What About Scottsdale AZ?

[Rikter8]

Anybody from Scottsdale AZ?

I'm looking for a low key vacation getaway, but also on a hunt for a rust free car.
I heard Scottsdale was relatively inexpensive for tourism, and was wondering what's all out there.
Any cool attractions?

I tried posting a thread in the Travel community, but it's quite dead in there unfortunately.

I also thought about Vegas, but not sure what the community/prices would be on older autos out there.

My plan would be to visit the scenery, then cruise the backroads looking for an auto to bring back with me.
Mabee meet up with fellow LPSG'ers

Anybody have any advice?

 

[nudeyorker]

I just got something in the mail from the Phoenix-Scottsdale travel bureau...sorry I tossed it. I have friends who live there and all we do is golf, eat, drink and sleep. Mesa is very beautiful. I think some deals are there for the taking, I got something in the mail from Steve Wynn asking me to come back to
Vegas and spend money at a highly discounted room rate. Between the two I would go to Arizona.

 

[Bbucko]

I have friends who live there and all we do is golf, eat, drink and sleep.

It's been almost 30 years since I was in Phoenix, but it was enough for me to know that I'm not a desert kinda guy. For as I know, Scottsdale is nothing but golf courses and retirement communities for old Republicans.

Of the two, I'd go to Vegas, if only for the nightlife.

 

[midlifebear]

Scottsdale is just another giant sprawling pink stucco/red tile roofed soon-to-be slum barrio of Phoenix. However, on the eastern slope of the mountain range that contains it (and I do mean contains) is Frank Lloyd Wright's winter-time architecture school. See Home. It is worth seeing, but if you're looking to hang loose and enjoy life go to Tempe (yet another slum barrio, but with a bit of character). For something completely loopy check out Sedona. You can fly to Flagstaff, rent a car, and drive down Oak Canyon Road about 40 winding miles until you hit the New Age "flow and glow" crowd. It's not the Sedona of my youth (alas, what is?). But you might be amused at the concentration of walk-in Chi clinics where you can get your chakras aligned as well as your brakes. And they have vortex tours. Yup, you can follow some old hippie who is my age out into the red rock desert and stand around as he insists you're in the middle of one of the Earth's main vortices. He might even make rocks move for you (falling rocks are a constant feature when standing next to cliffs, but that doesn't mean the flow and glow crowd won't take credit for gravity).

You'd do better to fly to Tucson, rent a car and spook around that particular part of the Sonoran Desert. You can even drive to Boot Hill. Tucson is not the same "old pueblo" that it used to be, but nothing is now that we have a Starbucks every two blocks in most cities.

If you're just looking for a place to hang out and enjoy warmth during the winter, may I suggest you simply fly to San Diego, CA? Lots to do. Lots of nice folks to meet. Tijuana (TJ) is but a trolley and bus ride away. And you can always visit the Coronado Hotel and linger over a lazy champagne breakfast in La Jolla, dreaming that you owned one of those well-kept wood frame homes built in the 1930s now worth milliions and bajillions of dollars.

Addition: And if you're looking for a vintage auto, there are plenty of them available in San Diego. You can even check out several used car dealerships along PCH1 (Pacific Cost Highay 1) in the small towns to the north that specialize in vintage steel hulks. A 1963 Rolls Royce that actually runs won't set you back as much as you might think.

 

[nudeyorker]

It's been almost 30 years since I was in Phoenix, but it was enough for me to know that I'm not a desert kinda guy. For as I know, Scottsdale is nothing but golf courses and retirement communities for old Republicans.
OK they are nice people, we also play bridge and they don't get offended when I call them Banana Republicans!( They are Asian)
Of the two, I'd go to Vegas, if only for the nightlife.

Yeah but after you max out your credit card with the rent boy and go to the Liberace Museum the only thing left is the buffet at The Wynn.

 

[midlifebear]

Yeah but after you max out your credit card with the rent boy and go to the Liberace Museum the only thing left is the buffet at The Wynn.

I'm ending an odd month+ visit back in the good ol' USA and forced a dear friend who lives in Washington Heights (Manhattan) to stay at New York New York (my idea of shadenfrueden). I dragged her to the Liberace Museum and to my amazement discovered it not only to be the biggest bit of kitsch I had hoped, but it was also very enjoyable. We headed for the museaum at 3:00 PM (they close at 4:00 PM). That's about all the time one needs to fawn over Lee's jewelry collection and antique pianos. And just in time to have a reasonably priced and very good Italian dinner in the restaurant Liberace once owned and that is still in operation (it opens at 4:00 for the early birders).

Instead of rent boyze, we moved back over to the other side of the two-part museum where there's now a little cafe with a small theatre. Ended up spending the evening/early morning with a group of pleasant and good-looking gay men who use the venue to produce gay-themed theatre and present the odd (real odd) musical spectacular.

Vegas. Who knew? And I'm from Nevada!

 

[D_Portelay Porquesword]

I was near Phoenix recently, after a stay in Sedona. It is pricey but if you browse Craig's List there are some time-share deals to be had.

 

[D_Ivana Dickenside]

go to las vegas. scottsdale is bor-ring and suburban. i've been to both and i'd much rather drink free booze, gamble, eat, and party, than suffer from boredom and heat exhaustion. plus all the casinos have A/C if it's too hot, and you'll have a better chance of finding a random hook-up in vegas rather than scottsdale... i'm just sayin' :wink:

 

[AZNEWGUY]

Vegas has its ghetto too, has anyone walked off the strip there lol ? If you want constant partying, Vegas is the way to go. Been there a few times and always have fun. I live in AZ and hung out in Scottsdale and Tempe a few times. Scottsdale has old scottsdale, which is full of bars, clubs, and restaurants. Tempe has a small city, but is packed with entertainment too. Scottsdale fashion mall and surrounding area is very nice and safe. With any city, there are bad parts you just have to do your research. If you want to party hard, vegas is it. If you want to relax and hang out every once in a while, then scottsdale is something to consider.

 

[D_Ivana Dickenside]

Vegas has its ghetto too, has anyone walked off the strip there lol ?

yep, i have seen all of vegas and i have friends who live there too. you won't miss anything if you decide not to venture away from las vegas blvd.

 

[sdbg]

Rikter8: I lived in the Scottsdale area for 15 years and enjoyed my time there. It depends what you like to do for fun. There are so many choices for dining out, from formal to casual. A must for Mexican Food lovers is Carlos O'Brien's at 12th Street and Northern. I go there every time I return to the Phoenix area to visit old friends.

If you're the outdoors type, go for a liesurely hike to the top of Squaw Peak near 24th Street and Lincoln Drive. Great view on a clear day. In the summer, it's fun to go swimming at Suguaro Lake or to go tubing down the Salt River; in the winter, a drive there offers beautiful desert scenery. The Barrett-Jackson collector car auction takes place at Westworld in North Scottsdale from January 18 - 24, and is a great time if you like vintage cars. There are numerous places to ride mountain bikes or road bikes, too, including Papago Park and South Mountain. There are various options for day trips by car. Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon are stunning. The Grand Canyon can be done in a day and is worth the effort to see it. I've always enjoyed going to Sunrise Ski Resort in the White Mountains. You don't have to be an expert to have fun there as there are runs for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

If you're the laid back type, how can you argue with lounging by a heated pool in 70 degree temperatures when nearly half the country is freezing?