Museums

Heard Museum

Experience American Indian culture through the personal voices of tribal artists at the renowned Heard Museum. The museum is known for its quality of collections and the accurate portrayal of native arts and history. Through a combination of American Indian storytelling, historical collections, and art from tribal communities around the region, the Heard offers an expansive perspective of native culture. The museum also hosts annual events such as the Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market and the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.

2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
 

Pueblo Grande Museum

Learn about the history of the Hohokam people through exhibits and artifacts, and stroll through prehistoric remains and structures on the museum’s interpretive trail. There are also special programs and annual events hosted by the museum that are fun and educational for all ages.

4619 E. Washington St., Phoenix

Arizona Museum of Natural History

Ever wondered what it would be like to walk through a 1,500-year-old village? At the Arizona Museum of History, you can explore the pit houses and above-ground structures of the Hohokam civilization, filled with artifacts from those ancient times.

53 N. Macdonald, Mesa

HuHuGam Heritage Center

Operated by the Gila River Community, this heritage center and museum preserves and displays historical artifacts, cultural materials, and traveling art from local tribes.

4759 N. Maricopa Road, Chandler

National Monuments and Reserves

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Familiarize yourself with a day in the life of a 13th-century Sonoran Desert farmer and explore the ruins of what were once community grounds and irrigation canals. Casa Grande is named for the monument’s main draw: a four-story “great house” that has managed to survive extreme weather conditions for about seven centuries.

1100 W. Ruins Dr., Coolidge

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Nestled into a cliff is an ancient two-room high-rise apartment—a limestone dwelling now referred to as Montezuma Castle. This living space was home to the Sinagua people and is known to be one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America. The monument is just a few minutes from Interstate 17 and makes for a great side trip when traveling from Phoenix to Sedona, Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon.

Montezuma Castle Road, Camp Verde 

Montezuma Well

Eleven miles from Montezuma Castle is the Montezuma Well, a natural sinkhole formed by the collapse of a limestone cavern. The well provides an aquatic habitat for desert dwellers and has served as an oasis for wildlife and humans for thousands of years.

Montezuma Well, Rimrock
 

Tuzigoot National Monument

Scan miles of desert landscape from atop an ancient village built by the Sinagua people. This pueblo ruin allows you to imagine what life was like for the Sinagua and discover how they built their homes and villages to weather the desert climate.

25 W. Tuzigoot Road, Clarkdale
 

Tonto National Monument

At Tonto National Monument you will find two Salado-style cliff dwellings and discover the different ways ancient peoples used the resources of the land to create colorful pottery, cotton cloth, and other artifacts.

26260 N. AZ Highway 188, Roosevelt

Outdoor Activities

See ancient petroglyphs

Petroglyphs—rock carvings made by scratching away the dark layer of a rock’s surface to reveal the lighter rock underneath—in this region vary from several hundred to more than 7,000 years of age. Here's where to see the creations left behind by ancient native civilizations.

Restaurants

Fry Bread House

Stop by this hole-in-the-wall eatery — recognized by the James Beard Foundation as an American Classic in 2012 — and taste both the savory and sweet fry bread creations that have made it a local favorite.

1003 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix
 

Kai Restaurant at Wild Horse Pass

Located in the Wild Horse Pass Resort, Kai Restaurant is a fine-dining experience with a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. Chef Joshua Johnson uses locally farmed ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community to create dishes inspired by the food culture of the Pima and Maricopa tribes.

5594 W Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler

Resorts

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa

The architecture, interior design, and art of this American Indian-owned resort were designed to represent the Gila River Indian Community’s heritage and culture. Wild Horse Pass also houses Kai Restaurant, which specializes in dishes inspired by the cuisine of the Gila River Community.

5594 W Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler

Talking Stick Resort and Casino

Talking Stick Resort houses one of the largest collections of American Indian artwork outside of a museum. The cultural center inside the resort features a priceless collection of Native American pottery, art, and jewelry.

9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale