'Saddle Up the Lexus, We're Going to Scottsdale!'
by Leon Schwarzbaum



Visitors to Scottsdale, Arizona are surprised to learn that this "most Western city" has been a population center for less than fifty years. From a small cluster of farmers, this area of more than 130,000 residents has become a full-fledged city. More than that, Scottsdale has become a magnet for vacationers and retirees, offering "big city" attractions amid breath-taking desert surroundings.

When architect Frank Lloyd Wright set up his "winter camp" at the foot of the McDowell Mountains in 1937, he was surrounded by desert, far from Phoenix, the state's capital. Today, Taliesin West, as the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's architectural school was called, is surrounded by the city of Scottsdale, which abuts the city limits of Phoenix and extends out into what was once desert.

Army Chaplain Winfield Scott visited the area in 1888 and wrote to the home folks about the evidence he found of the sophisticated 200-mile canal system built by the Hohokams, who lived in the area until about 1400. Chaplain Scott and his brother bought a parcel of land (hence, Scottsdale) and planted citrus, sweet potatoes and peanuts. Others, drawn by the climate and fertile soil, settled in the area. The first winter resort was built in 1909, carving the path for others. Phoenix was an urban area on the distant horizon.

The climate (average median temperature of 70 degrees F, average of 86 percent sunny days, extremely good visibility and open spaces) made the area an ideal site for an aviation training facility, and in 1942, the Air Corps moved in to help train U.S. pilots in World War II. By 1951, this farming community numbered about 2,000 residents, who elected to incorporate the City of Scottsdale. The City Charter was adopted in 1961, encompassing about one square mile.

Today, Scottsdale encompasses 184.5 square miles, stretching 32 miles north to south. And Scottsdale has evolved into a magnet for art and culture seekers, vacationers and retirees. Some of the most upscale resorts, art galleries and shops are found along Scottsdale Road and on the nearby streets. A broad spectrum of American and foreign visitors can be found, even in the summer when the average high temperature is over 85 degrees.

"What'll ya have, stranger?" asks the bartender in almost every "oater" movie. All he has is "likker," but he still asks. But when you're asked for your poison in Scottsdale, you have enough choices to cross a cowboy's eyes. You can stay at more than 80 resorts, hotels and seasonal apartments, from 5-star internationally known luxury resorts to modest lodgings. You can eat at five-star restaurants, family restaurants, bistros, bars, diners and cafes. And best of all, you can dress casually at most places. One other factoid for you to absorb: at last count there were 25 golf courses, ranging from public to very exclusive (high greens fees).

At the top of the list of hotels, the Marriott Camelback Inn (120 acres, "exceptional spa") and the Scottsdale Princess (450 acres and site of world-class golf and tennis competitions) offer everything a vacationer could want. At the other end of the price chart, local and chain motels provide clean, comfortable accommodations.

Scottsdale is home to a wide range of restaurants, with Marquesa, at the Scottsdale Princess taking honors in most critics' ratings (Mediterranean cuisine). At the lower end of the price scale, the Quilted Bear in Lincoln Plaza Shopping Center pleases its customers, who return year after year.

You can see (and buy) works of art at more than 120 galleries. You can visit artists in their studios and you can see important art collections at the local museums. The Fleischer Museum at 17207 N. Perimeter Drive features American impressionist paintings, Russian/Soviet impressionists and a collection of sculpture. Visit the Scottsdale Historical Society Museum housed in a 1906 red brick grammar school at 7333 Scottsdale Mall. Guided tours through Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio (and a walk in the desert) are conducted by the Wright foundation on 114th Street. Call (607) 860-2700 for schedules.

Serious art lovers can take a short drive (or bus ride) to Phoenix's Heard Museum (Native American art and culture) and Phoenix Art Museum (eclectic).

You can "shop 'til you drop," too. Grab your credit cards and forge ahead.

Scottsdale is home to 13 major malls and shopping centers, and a couple of more for good luck. If you would like to visit 50 specialty stores and restaurants, surrounding 14th century styled Italian courtyards, andiamo to Borgata, at 6166 N. Scottsdale Road. Or stop in at Fifth Avenue, a landmark shopping area downtown at 7020 E. 3rd Avenue, for Arizona's premier collection of unique specialty shops, boutiques, art galleries, Native American crafts and restaurants.

There are lots of others, but for department store chic, go to Fashion Square (Dillard's, Robinsons, Neiman Marcus) and more than 150 more upscale retailers. The inveterate bargain hunter should take a short trip south to Arizona Factory Shops at 5250 W. Honda Bow Road in Phoenix, one of Arizona's newest and largest manufacturers' outlet centers, featuring more than 80 name-brand "factory outlets" selling close-outs, off-season and special promotion merchandise, in a colorful "mission" marketplace.

"OK," you say, "but I get itchy staying in one place. Well, there are some day trips you might want to try. But why you would want to turn your back on Scottsdale's golf, tennis, sailing, hiking, horseback riding and fitness centers, I will never understand. You haven't even been to McCormick Railroad Park to tour famous railroad cars, ride on the miniature train or the carousel, or fueled up at the Snack Stop Caboose.

But saddle up the Lexus and head out to Rawhide, a re-created 1880's town. A family of four or five won't break the budget by dining at the Rawhide Steakhouse & Saloon, where the children's menu supplements a typical steak house bill of fare. And, as long as we're talking about saddling up the horses, let's mosey on down to WestWorld for a breakfast trailride, with a desert cookout, out to the Sonoran Desert. Or, drive up into "them thar hills," to Jerome, AZ, an abandoned mining camp turned artists' center. C'mon down to Lake Havasu, a 45-mile long lake spanned at one point by the London Bridge. Yep, pardner, the ORIGINAL London Bridge, which didn't fall down, but was sold to some Americans who thought they were buying Tower Bridge, which they thought was London Bridge, but that's a whole 'nuther story.

Within easy driving distance are: "Montezuma's Castle," not really the home of the famous Aztec ruler but a well-preserved ancient Indian cliff dwelling. Oak Creek Canyon and the town of Sedona are surrounded by one of the most colorful landscapes in the world. Meteor Crater, as its name describes it, is one of the best preserved and largest impact sites on earth. Go see Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam and National Recreation Area, which stretches for 200 miles into Southern Utah; the Painted Desert; the Petrified Forest; Snow Bowl, for skiing and winter sports; Tombstone and Tucson, two towns filled with Old West attractions - and more.

If you're still hanging in there and your mind hasn't boggled, let's close with some important trivia. The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted Scottsdale "The Most Livable City." Scottsdale's official food is chili, by mayoral proclamation in 1994. The city has 650 acres of developed parkland, 36 acres of lakes, 37 miles of bike paths, 30 miles of equestrian trails, and 40 other recreational facilities. And the property tax of $1.65 per $100 of assessed value is lower than most U.S. resort communities.

And if you are in Scottsdale on the right day in May, shortly after a spring rain shower has moistened the soil the night before, a drive out into the desert will take you into a wonderland rarely seen by most of the world's travelers. Those brown, withered, dead-looking desert plants will flower. As far as the eye can see, a carpet of color will look like an exotic hand-woven rug. Stop the car, van, truck, whatever you are riding in, and get out. Don't walk off the shoulder; because you will be standing on the edge of a priceless work of art.