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Scottsdale, Arizona – in the
“Valley of the Sun”
As
18th century poet Robbie Burns insightfully wrote, “The best laid plans
of mice and men often go awry.” The famous quote came true for me in
January when my “well laid plan” was a golf trip to Scottsdale to play
some of the area’s renowned courses. It also included attending the
annual Waste Management Phoenix Open, a PGA event that attracts many of
the world’s best golfers. However, plans collapsed when a mere two
hours after my arrival I tripped over a curb and sustained a badly
sprained ankle. This ended any possibility of hitting the links--but
all was not lost since Scottsdale has plenty to offer beyond fairways
and greens. This sun-blessed metropolis in the northern reaches of the
Sonoran Desert just east of Phoenix has a treasure trove of
attractions.
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Once promoted as “the West’s most Western town,”
today the only real traces of the city’s frontier days are Western
paintings in up-market galleries and a municipal logo that shows a
cowboy riding a bucking bronco. Otherwise, this is a modern day city
largely defined by trendy restaurants, luxury shopping, art galleries,
sizzling nightlife and an overall sophistication.
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The Boulders Resort nestled in the foothills
of the high Sonoran Desert just north of Scottsdale
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Spending limited time
in this fast growing city that mixes Old West values with contemporary
luxury calls for setting priorities primarily because of the bounty of
things to see and do.
Remarkable resorts
My
home base for the duration was The Boulders Resort nestled in the
foothills of the high Sonoran Desert just north of the city.
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This is
the kind of outstanding place where you could spend an entire vacation.
It’s a desert-inspired resort featuring a large collection of
adobe-style casitas and a variety of villas that blend into a sand
terrain punctuated by ancient boulder formations. There are eight
tennis courts, two championship golf courses and the renowned Golden
Door Spa. While The Boulders is an exceptional property, it is not
alone.
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In addition to having two championship golf courses,
Boulders has eight tennis courts and the famous
Golden Door Spa
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The city and surrounding area are dotted with a host of
excellent places to stay including everything from name brand hotels,
stylish boutique properties, dude ranches and a variety of superb golf
and spa resorts.
Getting oriented
My
one unwavering recommendation about travel to a new destination is to
start with a city tour. It provides an overall picture of the place,
what it has to offer and what attractions call for exploration. The
Scottsdale Trolley Tour is free and introduces riders to various parts
of the city including the Old Town district, the Arts District, 5th
Avenue shopping and museums. In addition to historical facts, onboard
tour guides provide lots of useful information about where to eat,
where to dine and what attractions should not be missed.
Nightlife
The
New York Times named Scottsdale one of the “hippest and most happening”
places in America.
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Their reasoning, I assume, is based on the fact the
city is dotted with a plethora of hip nightclubs, restaurants and bars
plus several fun-spots where visitors can get a taste of the town’s Old
West roots. Places like the Rusty Spur Saloon and the Handlebar J
Saloon are among venues where visitors can dine, dance and party like
cowboys.
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Old Town has unique shops, famous 5th Avenue stores,
great restaurants and more than 100 galleries
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However, the city’s after dark entertainment is not limited to
adults. It also includes plenty of family oriented options such as a
night-vision Hummer tour in the desert where wildlife spotting can
include rattlesnakes, wild boars, owls and other desert creatures.
Old Town
Again,
the New York Times weighed in on present-day Scottsdale saying that its
Old Town (downtown) section as “a desert version of Miami’s South
Beach.” Its area of winding streets where 5th Avenue stores have
anchored shopping for a half century is home to an extensive collection
of unique shops, great restaurants and more than 100 galleries. There
are Native American galleries stocked with art and jewellery, together
with some of the top fine art galleries in the country. Old Town is
definitely the place to buy quality Native American crafts including
everything from genuine Navajo rugs to individual pieces of hand-made
silver jewellery.
Desert tours
To
many Scottsdale visitors, including Canadians, a desert terrain is
foreign topography and a chance to explore it often makes their must-do
list. There are umpteen outfitters in and around the city offering a
great variety of guided forays into the Sonoran Desert.
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They include
jeep, Hummer and ATV tours led by knowledgeable guides who inform
participants about the flora and fauna of the desert. There are also
horseback riding tours, target-shooting adventures, hot air ballooning,
hiking and even Segway tours over desert sand
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Considered to be the hallmark of the desert golf experience,
Troon North has two 18-hole layouts stretching
through the foothills of the Sonoran Desert
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Most guides ensure
participants finish their tours knowing a lot more about the desert
environment than they knew coming in.
Unbeatable golf
While
I didn’t get to set foot on a single fairway or green, it would be a
tremendous oversight to write about Scottsdale and not talk about its
world-class golf. More than 300 days of annual sunshine and a
year-round warm climate, contribute to this golf destination’s ranking
among the top four in the country. Moreover, hitting the links in
desert surroundings is on many a golfer’s bucket list. With a host of
courses ranging from premier tracks to good public clubs, it amounts to
picking from a fine lot. Among the big name clubs with big reputations
is Troon North featuring two 18-hole layouts stretching through the
foothills of the Sonoran Desert. This club is considered by some to be
the hallmark of the desert golf experience. Certainly not taking a back
seat is the TPC Scottsdale where two championship courses provide
stunning views of the McDowell Mountains. While the area has a healthy
share of trophy courses, there is a good mix of affordable places to
play that still provide great desert golf.
| TRAVEL
PLANNER |
For more information and to order a free Scottsdale travel guide call 1-800-782-1117 or go online at www.scottsdalecvb.com
Air
Canada has service from Montreal; and Air Canada Vacations has
vacations to Scottsdale from Montreal, as does and Gryphon Golf
Vacations. |
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