know if you fit is to check it out yourself. With the great weather and all of the outdoor spaces it feels like there is alot of space for things to happen but you need to go for an event. Most establishments are event specific so you can’t show up at an odd time and expect a full event, this also makes it hard to meet people. The best way to find events is by following the hashtags for things that interest you.
3-5 Months After Moving to Phoenix
Everything is new and that is starting to get old around 3 months. You start craving familiarity after maybe 3 - 5 months because it takes work to settle into a new city and Phoenix is no different. I started with going to a yoga studio, regularly during the week and new coffee shops on the weekends. If you want to try out various studios the best way to do it is with ClassPass (You can get 20 free credits with this link) I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Bumble BFF because I did use it to meet people and help the initial new friend “scaries”. I met up with one girl for happy hour and we just never stopped going to events. Within a few months we were able to try out several new places and built a friendship that is still kicking today. At yoga I became friends with one of the instructors and now we regularly attend events and classes together. The best thing you can do to meet people in a new city is going to a place where you like to be. I love yoga so after a few classes I started saying hello to people and the conversation would build naturally from there.
The Best Parts of Phoenix Living
1) Hiking. Everything is outside and the views are stunning. You can start with an easy trail or join a meetup hike with others to meet new people. I like to use alltrails to research hikes and make sure they aren’t too challenging for me.
Jasmine at the top of Camelback Mountain.
2) Great Place for Foodies. There are lots of food trucks, restaurants and events happening all the time. You can find some on eventbrite but the 99Finds Instagram is the best source for honest reviews of good restaurants.
Jasmine holding a taco at Taco Chelo.
3) Just say hi! Phoenix is a huge transplant city so chances are there is someone in your building or community who recently moved here also. If you are scared to talk to people randomly then definitely try an app.
Jasmine at a Bala class with Giuliana.
4) Invite Friends/Family to Visit. Phx international is a major airport with new flights being added regularly. Invite some friends or family to come visit. You can try out new places with them and see if there is a new watering hole that fits your needs.
Jasmine with a group of friends who came to visit from the East Coast.
5) Concerts. If you like concerts there are tons of live music events and festivals here. There are all sizes of music events here with small or large venues. Since we are so close to LA many smaller artists will have concerts at intimate venues here such as The Crescent Ballroom, Van Buren or The Mesa amphitheater.
6) Avoiding Summer. I would recommend NOT moving in the summer, but if that is when your move happens consider taking a trip North to Flagstaff, Sedona, Pine or one of the other towns north of Phoenix. Its a great way to give yourself relief from the heat. California is also a 45 min flight or a few hours drive away depending on where you want to go.
Jasmine with Kris at a scenic lookout in San Diego, CA.
7) Night Markets. I would look around for Night Markets in the area. Several towns have their own or sometimes they will utilize different venues for a night time vendor market.
8) Water Activities. Yes we live in the desert but we do also have lakes. There are lots of water activities at our various lakes. This is a good starting point to research AZ lakes and what activities they offer. Most complexes have pools that are open all year round and if not you can get a resort pass to one of the very nice resorts around Phoenix for as low as $25.
Image of fun water activities at Lake Havasu.
9) Visit the Tourist Attractions. I like to do this when people visit but you can always check it out on your own separately. The Desert Botanical Gardens, Papago Park and Phoenix Art Museum are all must see places in Phoenix. If you don’t mind a drive obviously check out the Grand Canyon. Its one of the 7 natural wonders of the world ( to prepare for that trip do some research starting here)
Jasmine at the Grand Canyon, March 2021.
Bonus Tip: There are lots of sporting events you can attend in Phoenix. Waste Management open, baseball games, MLB spring training, NCAA Final Four, a Suns game or a Mercury game.
