Each year, Experience Scottsdale profiles a selection of local celebrities, from restaurateurs and sports figures to artists and adventurers for our Destination Guide. We invite you to meet this year’s luminaries and find out what they have to say about living, working and enjoying life in Scottsdale.

Zev Nadler is owner of Desert Wolf Tours.

Request your free destination guide for Scottsdale, Arizona today!

Tags: Desert Wolf Tours, Destination Guide, Tomcars, Zev Nadler

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Starting tonight, you can take in art all weekend long with the Glass Act ArtWalk and the Scottsdale Arts Festival.  After all the rain we’ve been having (which has made the desert gloriously green), its going to be a sun-filled weekend so you can be sure to soak up some rays while soaking up great art.

Tonight marks the 2nd Annual Glass Act ArtWalk, which is the kick-off event to this festival weekend.  Art will take center stage along Main Street and Marshall Way, and glass will be in the spotlight at this unique event featuring more than 20 exhibitors.  There will also be live music and artist demonstrations (which are really fun because they use fire) staged throughout  the Arts District.  The event takes place from 7-9 pm on Thursday, March 11 and is compeletely free.  Be sure to come early and grab a bite to eat (and do some great people watching as well) before browsing through the galleris.  Not familiar with the Arts District?  Click here for a map.

After you’ve become an expert in glass, expand your horizons by checking out the 40th Annual Scottsdale Arts Fesival, which takes place this weekend at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.  Gates will be open Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm.  Consistently recognized as one of the top in the country, The Scottsdale Arts Festival features more than 200 jury-selected artists from throughout North America to display and sell their work at this three-day event. In addition to an assortment of the finest arts and crafts, attendees can enjoy live entertainment and music, tasty food and beverages, interactive public art, fun art activities for children and families, an online art auction and much more. A $7 admission fee also gets visitors free admission to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), free parking and shuttle service. For more Festival information visit www.scottsdaleartsfestival.org or call 480-994-ARTS.

Tags: Art, Arts Festival, Artwalk, Festival ArtWalk, Glass Act, Glass Act ArtWalk, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, SMoCA

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Well known for world class resorts, Scottsdale also offers some of the most luxurious vacation home rentals in the country. Today’s blog post comes to us by guest author, Spencer Farnsworth of Arizona Lodging Experts. Below, Spencer describes one of the properties you can rent during your stay in Scottsdale.

This great Scottsdale vacation rental is one of our premiere homes. This four bedroom home is comfy and cozy, offering plenty of light through the many picture windows throughout. In the living room, enjoy watching TV or movies on the large flat screen TV with 5.1 surround sound. The spacious floor plan provides everyone in your family or party to enjoy their own time. The gorgeous gourmet kitchen has granite countertops and awesome stainless steel appliances. Cooking while on vacation won’t be a chore in this bright kitchen. You will have plenty of space to move around, cook, and entertain while you’re at it! Travertine marble tile flooring throughout the home adds a special touch of sophistication.

The real gem of this home is the pool area. The waterfall feature and multi colored pool lights add a richness to the exterior that you just have to experience on your own! The fogging system creates a fine mist on the top of the water that is so serene; you might just want to stay outside. That’s all possible since there is a stainless steel bbq grill, fire pit, and a smoker, so you can barbeque to your heart’s content. This is the perfect summer Arizona vacation home for just that reason. You can have a relaxing day by the pool followed by an evening of dining, drinks, and friends. Sitting under the stars in the in ground Jacuzzi won’t be too bad, either!

The master suite has a king bed and huge flat screen TV. The master bath features a two person Jacuzzi tub, walk in shower, and double sinks. The other lush guest bedrooms have queen beds and their own bathrooms.

Inquire about this cute, comfy, and cozy home located right in the heart of Scottsdale, within minutes of shopping, dining, and entertainment!

Inquire about this home today – contact the Arizona vacation experts!

Tags: Scottsdale Vacation Rental

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Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by David Porter.  David runs a travel blog, The Roaming Boomers, where David’s wife, Carol,  and David share their own insiders view of Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Arizona.

One of the great benefits of visiting Scottsdale, Arizona is the vast array of breathtaking, long range panoramas available.

