Downtown Scottsdale's Urban Renaissance
What's old is new again as downtown Scottsdale's ancient Indian canal system is transformed into the city's hub of urban vitality with more than 80 lounges, bars and nightclubs; nearly 100 restaurants; and more than 30,000 visitors on any given weekend night during high season. A highlight of the downtown renaissance is SouthBridge, an urban development boasting independent restaurants and a variety of trendy, unique boutiques. Plus, enjoy plush accommodations at several upscale downtown hotels including Scottsdale's only bed and breakfast, Bespoke Inn, Café & Bicycles. www.scottsdaledowntown.com, www.bespokeinn.com  

Scottsdale – Chic by Design
Scottsdale is a sophisticated city on the move, with the charm and hospitality of days gone by, a breathtaking landscape and abundant architectural attractions. Don't miss highlights like Hotel Valley Ho, one of the only mid-century modern resorts built in the 1950s still standing today, and the five acres of architectural and craft studios at Cosanti –the home of the late Italian-born architect Paolo Soleri. And of course, no architectural tour of Scottsdale is complete without a stop at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. www.hotelvalleyho.com, www.cosanti.com, www.franklloydwright.org, www.architectureinscottsdale.com  

Satisfy Your Need for Speed
Want to go from 0-to-60 mph in under four seconds just like the pros? Head to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, which features a 1.6-mile road course and 3.5-acre asphalt pad. Drive door-handle to door-handle at 100 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Corvette or Ford Mustang GT. To slow things down just a bit, try European-style racing at K1 Speed or head to Octane Raceway where you can drive a Segway, racing kart or scale a rock climbing wall. www.bondurant.com, www.k1speed.com, www.octaneraceway.com  

Wanna be a Cowboy? 
If you want to get down and dirty in the Wild West, Fort McDowell Adventures, Arizona Cowboy College and McDonald's Ranch offer the chance to do just that. Watch the sun rise over the McDowell Mountains during a ride through the desert foothills on horseback with Fort McDowell Adventures or at the 1,280-acre MacDonald's Ranch. If you're looking for more than trail rides and resort-style cookouts, Arizona Cowboy College offers a firsthand look into true cowboy life. Sleep under starry skies and partake in comprehensive and rigorous classes about cattle and horsemanship; on-the-range lessons about cutting, branding, inoculating, dehorning; and driving cattle. Other cowboy hangouts include the historic Rusty Spur Saloon and Handlebar J and hip newcomers to downtown like The Western and Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row. www.fortmcdowelladventures.com, www.cowboycollege.com, www.macdonaldsranch.com, www.rustyspursaloon.com, www.handlebarj.com, www.dierkswhiskeyrow.com, www.thewesternaz.com   

Sizzling Nightlife in the Sonoran Desert
In Scottsdale, the onset of evening signals denizens of the desert and wildlife of a more sophisticated nature to embark upon the area bars, restaurants and clubs. The nocturnal diversions range from hip clubs to cozy wine bars and bistros. And with Scottsdale being such a celebrity hotspot, chances are you'll spot an A-lister partying at one of the 80+ downtown hotpots like The Mint, Wild Knight and the all-new Maya Day and Night Club,the first high-end beach club bringing together entertainment, music, and food for day and nighttime fun. www.experiencescottsdale.com/nightlife, www.themintaz.com, www.wildknightclub.com, www.mayaclubaz.com

A Taste of Scottsdale
Eating local in Scottsdale has never been easier with chefs tending their own herb gardens and using local organic purveyors to create their menus. One of Scottsdale's best known independent restaurants, FnB dishes out sophisticated comfort food using seasonal, local, and organic produce and offers an Arizona-only wine list. Owner Pavle Milic's latest ventures, Bodega/AZ Wine Merchants, expand on the “local love” in the form of a wine retail shop and boutique grocery. At the downtown Old Town Farmer's Market, sample a cornucopia of locally grown flavors and Sonoran Desert specialties or check out The Farm Sessions, a “farm-to-table” experience where local chefs lead participants on market excurision and demonstrate a seasonal cooking class with local ingredients. www.fnbrestaurant.com, www.arizonafarmersmarkets.com 

