The City of Scottsdale

Scottsdale combines the culture and sophistication of a large metropolitan area with the charm and rugged grandeur of the Old West. It’s one of the few places where you can horseback ride at sunrise, golf before lunch, visit art galleries later in the day, and dine on an entree created by a Food Networks chef that evening. Visitors are tempted to become residents, and residents never grow weary of exploring all it has to offer.
Founded in 1888 by U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott, Scottsdale began as an agricultural and ranching community adjacent to the Arizona Canal, a heritage that earned it its nickname: “The West’s Most Western Town.”

Over the years, though, the town’s image softened. During the Depression, artists and architects, like Frank Lloyd Wright, flocked to the area, and gradually, resorts and big business replaced the ranches that lend their names to many popular neighborhoods.

Today, Scottsdale spans 184 square miles and boasts a population of approximately 230,000, many of which work at the community’s largest employers: Scottsdale Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, CVS CareMark, Go Daddy, The Vanguard Group and General Dynamics. Because Scottsdale is centrally located, it is easy to get anywhere in the Valley from here, but if you can find employment in town, there’s rarely a need to leave. Scottsdale has some of the Valley’s best dining, nightlife, shopping and recreation.

Without a doubt, Scottsdale is Arizona’s culinary hotspot. Celebrity chefs like Robert McGrath, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Food Network star Beau MacMillan are tied to Scottsdale restaurants, and you’ll find Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn, T. Cook’s, Binkley’s and J&G Steakhouse among the hottest dinner reservations in the Valley. 

Scottsdale is also known for its bar scene and nightlife. Local mixologist Jason Asher was named GQ’s Most Inspired Bartender of 2010 and has motivated many of the resort restaurant and bars to update their cocktail menus with drinks made from fresh bitters and tinctures. Wine bars and watering holes for the sophisticated and affluent thrive here, too, as do dance clubs for the seen-and-be-seen crowd.If you’re a foodie, Scottsdale is the place to be.

The shopping in Scottsdale is some of the best in the Valley. Dubbed “the Beverly Hills of the Desert” by the New York Times, the town is home to several malls, including Kierland Commons, The Borgata in Scottsdale, and Scottsdale Fashion Square, where you’ll find premier stores such  as Barneys New York, Prada and True Religion Brand Jeans.

Just south of Scottsdale Fashion Square, 320 boutiques, gift shops and art galleries along with  more than 90 restaurants and 50 public artwork displays grace the streets of Old Town. There’s even free trolley service to shuttle you between Old Town, the Arts District, Fifth Avenue Shops, Scottsdale Fashion Square, and the Waterfront.

No matter what time of year, there’s always something to do or see in Scottsdale and the surrounding area. You can tour Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and architectural school, catch a performance at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, or spend an afternoon at McCormick Railroad Park. Although it has a Phoenix address, the new Musical Instrument Museum, where you can see more than 10,000 musical instruments in a state-of-the-art facility, sits on the Scottsdale border. To the south, just minutes from Scottsdale, you can enjoy the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden and Papago Park.

For those who seek outdoor adventure, Scottsdale has plenty to offer.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the largest urban wilderness area in the United States, features more than 60 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking. You can bicycle along the Indian Bend Wash, skateboard at Wedge Skate Park and McDowell Mountain Ranch Skate Park, or enjoy equestrian activities at Mescal Park, Stonegate Equestrian Park and WestWorld.  And, of course, there’s golfing. Scottsdale has more than 25 public courses, including McCormick Ranch Golf Club, Grayhawk Golf Club, Troon North Golf Club, and TPC, home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Following a day of strenuous activity, you can relax with a massage at a local spa. The town is home to some of the best resort spas in the country, many of which are available to the public on a day-use basis.

Some of the Valley’s most notable events take place in Scottsdale. The Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event draws 250,000 car enthusiasts to WestWorld every January, followed by the Phoenix Open at the end of the month and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in February. Cactus League baseball then ushers in the spring with the San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks taking the field at their Scottsdale stadiums. Other notable Scottsdale events include the Scottsdale Culinary Festival, Parada del Sol and Mighty Mud Mania.

Popular Scottsdale Communities

A Scottsdale address is among the most desirable in Arizona. For easy access to Tempe and downtown Phoenix, consider the southern neighborhoods of Scottsdale. Homes here tend to be older, so if you want something newer, venture further north to the condominiums and lofts in the Old Town area.

In contrast, McCormick Ranch and Gainey Ranch both are centrally-located, family-friendly communities planned around golf courses. If you don’t mind driving a little further, North Scottsdale offers astounding views of the Sonoran Desert and mountains. Check out DC Ranch, Grayhawk, Troon, Troon North, Desert Highlands, Desert Mountain and Estancia. Other Scottsdale possibilities include Kierland, Scottsdale Ranch, and Tatum Ranch.

Scottsdale Schools

The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) consistently receives high marks from the Arizona Department of Education and boasts that is “Arizona’s most excelling school district” with 18 of its schools earning the state’s highest rating, Excelling.

The district also offers special programs for gifted students, an International Baccalaureate program, and band for children as young as fourth grade, something that isn’t available at that age in most Arizona school districts. While nearly all Scottsdale children attend SUSD schools, some in North Scottsdale attend schools in the Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD). Cave Creek’s schools are highly rated by the state as well.

Parents also have the option to send their children to a number of private schools in Scottsdale. Rancho Solano Private Schools, Camelback Desert Schools, El Dorado Private School, International School of Arizona, Notre Dame Preparatory High School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, and King David School are just a few highly regarded programs.

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