Phoenix, Arizona:
what's hot in the valley of the sun
by Carrie Miner | Photography: Courtesy of Arizona Office of Tourism
 Nothing looks sweeter to a pilot escaping winter’s bitter chill for a weekend or week-long getaway than the first sight of Phoenix’s glitter and gleam rising from its arid desert surroundings.
Now the nation’s sixth largest city, Phoenix offers an ideal combination of warm, dry weather and more than 200 golf courses. And when you head for the 19th hole, you’ll find an impressive number of above-par attractions, whether it’s tossing foam balls into a giant nose to teach your children about allergies at the Arizona Science Center or catching nine innings with peanuts and Cracker Jack at the Bank One Ballpark.
The Early ‘Bird’
 Phoenix owes its rise out of the desert to crafty Civil War veteran Jack Swilling, who took advantage of the Hohokam Indians’ immense network of ancient canals to launch a farming enterprise in the late 1860s. One prominent early settler, Bryan Philip Darrell Duppa, noted that Swilling was building a new city over the old, and named the fledgling community after the legendary bird that burst into flames only to be reborn from its own ashes.
In the more than 130 years since Swilling settled here, the once humble community in the Valley of the Sun has become a metropolitan sprawl covering 2,000 square miles. More than 2.8 million residents now make their home in Phoenix, which encompasses many smaller cities, including Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa and Chandler. But they blend together so seamlessly you’d never notice the community boundaries without a map.
Phoenix sits at an elevation of 1,117 feet and averages more than 300 sunny days a year with a typical high temperature of 85°F — it hits the sweet spot for golfers seeking a winter round every time.
 On the Leader Board
Golf Digest has ranked metro Phoenix the fifth best golf destination in the world; 10 of Arizona’s public courses placed in the magazine’s September 2002 ranking of the top 100 open links, more than in any other state. Seven of those courses lie within the boundaries of metro-Phoenix: Monument and Pinnacle courses at Troon North, the North and South courses at The Boulders, Talon and Raptor courses at Grayhawk, and the North course at Talking Stick.
The Monument and Pinnacle courses amble through desert ravines and rolling foothills at the base of Pinnacle Peak in north Scottsdale. But this ravishing beauty comes at a Tiger Woods-worthy price: These courses are the two most expensive in Arizona, with greens fees ranging from $240 to $275 during the high season from January through April.
The Boulders (34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr.; 480.488.9009) in Cave Creek earned acclaim for two dramatic courses that sweep through the Sonoran Desert landscape, where it’s not unusual to see an indignant tarantula creeping across the green or a coyote stalking though sagebrush steppes.
Ladies new to the game get special treatment at the Boulders, which offers a one-of-a-kind program called “Women to the Fore.” Both Boulders courses charge $230 greens fees during the high season, but special packages can ease the sticker shock if you call ahead.
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Photo: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency
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Grayhawk Golf Club (8620 Thompson Peak Pkwy.; 480.502.1800), another luxury resort in Scottsdale, won recognition from Golf Digest for its Talon and Raptor courses. The North course at Talking Stick (9998 E. Indian Bend Rd.; 480.860.2221) features a Scottish links-style course amid the desert tranquility of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation. Grayhawk’s rates range from $150 to $225 during March and April; Talking Stick charges $90 to $170.
One local favorite is Gilbert’s Greenfield Lakes Golf Course (2484 W. Warner Rd.; 480.503.0500), which plays 4,200 yards from the tips and, because of its lack of bunkers, can easily be played in three hours for just $30 to $35.
Just 10 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tempe’s ASU Karsten Golf Course (1125 E. Rio Salado Pkwy.; 480-921-8070) offers an easygoing atmosphere and a fair test of skill, with season fees ranging from $48 to $93.
To explore the full range of Arizona’s golf options, see the Official Arizona Golf Guide and Directory (Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau; 602.254.6500; www.phoenixcvb.com) or the Golfers Guide (3435 E. Wahalla Lane; 602.595.6696; www.golferguide.com).
If you’re struggling with your swing, Golf Schools of Scottsdale (10645 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 200; 480-356-6678), ranked as one of the “Top 25 Golf Schools in America” by Golf Magazine, offers two- to five-day customized packages.
Still not golfed-out? Stop by In Celebration of Golf (7001 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 172; 480.951.4444) where “slow play is encouraged.” This 12,000-square-foot golf shop/golf extravaganza celebrates the romance, pageantry and drama of the sport with everything from an antique golf shop to a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility.
Culture, Flowers in the Desert
Although golf is a passion in Phoenix, there are plenty of warm-weather diversions for those who venture off the fairways. History and nature buffs can explore Hohokam ruins at the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park (4619 E. Washington St.; 602.495.0901). The museum offers guided tours, petroglyph discovery hikes and workshops for all ages. Meanwhile, more than 40,000 Native American art and ethnographic objects fill the world-renowned Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix (2301 N. Central Ave.; 602.252.8840), where children can explore a re-created Zuni Pueblo and try their hand at Indian arts and crafts.
 Walking through the 145-acre themed gardens at the Desert Botanical Gardens (1201 N. Galvin Pkwy.; 480.941.1225) introduces you to the beauty of Sonoran Desert plants. During the spring months, the wildflowers bloom in a riot of color and butterflies dance in the Butterfly Pavilion.
The nearby Phoenix Zoo (455 N. Galvin Pkwy.; 602.273.1341) affords a glimpse of the Forest of Uco, animals indigenous to the Southwest and an African savanna.
