Peoria

Peoria stretches from the lakes and ballparks of the south clear up into the desert foothills of the north, which makes it one of the most varied stops in the West Valley. The Peoria Sports Complex is the spring-training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners — the Cactus League's original two-team stadium — and February and March turn the whole P83 entertainment district into a baseball party.

Lake Pleasant Regional Park, on Peoria's northern edge, is the surprise: a huge reservoir in the middle of the desert with boating, paddleboarding, fishing, and waterside hiking. It's the closest 'big water' for a lot of the West Valley, and sunset over the lake with saguaros in the foreground is the kind of view people don't expect from metro Phoenix.

Closer in, the P83 district along 83rd Avenue is the dining-and-nightlife core, and the Rio Vista and Pioneer community parks anchor the family-festival calendar. Peoria's All-American Festival on the Fourth of July is one of the biggest fireworks shows on the west side.

As with the rest of the Valley, summer means heat — hike the foothills at dawn, hit the lake early, and save midday for indoor spots and air-conditioned ballpark seats. October through April is prime time, and Peoria's mix of trails, water, and baseball makes it easy to fill a weekend.