These views are especially plentiful with a healthy hike on one of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve’s hiking trails. Best of all, this is all done right here in the city limits!

With the fairly recent addition of the Tom’s Thumb Trail, my wife and I decided to climb up the back (north) side of this prominent Scottsdale landmark. You can get to this particular section of the trail via Happy Valley Road. Here is a map for your reference.

This particular trail is about 4.5 miles round trip. During the journey you will climb a little over 800 ft., with 1350 ft. of accumulated gain. The trails are very well manicured, and will be easy hiking except for the elevation gains.

Young people with young bones will find this easy hiking. Baby boomers can certainly enjoy this hike as well, you just may want to allow some extra time to catch your breath from time to time. We took our time, enjoyed the scenery, had a picnic at the top, and found ourselves back to our car in 4 1/2 hours.

We didn’t take the time to scope it out, but you may want to look around the summit area for the Ogre’s Den. This is a natural cave that was formed by one of the fallen massive granite boulders, and provides hikers a mysterious place to explore.

When hiking in the arid climate of the Sonoran desert, it is imperative that you follow a few critical rules:

• Let someone know where you are going, and when they can expect your return.
• Make certain that you have protected yourself from the sun with a good sunscreen and hat.
• Make absolutely certain that you have a least 2 liters of water/person for this hike. We both had two liters on our backs, and we were bone dry by the time we got back to the bottom.

If you prefer a little easier hike, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve has over 14,000 scenic acres with a trail for every taste.

In closing, it would be nearly criminal to visit Scottsdale and not get some cowboy dust on your shoes while hiking one of our beautiful trails. By all means, leave some time in your schedule for a day hike!

Tags: McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Roaming Boomers, Tom's Thumb Trail

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Each year, Experience Scottsdale profiles a selection of local celebrities, from restaurateurs and sports figures to artists and adventurers for our Destination Guide. We invite you to meet this year’s luminaries and find out what they have to say about living, working and enjoying life in Scottsdale.

Stan Utley is golf instructor at Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Golf Club.

Request your free destination guide for Scottsdale, Arizona today!

Tags: Golf, Grayhawk Golf Club, PGA Pro, Stan Utley

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Head to the sunny Sonoran Desert for unbeatable 70-degree weather, America’s favorite pastime, and an unforgettable experience in downtown Scottsdale. Starting today, the San Francisco Giants take the mound at Scottsdale Stadium for 15 home games for the 2010 season of Cactus League spring training.  Below is your ultimate guide experiencing spring training and making the most out of your afternoons

Come Early, Stay Late:
With more than 90 restaurants and 50+ lounges, bars and nightclubs within walking distance of the stadium, downtown Scottsdale delivers the ultimate spring training experience. It’s an urban destination with all of the fun and frills of a big city but in a jaw-dropping dramatic desert setting.  There’s no doubt that you’ll want to carve out some time to explore downtown Scottsdale and spend time with other spring training fans, who are most likely doing the same thing.  For a list of activities and businesses in the downtown are, please visit www.ScottsdaleDowntown.com.

Lawn Spaces or VIP Places – You Choose the Experience:
One of the best things about spring training at the Scottsdale Stadium is that you get to choose how, and from where, you watch the game.  There are lawn seats, stadium seats, box seats and VIP seats available for every game, with prices ranging from $7 – $100. 

To purchase tickets for lawn/stadium/box seats, please click here.  The lawn is a great option if you’re heading out with a group of friends and don’t mind bringing along a blanket or two to sit on.  Be prepared for fun-loving crowds and less emphasis on intently watching the game.  If you’re a bit more serious about the game and want to experience spring training as you would a regular season game, consider purchasing stadium or box seats.

And for those looking to make a VIP experience out of a day at the stadium, The Charro Lodge is the place for you!  True baseball fans can get in the middle of the action in this VIP area, located adjacent to the Giants’ bullpen in right field, with catered food and beverages in a relaxed atmosphere complete with a lounge area and live music at select games. Daily passes for the Lodge range from $85 to $100 based on game date, and Pavilion passes are $125 per person.

Get into More than Just the Game:
There are lots of other ways to experience baseball during March than attending the game.  Check out some of the below activities and events that will keep baseball alive long after the final inning.

