If you are looking to spend the day shopping for the perfect outfit, or something for your home or a great sale, look no further than the corner of Camelback Road and Scottsdale Road where you will find the Fashion Square Mall and the Scottsdale Waterfront. Between both locations, there are ample stores to suit everyone in your life. And, if you would like to make a full day of it, there are plenty of restaurant options for lunch and/or dinner.
Scottsdale Fashion Square
Fashion Square is Scottsdale's largest mall with an incredibly diverse selection of retailers. On the high-end, you have Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus department stores as well as many standalone luxury purveyors such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, Vilebrequin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo and St. John. And, in October of 2009, Arizona's first Barney's store is slated to open.
The south part of Scottsdale Fashion Square is anchored by Nordstrom and the other department stores include Macy's and Dillard's. In addition to the department stores, there is a huge selection of nationally-known and individual retailers at all price points.
On the lower level, there is a large food court with everything from Asian food to Mexican to burgers and salads. If you prefer a sit-down lunch, you can choose from restaurants like the Grand Lux Cafe, Z Tejas, Kona Grill or Yard House.
Scottsdale Fashion Square Store Directory
Scottsdale Waterfront
If you leave Scottsdale Fashion Square via Nordstrom, you can easily walk over to the Scottsdale Waterfront complex, a newer addition to the shopping scene. Visit retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Sur La Table and Borders as well as many specialty boutiques. Also located in the complex are the high-end Scottsdale Waterfront Residences.
Dining at Scottsdale Waterfront is excellent. You can choose from Wildfish, an upscale seafood restaurant, Olive and Ivy, with its impressive design and waterfront location, as well as more casual offerings like PF Changs and Sauce.
Both Scottsdale Fashion Square and Scottsdale Waterfront are on the free Downtown Trolley route, which also takes you through Old Town Scottsdale.
Downtown Trolley Information
Old Town Scottsdale is an entertainment, dining and shopping hub that draws locals and visitors alike year-round. There has been a lot of development over the last several years and now the area is even more of a destination.
Old Town Scottsdale is known for its many galleries. In them, you will find everything from Southwestern art to modern art and pretty much everything else in between. You can spend hours strolling down the sidewalks and looking at the vast array of artwork.
For over 30 years, Thursday evenings from 7-9 PM have been home to the Scottsdale Art Walk where the galleries stay open late and you can take your time walking from gallery to gallery enjoying to cooler weather. In addition to the galleries, you will also find several purveyors of Native American and Southwestern souvenirs and jewelry and more.
It is not hard to find excellent dining in Old Town Scottsdale. It seems there is always a new, fun place to try. The recently launched SouthBridge is home to great shopping and the multi-level, elegant Estate House and the French-inspired Metro Brasserie. Nearby, you will find Cowboy Ciao, an upscale, eclectic restaurant that gets rave reviews. For breakfast and lunch, you will find the Orange Table tucked away in a little strip mall serving delicious food. Craving ice cream? Look no further than the cotton candy pink Sugar Bowl, which has been serving ice cream, sundaes, floats and more since 1958. And, these are only a few of Old Town Scottsdale's amazing places to dine and snack.
For evening entertainment, there are several nightclubs and lounges to spend the evening. One place of note is the Kazimierz World Wine Bar. Featuring 3,200 wines, a food menu and live music, it is a great place to spend an evening and try wines from all over the world. The Estate House that I mentioned earlier also has an elegant bar and patio area on the top level.
This post just scratches the surface of all there is to do in Old Town Scottsdale... There are so many great things to enjoy and I am always discovering new places and adventures.
More Information:
City of Scottsdale Downtown District Videos
If you are looking for a fun day trip outside of Scottsdale, take a drive and visit the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium. Located in the West Valley in Litchfield Park, AZ, the Wildlife Zoo is home to thousands of animals and fish from all over the world.
The original development was the Wildlife Zoo section, where you can follow the long loop and see everything from lemurs to lions and meerkats to monkeys.
