Photo by Jerry Ferguson

Hack Your City Each Friday we ask you for your best city tips: driving tips, restaurant recs, things to do, and any other advice for visitors and locals. Sometimes the weekly topic is a specific city; other times it's an aspect of all cities, so everyone can participate. Prev Next View All

The hardy Lifehacker reader can survive anywhere, from the beautiful trash bag of New York City to the bejeweled hill-pile of San Francisco, and even outside coastal metropoles. This week on Hack Your City, you told us how to enjoy ourselves, and even live to tell about it, in Phoenix, Arizona. Here are the best tips from that comment thread.




The most common refrain: Keep your car cool (and you will need a car). Park your car in the shade, get a windshield screen, and insulate your steering wheel and gear shift.


Visitors

thisaccountburnslikephoenix prepared a whole itinerary for you:

burnerofcourse recommends a few hiking and biking trails, as well as Chino Bandido, “a family-owned Chinese/Cuban/Jamaican/Mexican place” that appeared in the film In Search of General Tso and on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. “Tell them at the counter that you are new and they will take you to the side and give you samples of everything before you place an order.”

They also demonstrate the difference a two-hour drive makes:


Downtown Phoenician lists restaurant recs: “Rokeriji, Cibo, The Parlor, Welcome Diner, Chelsea’s Kitchen, and Monarch (technically in Scottsdale, and also a splurge)” and events like the Strong Beer Fest and the Phoenix Art Museum’s culinary fest. They warn about hiking in the heat:



Multiple times a year people die on the mountains because they think they are stronger than the sun. I promise you are not. If you’re going in the summer, you need to plan to be DONE with your hike by 9-10 am. Bring plenty of water. Once the weather has cooled down, you don’t have to worry as much, but you still need to be sure to bring enough water.


Another event from the baroquely named “Sourdoh has gone away”:


And a museum rec from booktart:


shakeitlikepolarbear has a full travel guide:


Locals

dchall8 makes “beat the heat” actionable:


Some highlights from wanderingpoet’s guide for visitors and locals: Go to parties at Mint in downtown Scottsdale, or UnExpected during the monthly Art Walk. Try the king crab at Steak 44 and the pizza at Flagstaff’s Pizzicletta. Co-workers should check out Gangplank.

If you’re flying internationally out of Phoenix, take WanderingJustin’s booking advice:


Some less touristy attractions from dextergreycells:


“Carry a water bottle everywhere,” says LeAnn. Unlike in most cities, places like movie theaters will allow it. Carry an umbrella as a parasol. Because it’s a dry heat, shading yourself makes a huge difference. And don’t move homes in the summer, or you’ll compete with Arizona State students, as well as alumni finishing a one-year lease.

Pistol Pez Whatley’s scissors has a weird one:

During the summer, wear a lightweight dress shirt straight out of the washing machine. By the time you get anywhere, it will be dry, it will keep you cool and it will be wrinkle free.﻿




shoegal has ten tips about the pace of Phoenix life:


And one last terrifying tip via Twitter:


Remember to empty your shoes, folks.

Check out the whole comment section for more recommendations, and leave your own on that post or this one. Next week, we leave the desert and chill lakeside.