Scottsdale
was famous as a vacation spot long before it became a city. Not many
years ago, it was a crossroads where cowboys rode in on Saturday nights
along the unpaved trails to celebrate the end of the week. Now it is
considered the shopping and art center of the Valley of the Sun.
Geographically,
Scottsdale covers about 185 square miles. It has some of the
country’s most exclusive and expensive resorts within its boundaries, but
there are also middle class neighborhoods. At the Little Red
Schoolhouse visitors begin a self-guided walking tour to fourteen
destinations. The site of the first general store; Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Catholic Church, which is home to the Scottsdale Symphony; and a
vintage blacksmith who still keeps local horses shod in the present day, are
points of interest. Olive trees planted by town founder General
Winfield Scott; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art; the tastefully
rendered Fashion Square mega mall; and The Borgata are among other places
featured on the tour.
Many
Scottsdale events center upon its three cultures: Native American,
Spanish, and western pioneer. More than 90 art galleries offer
paintings, sculpture, and crafts.
Scottsdale
has a thriving downtown, outstanding art galleries, and many restaurants
that offer the
finest cuisine from the cultural traditions represented.
Indian
Bend Wash has been developed into the city’s most popular park and
accompanying lake. The park runs the length of Scottsdale along Hayden
Boulevard. Roller skating, fishing, soccer, volleyball, baseball and
jogging are among the activities provided there year round.
There
are also equestrian activities of all types - everything from English and
Western performances to roping, jumping, and halter events, as well as those
that feature the Arabian, the Quarter Horse, and the world's longest
horse-drawn parade. If your interests run to golf, tennis, fine cuisine,
classic cars, art, music, or hot air ballooning, Scottsdale has these too,
and more.
North
Scottsdale is the home of Rawhide, an authentic 1880’s western town.
It has shops, a museum, an ice cream parlor, a stagecoach ride and a
Canestoga wagon. More than twenty shops sell handmade jewelry and
crafts.
For
many years, Scottsdale has been known as "The West's Most Western
Town." Scottsdale was voted the Most Livable City by the U.S.
Conference of Mayors in 1993, and is consistently named among the top cities
in the country in which to raise children, to retire, and is rated the
number one resort community in America.
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