Phoenix after five on a weekday?

September 28, 2009 1:56 PM

Things to do in Phoenix area after five?

Boyfriend and I are headed to Phoenix today on a whim, as we speak. We're going to try to catch the Science Center before it closes, and we're thinking about visiting Papago Brewery. Any other suggestions for things to do in Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale after five pm? Things we like: books and comics, movies, museums, records, miscellaneous nerdery. Thanks in advance!

posted by sarabeth to travel & transportation (8 comments total)

Records: Zia Records on University.
Books: Changing Hands on McClintock.
Drinks: Casey Moore's on Ash.
Comics: Ash Avenue Comics, right by Casey Moore's.
Coffee: Cartel, also right by there.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:02 PM on September 28

Also drinks: Alice Cooperstown
posted by pdb at 3:35 PM on September 28

The Heard Museum downtown is spectacular.
posted by nestor_makhno at 3:46 PM on September 28

Forget that, the Heard closes at 5.
posted by nestor_makhno at 3:48 PM on September 28

All About Books and Comics on Camelback.

Stinkweeds Record Exchange , in the same neighborhood. There's a used bookstore down the street on Camelback too.

At 19th Ave: Bookman's

If you wait and come on Wednesday, the Phoenix Art Museum is open until 9 pm.
posted by lemonwheel at 4:14 PM on September 28

Unfortunately most of the museums and galleries either close at 5 or aren't open on Monday. The Desert Botanical Garden is more fun than it sounds and is open until 8. It's worth going if only for the butterfly pavillion.

For drinks, Papago Brewery is great, but gets very crowded for happy hour. They have a fantastic beer selection though so I'd still go. Four Peaks Brewery is also good as is Casey Moore's in Tempe.

For food, Los Dos Molinos is excellent and worth the inevitable wait, if you like (very spicy!) Mexican food. There's Monti's Steakhouse on Mill Avenue in Tempe. Chuckbox has good burgers and Ted's Hot Dogs has great, well, hot dogs (both also in Tempe).

Changing Hands is good used bookstore, as is Bookman's. The Burton Barr Library in central Phoenix is pretty impressive and has all sorts of special Arizona collections.

There's Camelview Movie Theater in Scottsdale for independent films. Otherwise, there are the standard Harkins and AMC theaters all over.

For coffee, Cartel or Xtreme Bean in, you guessed it, Tempe.
posted by curie at 4:27 PM on September 28 [1 favorite]

I hope you can stick around a couple days - Wednesday it's suppose to cool off into the 90's! Here are a few recommendations (sorry - I'm a newbie and haven't figured out how to add links):
Taliesin West in North Scottsdale - desert vistas and the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright
Papago Park or South Mountain Park - especially at sunset
Mill Ave/Downtown Tempe - it's an easy walk from Starbucks at 4th & Mill to the Town Lake
The Cine Capri at Tempe Marketplace has a screen that is HUGE (currently showing Surrogates) and the Valley Art (back to Mill Ave) usually has indie films
Don't forget to stay hydrated!
posted by kbar1 at 11:11 PM on September 28

Thank you all for your answers--they were really helpful! We ended up checking out a couple of these places on our day-trip yesterday.
posted by sarabeth at 7:27 AM on September 29