Things To Do On New Year's Day in Phoenix

You'll find a variety of hiking trails, nature trails, and picnic facilities all over the central Arizona area, many of which are open on New Year's Day. Arizona State Parks participate in a special program called "First Day Hikes" where you can take a ranger-led hike at one of our lovely state parks. We have several within just a couple of hours from Phoenix!

What? Skiing in the desert? Well, not exactly, but we do have ski slopes within a few hours drive from Phoenix. Many people here who miss that white, wet stuff pack up the vehicle and head north for a day of skiing, snowboarding and snowy fun.

Sea LifeArizona will be open on New Year's Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See a photo tour of Sea Life Arizona or watch the video!

If you are a golfer, you'll find plenty of golf courses that are open on January 1st. If you aren't familiar with them, I have listed some of my favorites in different categories. I know, I know. It's high season here in January and the rates are high. Looking for a discount? If you pay in advance (nonrefundable) you might find a great deal on one of these courses at GolfNow.com (Buy Direct).

Open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on New Year's Day for regular zoo animal visitations. In the evening, ZooLights is the attraction. Watch a video about the Phoenix Zoo!

It's an outdoor rink with real ice at CityScape in downtown Phoenix. NRG Ice Rink admission is $10 and includes skate rental and unlimited skating for the day. On January 1st hours are 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Don't forget that you can get to CityScape on METRO Light Rail!

There's really only one place around here to ride a roller coaster, and that's at Castles 'n' Coasters near Metrocenter in Phoenix. The arcade and miniature golf open at 10 a.m. Go Karts and bumper boats will open at 11 a.m. The Ride Park opens at noon.

Octane Raceway (formerly F1 Race Factory) near downtown Phoenix is the largest indoor kart racing facility in the country. Thrill-seeking drivers can get a true taste of performance racing in state-of-the-art karts that reach speeds of up to 45 mph. On New Year's Day they are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Zoppé Family Circus makes its annual appearance at the end of the year, and schedules shows on January 1st. Chandler Center for the Arts(Buy Tickets Direct).