travel & recreation

Scottsdale is a resort and high-level shopping community bordering the northeast edge of the city of Pheonix. This is where people come to play golf, shop in the department stores and boutiques, and engage in fine dining. Several of the most prominent resort hotels are located in Scottsdale, as are some of the most magnificent Arizona mansions.

This is one of the West's newest and richest cities. Only a generation ago, this was a vast desert area. Now, Scottsdale is a magnificently landscaped oasis with parks, gardens, large shopping centers, and resort hotels, mixing with replicas of Victorian and Old West buildings. The resorts and shopping centers are located in the northern part of the city, an area where high class restaurants have sprung up by the dozens, along with beautiful parks, bicycle trails, artificial lakes, and much more.

What to See & Do in Scottsdale

Golfing

Scottsdale is the golf capital of Arizona, and vacationers flock here for the winter season. More than a dozen courses are spread across the city, and most are open to the public. These include Continental Golf Course, and Ramada Pines Golf Resort, which are public 18-hole courses.

Family Activities

Fountain Hills boasts the world's highest fountain, with plumes shooting over 550 feet into the air, over a huge pond. This is a fine place to take a walk in the park area, or to visit the nearby boutiques.

McCormick Railroad Park, at Indian Bend Road & Scottsdale Rd., features restored 1900s-era railroad buildings,mwith a full-sized steam engine and other artifacts of the early railroading period. The kinds will enjoy riding on the free model train around a loop of track in the park.

Indian Trails Horse Country Club offers rides (with guides), cookouts, and hayrides, pluss longer pack trips taking two days or more. This is a sophisticated equestrian center with an arena and extensive stables. It's found at 9001, East Indian Road.

A network of bicycle paths leads through the city, in the greenbelt areas created to separate the urban and desert areas.Paved paths run into the desert hills, north of the city.

Taliesin West (on 108th Street, via East Shea Blvd. and N St.) This striking architectural school was a winter campus created by famed American architect Frank LLoyd Wright, some 55 years ago. Tours of the grounds are enjoyed by visitors, and you can see a slide presentation on Wright's work, as well as models and photos. The landscape design is particularly fascinating.

The Cosanti Foundation, at 6433 Doubletree Road, is a tribute to, and the studio of famed architect and craftsperson Paulo Soleri. The designer espoused a new type of city -- with space and energy saving features. The scale model of "Arcosanti," his prototype city, is on display, along with Soleri's windbells, sculptures, and books. Workshops are offered, and daily guided tours are available.

The Scottsdale Civic Center, as befits one of the newset cities in the nation, is a magnificent collection of cultural and government buildings, including the city's main library, City Hall, and the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. The latter offers theatre, music, and motion picture performances. The Chamber of Commerce is located in the "Little Red School House," and this is the best place to gather information on Scottsdale attractions, including restaurants and golf courses. All around the Civic Centre buildings are walkways through lush landscaped gardens with waterfalls, fountains, and reflecting pools. The complex is located downtown, on 2nd Street.

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