The inaugural Woodjock concert aims to be a first in music and sports history with athletes and their celebrity friends showcasing their major-league flair on a new field – the stage. Headlined by Chicago White Sox ace Jake Peavy, the event takes place at The Venue on March 11 with ticket prices starting at $30.

You’ll have to head out of Scottsdale for this one, but if you want to see some great history on the Cactus League in the Valley, be sure to check out Play Ball, The Cactus League Experience exhibit. Now in its new home in the Arizona Youth Museum in Downtown Mesa, Play Ball tells the story of the Cactus League and spring training in Mesa and the Phoenix area. Cubs artifacts are abundant in the exhibit, as they should be.

For more information on spring training in Scottsdale, please visit www.PlayBallinScottsdale.com or call 480-421-1004.

Tags: Cactus League, Giants, San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale Spring Training, SF Giants, Spring Training, Spring Training Activities, Spring Training Scottsdale

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One of the largest all-breed dog shows west of the Mississippi River will take place this weekend at WestWorld of Scottsdale, with more than 150 breeds of dogs in competition.   The Fiesta Cluster Dog Show is a perfect event for the whole family, and allows the public a chance to see  over 3000 dogs from across the country compete at the Southwest’s largest dog show on grass. 

Agile show dogs compete for five days for top honors in a number of obedience and agility trials, preceded by one
day of independent specialty shows and a terrier group show.  Some come to compete just for fun, while others see it as an opportunity to train for other, upcoming dog shows. 

Though no dogs will be sold during the it is considered a good opportunity for the public to see a number of different dog breeds on display to determine whether a certain breed would be a good fit in a particular family’s home.  The public will also have the opportunity all week to microchip their dogs. The cost is $25 to ensure their dog is safely returned if it runs away or becomes lost. Additionally, a DNA testing event, which costs $35, is available all week to determine the dog’s breed.

There is no cost to enter, and no ticket required.  However, attendess will need to pay $5 for a parking fee at WestWorld ($5 for the whole family is pretty reasonable, if you ask me).

You can find more information online at www.fiestacluster.com

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Here is some video we got our hands on from the 2010 Parada Del Sol Rodeo which took place at WestWorld in Scottsdale. These are clips from the bull riding competition held Friday, February 26th through Sunday February 28th. Enjoy!

Tags: Cowboy, Parada del Sol, Rodeo

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Free golf activities will include on-site instruction from more than 20 area PGA Professionals

A fun-filled day of free golf activities will be held during PGA Play Golf America Day at the McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, on Sunday March 21, 2010. Created to showcase the game of golf in a fun and relaxed atmosphere,

The event will run from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm. It is designed to provide free expert instruction to golfers of all ages and skill levels, introduce new golfers to the game and provide equipment testing from the best brands in golf today.

Highlighting the day will include:

• Free Instruction
• Golf Clinics
• First Swing Clinics for beginners
• 10-minute tune-ups
• Demonstrations on all facets of the game regardless of skill level

Instruction will be provided by more than 20 PGA Professionals from throughout the Southwest Section of the PGA.

Several of the golf industry’s leading equipment manufacturers will be on-site, including:

• Adams
• Bridgestone
• Cobra
• Callaway
• Nike
• Ping
• Taylor Made
• Titleist and more

Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to gather information on some of today’s most exciting golf participation programs that are part of the Play Golf America initiative, including Get Golf Ready, PGA Free Lesson Month, Women’s Golf Week, July is Family Golf Month, Take Your Daughter to the Course and Bring Your Kids to the Range.

“The PGA Play Golf America Day at McCormick Ranch Golf Club will be a terrific golf experience for players of all levels,” said Curt Hudek, Executive Director, Southwest Section PGA. “From avid golfers, to golf enthusiasts and newcomers to the game, this event will provide a fun-filled atmosphere that combines instruction, product testing, skills contests and some great golf giveaways.”

For more information on the PGA Play Golf America Day at McCormick Ranch Golf Club on March 21, log on to http://www.playgolfamerica.com/index.cfm?action=days_list or call the club at 480-948-0260.

Tags: Golf Instruction, McCormick Ranch Golf Club, Play Golf America, Southwest Section of the PGA

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