Downtown Phoenix serves as one of the primary cultural and entertainment hubs for the metro area. The Phoenix Civic Plaza , America West Arena , Bank One Ballpark , and Herberger and Orpheum theaters are all located downtown, along with numerous museums including The Heard , The new Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Art Museum , to name a few. Also playing downtown are the Phoenix Symphony, Ballet Arizona, and numerous theater and musical companies. The new Phoenix Central Library also made it's debut downtown in 1996. And this only scratches the surface.
Outdoor recreation is also prevalent.
Phoenix's South Mountain Park is the world's largest municipal park, offering horseback riding, hiking and biking trails, and a fabulous view of the city. Also located within the city are the Phoenix Zoo , the world-renowned Desert Botanical Gardens, golf courses and other recreational amenities too numerous to list. Outside of the city, Arizona is a scenic and recreational wonderland, featuring more places to visit than most people could manage to see in a lifetime.