Phoenix vacations: A cool trip, even in summer

If you've never vacationed in the Southwest, you may think it's a destination best left for cooler months. But while it's true temperatures rise there during summer, you can still find plenty of cool things to do in the Southwest, from Phoenix to Las Vegas.

Phoenix vacations are great any time of year, thanks to the variety of things to see and do in and around the "gateway to the Grand Canyon." Whether you seek natural splendor in a truly unique landscape, sophisticated spa experiences, great golfing or cultural explorations, the Phoenix area has it all.

Start your trip to Phoenix with a flight into Sky Harbor International Airport. Websites like Travelocity make it easy to find cheap flights into this major airport that serves the greater Phoenix area, and travelers looking to explore the surrounding countryside between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon or Phoenix and Las Vegas. Phoenix is a spring board for driving trips to both Arizona's greatest natural wonder and Nevada's gaming Mecca.

Whether you crave an outdoor adventure or a cool indoor experience, you'll find attractions to suit your tastes in Phoenix. Beat the heat (and yes, it is easier to take because it's a dry heat) with a day of museum hopping, taking in the Phoenix Art Museum's more than 17,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western America, modern and contemporary art, or the Arizona Science Center, which offers more than 300 interactive exhibits, a planetarium and five-story movie screen. Or, spend a day pampering yourself in one of the region's renowned spas.

If you're looking for fun in the sun - and truly amazing scenery - head outdoors to the Desert Botanical Garden, which features more than 50,000 desert plants in five thematic trails, including native flora of the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Phoenix also offers miles of trails for hiking and biking, rock climbing and even wildlife watching.

Hotels in Phoenix AZ cater to a wide variety of tastes, but one thing you'll find in common at most - great outdoor pools where misting machines saturate the sultry air with cooling mists.

When you're ready for a great day-trip from Phoenix, hop in the rental car and head on over to Las Vegas. Even if you're not a gambler, the city has plenty to see and do. In fact, Vegas hotels are attractions unto themselves.

Whether you're looking for glitz and glamour in Vegas, or scenic natural wonders in Phoenix, the Southwest has at lot of cool attractions to offer - even in the dog days of summer.