There are also a few specialty adventures for an additional fee. One of the rides we really enjoyed was the African Safari Train. Once you board, you will be taken into a large area that resembles the plains of Africa dotted with many native African animals and birds. There is also an Australian boat ride where you can see kangaroos and emus. If you like aerial views, you can take an aerial Skyride that takes you over the park.
In addition to the petting zoo, there is also a large playground area and carousel for little ones.
The aquarium opened at the end of 2008 and it has added another exiting dimension to an already exciting Zoo. Several buildings house the aquarium and the diversity of species is fabulous. From large sharks to tiny seahorses and an albino alligator, there is something for everyone. To see the aquarium in a whole new way, buy your tickets for the log ride and hop on. Part of the ride includes going through a tunnel that cuts through the aquarium so you can enjoy the fish as you pass by.
There is an onsite restaurant called Tiburon, where you can watch the sharks swim by as you eat, as well as a few food and drink spots sprinkled throughout the park.
The Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium is great way for both young and old to spend the day. Plus, the aquarium stays open until 10PM.
More Information:
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium
16501 W. Northern Ave.
Litchfield Park, AZ 85340
623-935-WILD (9453)
http://www.wildlifeworld.com/
Zoo Hours: 9AM to 6PM.
Aquarium Hours: 9AM to 10PM
Here is the Scottsdale AZ Home Sales Update for the first six months of the year for the community of Whisper Rock in Scottsdale, Arizona. This information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 7/1/2009.
About Scottsdale's Whisper Rock: Whisper Rock is an elegant, luxury community located on 800 acres in North Scottsdale. At the end of June 2009, Whisper Rock home prices ranged from just under $1.8M up to $4.3M.
Home sites average two acres, allowing residents to enjoy privacy while still maintaining a sense of community. Home designs range from haciendas, to villas, to southwestern and more. Whisper Rock features a three acre park with BBQ facilities, a fitness center, tennis, basketball courts, hiking trails and other delightful amenities. In addition, Whisper Rock is guard-gated and the neighborhood is patrolled regularly.
The Whisper Rock Golf Club, featuring two courses designed by Phil Mickelson (Lower Course) and Tom Fazio (Upper Course), is available via invitation only. It is not tied to property ownership within Whisper Rock.
Read more about Whisper Rock.
View Whisper Rock Homes for Sale.
To see the original post, please visit Scottsdale Real Estate News & Lifestyle.
* Cumulative days on market.
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Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 7/1/2009 and can change at any time. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2009 Heather Tawes Nelson
Located in North Scottsdale, Pinnacle Peak is a favorite landmark that locals and visitors enjoy. Not only is it impressive to look at, you can also hike to the top and enjoy unobstructed, breathtaking views of Scottsdale and the Phoenix Valley.
Pinnacle Peak Park consists of 150 acres and is located west of Alma School Road and south of Dynamite Road. The hike is a total of 3.5 miles round trip and the change in elevation is about 1,300 feet. It is not designed as a loop, so the trail you enter on is the same trail you use to exit.
The hike is nice as it is not a pure vertical walk. Instead, there are several ups and downs along the trail which allow you to catch your breath a little bit before the next incline. The hike begins with a pretty vertical section until it starts to level out. It then reaches its highest point (2,889 feet) at almost 3/4 mile in. Although you do not climb to the top of the actual Pinnacle Peak (3,171 feet), the trail winds around it so you can enjoy the view.
If you are looking to learn more about what you are seeing, there are plenty of educational displays that describe the fauna, the history of the area and so on.
The trailhead features parking, restrooms, a water fountain, ramada and a few picnic tables. There are no facilities on the trail once you get started.
Hiking, horseback riding and rock climbing (in designated areas) are all permitted at Pinnacle Peak Park.
Information:
Pinnacle Peak Park
26802 N. 102nd Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85262
Pinnacle Peak Park Website
Pinnacle Peak Trail Map
Friends of Pinnacle Peak Park Website
Hours: 5:30AM - 7:30PM
Pets and bicycles are not allowed.
Local tip: You cannot access Pinnacle Peak off of Pinnacle Peak Road. Instead, you will need to use Happy Valley or Dynamite.
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