Arizona 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide - (Page 47) ScottSDale anD the northeaSt Valley Not too long ago, Scottsdale was a sleepy suburb just east of Phoenix, a horse-and-ranch kind of place that was also home to a handful of bohemian artists looking to escape city life. Y need only glance at Scottsdale ou to see its Western and artist roots, and a closer investigation will reveal a city that has evolved into a sophisticated urban setting that offers everything from the ultimate resort lifestyle to a downtown that’s become an area magnet for shopping and dining, not to mention major nightclubbing. Stretching some 32 miles north to south, with a population exceeding 230,000, Scottsdale is known for its lavish resorts, which offer everything from golf courses and elaborate pools to spas and award-winning restaurants. It’s easy to check into a Scottsdale resort and forget the rest of the world, emerging only to, say, take a Jeep tour of the surrounding desert or a hot air balloon flight. But venturing out from these sublime resort confines is also a good thing. Y can start with the outdoors. ou Scottsdale’s scenic backdrop is the McDowell Mountains and there, McDowell Sonoran Preserve offers hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails. For a tamer bike ride, pedal Scottsdale’s 12-mile-long greenbelt, where paved paths wind past parks, small lakes and ballfields. Golf, of course, is a given in this city. Try nine holes at a reasonably priced municipal course, or go for broke at a top-rated course set amidst boulders, saguaro cactus and breathtaking views. Play cowboy by joining a trail ride or trying the week-long program at Arizona Cowboy College, where you will learn everything from roping cattle to mending fences. Catch a spring training tan on the grassy lawn of Scottsdale Stadium, March home of the San Francisco Giants. Time your visit to coincide with Scottsdale’s major events, such as the Barrett-Jackson auto auction in January and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in February. Also at the end of January is the fabled FBR Open (formerly the Phoenix Open, now named after its sponsor, Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc.) golf tournament at Scottsdale’s TPC, known as the biggest, rowdiest event on the PGA circuit. Explore Scottsdale’s cultural gems, including Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), where mind-bending and -broadening exhibits are the norm, and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, a venue for concerts, dance and theater. Architecture buffs will want to make a pilgrimage to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s angular, organic winter home and studio, as well as to Cosanti, in the neighboring community of Paradise Valley, the home and studio of architect/philosopher Paolo Soleri. In north Scottsdale, the Heard Museum North is a compact version of the downtown Phoenix site. Downtown Scottsdale is certainly where a lot of the action is these days, with numerous retail, hotel and w w w.ari zonaguide.com • 47 http://www.thunderbirdartists.com http://www.thunderbirdartists.com http://www.arizonaguide.com
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