IN THE ’ZONA
Move over, retirees: Scottsdale, Ariz., is attracting a younger set of travelers with resorts, restaurants and an energetic outdoors scene
THIS past spring, I ran away to Scottsdale.
Turns out that the bustling suburb of Phoenix offered reprieves for all the bugaboos I was facing, which were as superficial as disgust with bad weather and as heartwrenching as a bad breakup.
Perfect temperatures — 70s and sunny with no humidity during the day, at least in March — set the tone for a long weekend that was at once relaxing and action-packed.
Round-trip flights to Phoenix
rarely crack $250. Alongside polo shirt-clad golfers and spring-training baseball fans are spa junkies and bachelorette parties all seeking an escape from the cold.
Trying out the new restaurants and chatting with fellow hikers, there’s the palpable sense that this is a place on the rise.
Sights are spread throughout the quadrant northeast of Phoenix. A rental car is helpful, but Uber and Lyft are alternatives, as are the electric scooters and dockless bikes on every corner.
Here’s how to make the most of a restorative trip.
WHAT TO DO
There’s no better way to shake off troubles than to take a hike. Trek past 15 species of cacti — including the tall, proud, manyarmed saguaro — on the 200 miles of trails at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Loaded down with liters of water, I embarked on a hike called Tom’s Thumb, traipsing 1,236 feet up over 2 miles to a rock protrusion that resembles the opposable digit. A cheery volunteer takes photo after photo of hikers flashing thumbs-ups at the peak. I meandered my way back down.
(A city girl, I couldn’t help but snap a photo of each interestingly shaped cactus and every blooming wildflower.)
One word comes to mind when I think of Arizona: dry. But, among other excursions, the guides at Arizona Outback Adventures lead guests to water — specifically, during a half-day kayaking trip along the Lower Salt River (from $116 per person). The water is shallow and the current is slow, which allows ample time for kicking back in the inflatable vessel to spot wild horses and bald eagles along the banks.
Take a break from the scorching sun with a tour of Taliesin West, the complex Frank Lloyd Wright built in 1937 as his warm-weather home, studio and architecture school when the original Taliesin in Wisconsin got too frigid.
The rusty-red, rocky-sided living quarters, classrooms, dining hall, banked auditorium and more seem built into the side of the mountain; the latter still host design students today. Tour reservations are a must (from $35 for adults for 90 minutes with a guide).
WHERE TO EAT
No one will leave Starlite BBQ hungry. Perfect for an indulgent post-hike brunch, order iron-skillet cornbread, green chili pork with Fritos and a fried egg, hot fried chicken and roasted carrots with maple syrup and sea salt.
Another reward for surviving the heat: ice cream at Sweet Provisions, a candy shop with decadent sundaes, floats and cones.
For lunch, head into downtown Scottsdale to try New Wave Market, a café and bakery that serves up a mix of deli dishes (like a schmaltz chicken salad sandwich) and inventive plates of comfort food (like fried chicken with yuzu vinaigrette and chili oil). Bonus: the restaurant also sells local goodies from tea towels and mugs to prints and postcards that are ideal for gifts.
Downtown Scottsdale also has tasting rooms of four Arizona wineries located in the state’s southeast corner.
Posting up at Carlson Creek’s bar to sample five wines — poured by generous staffers — is a delightful prelude to dinner at FnB, a short walk away. Earlier this year, the James Beard Foundation dubbed Chef Charleen Badman the best chef in the Southwest.
“Arizona is such a wonderful state and we have so much to offer,” Badman said after the ceremony, according to Arizona Republic. “I want everybody to see that.”
Her small plates — great for sharing — center around seasonal, local produce. Pair roasted broccoli with grapefruit, yogurt and dukka or brussels sprouts with curry, mint, coconut milk and crispy onions with an Arizona-made cider or beer.
Meanwhile, buzzy Italian joint Fat Ox serves up housemade pastas, tableside Caesar salads and thick cuts of meat. Start any meal with one of the burrata, mozzarella or ricotta appetizers.
WHERE TO STAY
When it debuted in 2017, the Andaz — one of Hyatt’s sleeker, boutique-y brands — was the first new resort to open in Scottsdale in six years. Its 185 bungalows and suites (from $269), set over a spacious 23 acres in the shadow of Camelback mountain, feels at once homey and chic. When the sun goes down, fire pits and torches illuminate the property. (Though learn from my mistake and play cornhole during the day, when you can see what you’re aiming for.)
Its main pool thumps with DJspun tracks and festive floats, while the pool behind the spa is more spare and serene. Don’t miss the photo booth in the lobby, which can churn out Instagramready — and Andaz-branded, of course — GIFs in mere seconds.
Most flights back to New York from Phoenix are late at night. The Andaz is good at accommodating lingerers at the spa pool when space permits. There’s no better way to mentally and physically prepare for an all-too-short redeye back to New York City than looking at turquoise water with a backdrop of ruddy mountains and palm trees. Pure bliss.