Things to Do and See

Stroll the pleasant garden trails past 4000 species of desert plants from around the world.

The array of desert plants and wildlife along the gentle hiking trails of Arizona's oldest botanical garden are worth the one-hour drive from Phoenix.

One of the premier zoological gardens of the southwestern U.S., the Phoenix Zoo is known especially for its work with local and desert wildlife.

350 hands-on science exhibits and an ultramodern planetarium. Walk over from the conference.

This block of houses remains from the original townsite of Phoenix. Free. Stroll over and look.

Traditional and contemporary artwork of Southwestern Native Americans. One of Phoenix's premier museums.

Excellent collection of Western American, Latin American, Asian, and 14th to 20th century American and European art. Free and not far from the conference venue.

Over twenty historic buildings from the "wild west" era. Working blacksmith and print shops.

A favorite attraction for Arizona visitors. The natural scenery is complemented by intriguing architecture, including work of Frank Lloyd Wright. About two hours by car.

It's a long drive to get there from Phoenix, but there's nothing like it anywhere else.

Phoenix has the highest density of golf courses of any major city in the U.S. -- maybe the world. Many are internationally known. Check with your hotel concierge.

There are many wonderful, safe trails in and near Phoenix. March is the ideal time to try one. Camelback Mountain and Squaw Peak have summit trails leading to spectacular views of the city. For more secluded hikes, ask to see one of the hiking guidebooks at the ICASSP Registration Desk.

The Apache Trail, east of Phoenix, offers great scenery and generally is bursting with desert wildflowers in Mid March. Plan on three to four hours for the full trip. One can drive to the summit of South Mountain for a great view of the city. Just head straight south on Central from the Conference venue.

Arizona hosts the spring training season for numerous Major League Baseball teams. The "cactus league" games are a big attraction to spring visitors to the state. There are games every day during ICASSP, check the schedule.