Another Phoenix family favorite is the Arizona Science Center (600 E. Washington St.; 602.716.2000) where more than 300 interactive, hands-on exhibits entertain kids of all ages. A state-of-the-art planetarium, a giant Iwerks theater and a science store add to the experiments.
The Phoenix Art Museum (1625 N. Central Ave.; 602.257.1880) features “Masterworks from El Greco to Picasso in The Phillips Collection,” an extraordinary exhibit through May 4 featuring the timeless works of van Gogh, Degas, Monet, Cézanne and Renoir. Kids will be drawn to the funky American pop art and design in the exhibit “Vital Forms: American Art and Design in the Atomic Age, 1940-1960.”
Home Plates and Fine China
In February and March, it’s no longer “wait ‘til next year” for major league baseball teams; scout out the returning squads getting ready for the season during the Cactus League Spring Training (Ticketmaster; 480.784.4444). Starting in April, you can cheer on the 2001 World Series champs, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in the games that count at Bank One Ballpark, fondly referred to as BOB by locals (401 E. Jefferson St.; 602.514.8400).
If you prefer fast cars to fastballs, visit the Phoenix International Raceway (11901 W. Baseline Rd.; 602.252.2227) in March for the Copper World Indy 200, held on the world’s fastest one-mile oval racetrack.
When you’re hungry, Phoenix offers a mélange of dining choices, from the expected Southwestern dishes to haute cuisine.
Try Christopher’s Fermier Brasserie (2584 E. Camelback Rd.; 602.522.2344) for French flavor in a casual, contemporary atmosphere. T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms (5200 E. Camelback Rd.; 602.808.0766) serves up romance Mediterranean style with delicacies such as spit-roasted chicken with chanterelles, roasted corn and sherry cream.
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Want to know more about this memorable getaway, visit our AG Concierge for more information.
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For a more casual evening, treat yourself to the best pizza in town at Pizzeria Bianco (623 E. Adams St.; 602.258.8300) or the southwestern flair at Richardson’s (1582 E. Bethany Home Rd.; 602.265.5886), where the pork chop chorizo served with cilantro-mango chutney and a green-chili potato complement the famously delicious prickly pear margaritas.
Of course, Phoenix has its simpler pleasures too. Stretch your legs with the many locals who end the day with a climb up one of the mountains nestled within city limits. A local favorite is at South Mountain Park, the world’s largest municipal park at 16,500 acres. A hike to the top affords panoramic views, where you can absorb the ebb and flow of a city built on the brightness of dreams. The vista is the perfect cherry to top off this rich desert menu. 
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Plan your route to Phoenix with FlightPrep.com
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The Best of Phoenix
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Best Season: Phoenix popularity as a destination parallels the appealing winter climate from October through April. And golfers get the fairest fairways during the spring season, but this luxury comes at a price. Remember to pack a light jacket for the chilly desert nights.
Best Landing: There are plenty of places to put down in Phoenix, depending on what part of the valley you are visiting. Most centrally-located is Sky Harbor (PHX), which offers all of the amenities (and congestion) of a big airport. For access to outlying areas, you can try Scottsdale (SDL) to the north, Falcon (FFZ) to the east toward Apache Junction. On the southeast side, try Chandler (CHD) or Williams Gateway (IWA) which is a favorite strip for the military pilots who routinely buzz the field. To the west, try Phoenix Goodyear (GYR) or Glendale (GEU).
Best Flying Experience: If you are in Phoenix during the first weekend of April, you can engage in a once in a lifetime fighter pilot experience with Air Combat USA. Operating out of Deer Valley Airport, pilots engage in formation flying and aerobatic dogfights in a SIAI Marchetti SF260 Italian fighter aircraft capable of traveling at 270 miles an hour pulling +6 to -3 Gs. Information: 800.522.7590;
www.aircombatusa.com.
Best Places To Stay: With 52,000 hotel rooms in metro-Phoenix, there are plenty of pillows for overnight guests. The cream of the crop is the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, the only hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright influenced design. The Pointe South Mountain Resort features the Oasis Water Adventure, one of the largest outdoor water parks in the country, with a wave pool, a 950-foot-long man-made river, and Slide Canyon Tower, featuring three thrilling water slide rides. Another local favorite is the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch with its championship golf, tennis, Sonwai Spa, international art collection, the children’s program at Camp Hyatt Kachina and a two and a half-acre water playground with 10 pools, 47 waterfalls, a sand beach, and three-story waterslide.
Best Way To Get Around: A car and a road map are an absolute must for travel in metro Phoenix. Top car rentals include Budget Rent A Car Corp. (602.267.4000), Avis Rent A Car (800.331.1212) and National Car Rental (602.275.4771).A car and a road map are an absolute must for travel in metro Phoenix. Top car rentals include Budget Rent A Car Corp. (602.267.4000), Avis Rent A Car (800.331.1212) and National Car Rental (602.275.4771).
Best Planning Resources: The Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau,
1 Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren St., Ste. 600, Downtown, 602.254.6500 or 877.225.5749,
www.phoenix
cvb.com; Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors
Bureau, 7343 E. Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, 480.945.8481 or 800.877.1117,
www.scottsdale
cvb.com; Arizona Office of Tourism, 2702 N. 3rd St., Ste 4015, Central Phoenix, 602.230.7733,
www.arizona
guide.com. |
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