The sixth-largest city in the U.S., Phoenix is home to more than 1.4 million people. The metropolitan area encompasses 4.3 million residents across more than 2,000 square miles, and includes the cities of Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler. Known for its soaring temperatures as much as its soaring saguaro cacti, found only in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix beckons the rest of the country from about October when the summer heat begins to loosen its hold until almost May when temperatures begin to climb once again. It is the climate one of Arizona's 5 C's that brings more than 16 million visitors here every year. Few can resist the expansive blue skies, breathtaking mountain views and countless outdoor adventures from tee time on one of 200 golf courses to rugged mountain climbs that deliver panoramic views of the Sonoran Desert. So whether you're here for a short visit, a few months in winter or you've decided to make this beautiful desert oasis home, 100 Things to Do in Phoenix Before You Die is filled with plenty of opportunities to discover the best of what Phoenix has to offer.

Christine K. Bailey is an Arizona-based writer and the author of Great Destinations: Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Sedona, Phoenix: a Photographic Portrait and the travel app Sedona's Scenic Red Rocks. Dedicated to exploring the people, stories and events that have shaped the cultural and historical landscape of Phoenix and Arizona, her blog theForkintheRoad.co (no ''m'') reveals inspiring stories, bold risks and a pioneering spirit that still abounds today. Along with her husband and two sons, she considers Tempe home base as they explore the rest of the state.