Take Downtown's Roads Less Traveled
With more than 330 days of sunshine a year, why not get out of the car, off of the tour bus and explore downtown Scottsdale? Experience the pedestrian-friendly downtown with Destination Food Tours' walking food exploration that opens minds and palates with tales of the area's rich history and food tastings from hidden local gems. Explore the sights with Tru Cab, a locally owned taxi cab company. Each vehicle comes equipped with a tablet that allows you to select your own music or search for a nearby restaurant. Or, hop on and off the 40 or so stops served by the City's free trolley. www.destinationfoodtours.com, www.trucab.com,  www.scottsdaleaz.gov/trolley/downtown  

Explore the Sonoran Desert via Hike, Hummer, Helicopter, Jeep or Plane
Scottsdale's Sonoran Desert, only one of four major deserts in North America, is the most lush desert in the world. Try greeting the sun with an early morning hike up Pinnacle Peak or through Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve – soon to be one of the nation's largest preserves encompassing more than 37,000 acres. Looking for an adrenaline rush? Take a desert Jeep or Hummer tour through the craggy mountains or see the desert from a daring angle in a hot air balloon. For truly spectacular aerial views, buckle up during a seaplane ride that includes a water landing on Roosevelt Lake or venture onto a helicopter to fly over Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain. www.mcdowellsonoran.org, www.scottsdaleaz.gov/parks/pinnacle, www.experiencescottsdale.com/desert-exploration, www.desertsplashadventure.com, www.azheli.com  

The Greatest Party on Grass
More than 330 days of sunshine a year and more than 220 area golf courses combine to make Scottsdale a golf mecca, but the “The Greatest and Greenest Party on Grass” creates the most buzz. The Waste Management Phoenix Open is the world's best attended golf event, which attracts 500,000 spectators from around the world for four days of serious golf at TPC Scottsdale. The football stadium type crowds that watch from the 16th hole and the nonstop partying at the famous Birds Nest have earned this golf tournament its nickname. This is definitely not your father's game of golf. www.ilovescottsdalegolf.com, www.wmphoenixopen.com, www.tpc.com/scottsdale  

The World's Finest Resort-Spa Destination
When it comes to the definitive spa experience, Scottsdale has it! This revitalizing spa destination boasts treatments that marry age-old elements of the Sonoran Desert with modern healing techniques to fresh, edgy ingredients sure to surprise the most seasoned spa-goer. Indigenous elements – Arizona river rocks, Sonoran Desert clays and muds, Arizona-grown honey, and desert herbs – and other unique items – heated golf balls, limes, aromatic eucalyptus, amethyst and natural oats – are used to pamper, relax, detoxify and reinvigorate spa guests. www.ExperienceScottsdale.com/Spas  

A Desert Oasis for Celebrities
With its stylish resorts, world-class shopping and dynamic nightlife, Scottsdale has long been a celebrity haven. It all began in the 1950s when Hollywood's biggest names started to frequent hotels that coupled luxury, seclusion and a chic pool scene with the rustic charm of the West. Hotel Valley Ho, Royal Palms Resort and Spa and The Hermosa Inn are among the Scottsdale properties that have and continue to draw celebrities. Scottsdale Fashion Square has attracted the fashionable likes of Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker and Angelina Jolie. Brittany Snow partied at the W Scottsdale's hip pool while A-listers like Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Britney Spears relaxed at the exclusive Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa. Thecity also has been the destination of choice for Jennifer Garner, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry and Jeremy Piven. www.hotelvalleyho.com, www.royalpalmshotel.com, www.hermosainn.com, www.fashionsquare.com, www.wscottsdalehotel.com, www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com      

Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds – Scottsdale and Sedona
Saguaro cacti and red rocks coupled with luxury resorts and quaint bed and breakfasts. Desert-inspired spa treatments and championship golf courses mingle with eclectic art offerings and palate-pleasing cuisine. World-renown masterpieces – from Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West to mystical vortexes – combine with Old West charm. Experience all this and more when you visit two of Arizona's most distinct destinations – Scottsdale and Sedona. www.scottsdale-sedona.com

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