Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun
It’s time for me to get out of California for a while (I’ll come back to it later). On to Arizona…The first time I visited Phoenix was about 25 years ago (picture below). At that time Phoenix was a small town and hadn’t begun the enormous growth it has.
Back 25 years ago there were a lot of dusty streets and the drive to Scottsdale seemed like driving across the Mojave. Wow, have things changed. I have been back to the area many times and while I don’t stay in Phoenix anymore it is still fun to go back to the city and experiment with the restaurants and shops.
I stayed at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale when it was first opened and it was the only thing on the property, next to the golf course. Now, Gainey ranch is congested with shops and hotels, the Hyatt doesn’t even stand out anymore. Having said that, I still like Scottsdale, there are some great restaurants and shops despite all the traffic. El Pedregal is a very nice shopping center and over the years the restaurants there have changed hands but always remained good. I like the location of this center and the design reminds me of the desert many years ago.
There used to be a restaurant called Oaxaca up on East Pinnacle Peak road but it isn’t there anymore. Their food was excellent and the view overlooking the valley was spectacular at night.
Cave Creek is more like Scottsdale used to be back a few years ago. A couple of good restaurants, my favorite is El Encanto on Cave Creek Road, and some fun shops and a lot of desert.
In Carefree you will find the Carefree Resort & Villas. It is a very good resort with nice desert views, tennis courts, and a pool. What more could a person want? The rooms are good and the service is nice.
Much more modern, and not very favorable to the desert surroundings, is the Kierland shopping district and the Westin Kierland. Very nice place, modern amenities, nice stores and hotel. The locals like it but if I were a visitor wanting to experience the desert I would avoid this place. Once again, I am not putting it down it is a great area but you won’t get a desert feel there.
I have been all around the Valley, Mesa, Glendale, Surprise, etc. and there are some great sights to see, hotels to stay in, and shopping to do (not to mention the golf courses). If you like baseball then spring training is for you. The Cubs are in Mesa and a whole slew of other teams are scattered around Phoenix making spring time a fun time for all.
If you haven’t experienced springtime in the desert you are truly missing something. Everything is in bloom and the beauty of it all is spectacular. Take your clubs, tennis racket, jogging shoes and have a ball in the spring.
Spend some time in the greater Phoenix area and you will find the best restaurants, shopping, resorts, scenery, golf, sophistication, and fun that the desert Southwest can offer.
- Phoenix 1982
