Scottsdale

This Sonoran Desert city is hot in more ways than one, a destination that mixes business and pleasure in a special way

- RAMSEY QUBEIN

1 OLD TOWN SCOTTSDALE

Long a favorite of snow birds from the north who descend upon it in the winter, Scottsdale’s multitude of resorts and destination spas attract 11 million visitors a year, many of whom elect to stay a bit longer.

Despite the plethora of beautifully designed resorts, heading into Old Town Scottsdale is a must for visitors. Fifth Avenue features a variety of boutiques selling everything from souvenirs to clothing. In fact, the largest retail destination in the southwest, Fashion Square, is nearby and offers a variety of luxury brands and smaller local shops. You’ll find small art galleries (dozens along East Main Street alone) and jewelry stores displaying local handicrafts. oldtownscottsdaleaz.com

If you prefer to wait until evening, when temperatures are cooler, there’s plenty of great dining plus several microbreweries, wine bars, nightclubs if you want to make an evening of it. You’ll even find a few western-style saloons like Rusty Spur Saloon where country music dancing is a regular affair. rustyspursaloon.com

The free Scottsdale Trolley takes visitors around the area, but it stops around 9:30 PM. Social media fans will enjoy the JoyridesAZ Instagram Tour, which takes visitors via golf cart through Old Town to snap the most iconic and entertaining shots for their profile (there are more than three dozen). joyridesaz.com