What’s makes Scottsdale, AZ a great place for a vacation?

Weather--- Low Crime Rate---Golf----Fine Dining---Unique and Upscale Retail---Arts---Recreation!

If you live somewhere where weather keeps you stuck indoors for half of the year and you crave the outdoors, Scottsdale is the place for you! With more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and fewer than 30 days a year with any measurable precipitation, it’s highly likely that you are going to have perfect weather for whatever you choose to do during your stay. Scottsdale (A.K.A. "Valley of the Sun") is located in the Sonoran Desert and is surrounded by the McDowell Mountain Range. More than 7.5 million people visit Scottsdale each year, which is why tourism and hospitality make up the major portion of the economic base of this east Phoenix suburb. This provides visitors with a great opportunity to meet interesting people from all over the world during their visit.

Independent sources consistently name Scottsdale among the top cities in the country in which to raise children and to retire. Contrary to common belief, only about 22% of the people who live in Scottsdale are over the age of 60, and the majority of the permanent residents are between the ages of 25 and 59. Scottsdale is not an exclusive retirement community or a crime-ridden district, as is the case with some cities in AZ. The Violent Crime rate is 0.37 times (or about 1/3rd) the National Average, which makes this a relatively safe place to vacation. Several mid-sized corporate headquarters in the areas of financial services, healthcare, retail, and electronics have headquarters here. As such, this city continues to grow, and it offers a variety of things to keep you entertained.

With at least 9 resorts within the city limits, Scottsdale is consistently rated the number one resort community in America. Various golfing magazines continually have one or more of it’s resorts on their annual list of "Top 10 (or 15) Golf Resorts". The city is home to more than 70 resorts and hotels, with five of them listed as AAA 5-Diamond hotels in 2008, the second most of any city, behind New York City. Those magazines refer to Scottsdale as a "golfer’s paradise", with right around 50 courses located in Scottsdale alone. Championship golf courses of all types can be found here, including the Scottsdale TPC.

Scottsdale offers a wide variety of over 200 mid-priced and fine dining opportunities ranging from the well-known to unique corner bistros and café’s. Local favorites include: Pink Taco, Garduno's Margarita Factory, BOURBON STEAK, La Hacienda, Malee's Thai Bistro, The British Open Pub & Grill, Morton's Steakhouse, P. F. Chang's China Bistro, Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe and Emporium, Flo’s Asian Kitchen, & Sushi On Shea. No matter what your food preference, you will find it within a stone’s throw of wherever you are staying.

In the past decade, Scottsdale has become the shopping destination of both the Phoenix metropolitan area and the southwestern portion of the U.S. There are more than 15 shopping centers (and a strip mall on every other corner), including the more upscale Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Fashion Square. The city currently has two additional upscale shopping complexes under construction - Scottsdale Quarter and One Scottsdale. Recently, Scottsdale has experienced a large influx of international luxury stores and has been named as one of the top growing retail markets in the U.S. Included are upscale shops such as Tiffany and Co. and Barneys New York. If you prefer to walk and window shop, take a trip to the Old Town Scottsdale area. This unique area, which consists of winding streets full of one-of-a-kind shops and galleries, is often referred to as "Fifth Avenue Shops".

Scottsdale is home to more than 125 art galleries. The galleries here are most famous for western and Native American themed art. Every Thursday night you can walk the streets of downtown Scottsdale and enjoy free special exhibits with artists' receptions, demonstrations and more. The Scottsdale Center for the Arts holds musical and theatrical events, festivals and educational programs throughout the year. Winter visitors who appreciate art, can enjoy both the Arizona Fine Art Expo and the Celebration of Fine Art shows which come to Scottsdale for about 6 weeks each year. Scottsdale and the surrounding area also host many outdoor musical festivals throughout the year. The Kerr Cultural Center holds several chamber performances each year. The Scottsdale Symphony provides a regular series of concerts along with appearances at local festivals.

Whether you enjoy exercising outdoors or watching sports in the stands, Scottsdale and the surrounding area has plenty to keep you busy. Whether on foot, horseback, or mountain bike, the tens of thousands of acres of the Phoenix mountain and desert preserves offer everything from busy, strenuous summit climbs (e.g. nearby Camelback Mountain) to gradual ascent, site-seeing valley walks (e.g. Circumference Trail at Piestewa Peak). A multi-use (walking, biking, skating) Greenbelt sidewalk runs through Scottsdale and provides users with miles of beautifully landscaped pathway that wind through the city park system, duck ponds and lakes, golf courses, picnic areas, etc. Popular spectator opportunities include Baseball Spring Training (Oakland Athletics & San Francisco Giants train in Scottsdale, while many other teams train in nearby suburbs). The Phoenix International Raceway provides the setting for a diverse set of motorsports including NASCAR, IRL, USAC and the Grand American Rolex Series. The Phoenix area is also home to several professional sports teams, including the Diamondbacks, Suns, Cardinals and Coyotes.