For retail therapy, spas and nightlife, there's sprawling Scottsdale - which stretches from Tempe to the Tonto National Forest and boasts more than 5,500 boutiques and shops.
Dining isn't just about eating in Scottsdale. It's central to the nightlife, with people eating and later migrating over to the bar to be seen and enjoy drinks.
On our most recent visit, we started with brunch at Bacon, shopped in Old Town, hung out at Coach House and Trader Vic's and finished with dinner at Sam Fox's Culinary Dropout in Scottsdale Fashion Square. All are affordable and within a couple of miles of one another.
We also included a few other favorites that will fill you up and make for a satisfying summer weekend.
Bacon
1-480-947-3090
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4175 N. Goldwater Blvd.
At the very least, this breakfast and lunch place has a great name.
Add a very friendly, laid-back staff, and you've got a great place for brunch.
If you can't endure the heat at the recently opened patio seating, plop down at the horseshoe-shaped bar or one of the booths. Floor-to-ceiling windows slide wide open.
Try The Canuck ($9.95). Layers of Canadian bacon, scrambled eggs and honey mustard were slathered on an English muffin, which was helpfully cut in half and speared with toothpicks. The rest of the plate comes loaded with baked beans and home fries.
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Coach House
7011 E. Indian School Road
1-480-990-3433
Coach House is touted as Scottsdale's oldest bar at 51 years old (The Rusty Spur calls itself Scottsdale's oldest saloon).
"You haven't been to Scottsdale until you've been to the Coach House," said Thomas Mangan, 45, a patron who who works in law enforcement. "It's more than a neighborhood bar; it's an institution."
This unassuming wood bar - not quite a dive, but oh-so-close - caters to everyone from college students to, as Mangan describes them, "some of the biggest businesspeople in Arizona."
You'll rub elbows with an extremely friendly group of regulars, some of whom call Sundays their "board meetings."
Misters provide a cooling respite to the convivial crowds that mill around mostly outside, watching golf on the televisions and drinking inexpensive liquor.
The free food is just an added bonus.
For a couple of hours starting at about 2 p.m. Sundays, there's a free barbecue (servers work for tips, however). On the day we went, people ate from heaping plates of chicken mole and rice, though regulars swear by the jalapeño cheeseburger.
"It's a quality meal for almost free," said first-timer Jeana Trifle, nodding at a tip jar full of singles and the occasional $5 bill. "Just be sure and tip."
• Hours: 6 a.m.-2 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Sundays.
Culinary Dropout
7135 E. Camelback Road
1-480-970-1700
Sam Fox has sprinkled some restaurant magic in Scottsdale, too.
Located by Fashion Square Mall and just down the way from another Fox restaurant, Modern Steak, Culinary Dropout is an impressive space with an eclectic menu that serves $12 to $21 entrees.
Dark wood floors and tables, comfy chairs surrounded round and square tables, and dim lighting from a series of giant chandeliers bounced off the purple and gray walls.
Ever-present misters keep the outdoor seating tolerable in the evenings.
People recently gathered one evening to watch an NCAA basketball game from the giant big-screen in the front of the restaurant.
Real estate agent Tanya Sinadinos, 41, goes to Culinary Dropout to meet people and sip on $10 Brazilianaires, a mixture of Cabana Cachaca (Brazil's national spirit), lemon juice, orange juice and pomegranate foam.
She also likes the 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday happy hour, which features "genuinely cheap food" such as $5 crispy shrimp, $4 cheese fries and $2.50 grilled cheese sliders. A $4 wine cooler or a $1.95 "paper bag beer special" of a can of perhaps Pabst Blue Ribbon will round out the meal.
"I love the vibe here," Sinadinos said. "It's really hip and friendly, and the specials are pretty great."
On Culinary Dropout's regular menu, fancy is bundled with familiar, such as a Chilled Oysters ($12) appetizer and Yesterday's Soup ($7).
The ricotta gnocchi ($14) was an entree that arrived with plump mushrooms, chunks of sausage and shaved parmesan. It was a creamy, savory dish.
• Hours: Menu is served from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.. The bar is open and an antipasti menu is offered until about midnight.
Devil's Martini Old Town
4175 N. Goldwater Blvd.
1-480-947-7171.
The indoor-outdoor Devil's Martini Old Town looks like a trendy beach house, with its white couches and cabanas. Check out the dance floor, or hang out on one of the comfy seats.
• Hours: 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Fiesta Fridays
At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess 7575 E. Princess Drive
1-480-585-4848
Fiesta Fridays take place at the resort's recently reopened La Hacienda restaurant.
From 5:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays through Sept. 6, gorge on suckling pig, meet the tortilla-maker and enjoy mariachi music - all for $29.
This all-you-can-eat fiesta includes a "tequila goddess" who educates people on the liquor and sells flights of three tequilas for $13-$16. Choose from 120-plus varieties of tequila.
Trader Vic's
6850 E. Main St.
1-480-421-7799.
Near Coach House is Hotel Valley Ho, an older hotel with a fun Polynesian-style bar inside called Trader Vic's. Think Kon Tiki but bigger.
Check out Acoustic Soul Nights at the bar from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays and 8 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through the end of July.
Music is by producer, singer and songwriter Myles David Lancette, whose work is described as a blend of John Mayer, Stevie Wonder and Coldplay.
Patrons belly up to Trader Vic's large bar with its tiki touches. Happy hour prices are taken from the 1950s and include $1 hummus, $2 Chinese pork sliders and $3 6-ounce Chinese oven-roasted Maui burger with bok choi slaw and sweet potato fries. Happy hour specials are available 4 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. daily.
• Hours: 5-11 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays
W Scottsdale
7277 E. Camelback Road
1-480-970-2100
The W Scottsdale is home to Sunset Beach, the Miami-esque Shade and the lobby bar the Living Room. The rooftop Sunset Beach is poolside and has cabanas with flat-screens and Wi Fi.
Things to do
Scottsdale ArtWalk
This more than 30-year-old event takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays mostly along Main Street and Marshall Way in downtown Scottsdale, which is home to about 100 art galleries.
A larger Summer Spectacular ArtWalk takes place July 8 with music, art and prize-filled ice sculptures.
Scottsdale Fashion Square
7014 E. Camelback Road.
1-480-941-2140
The largest mall in the Southwest recently welcomed Barneys New York and the country's first Microsoft store to the mall. H&M, the Swedish retailer known for trendy clothing and accessories, will open this fall.
You'll find more than 90 restaurants and 50-plus lounges, bars and nightclubs within walking distance of the mall.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
7374 E. Second St.
1-480-874-4666
Located in Old Town, the museum features modern art, architecture and design. The building is a former movie theater that offers a variety of exhibitions and events. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, it's free to enter. Otherwise, it's $7; $5 for students; and free for kids up to 14.
Scottsdale Trolley
The trolley is free and hits many of the must-see spots in the area. Along the way, you'll notice more than 20 public artworks downtown.
Trolleys leave every 15 minutes from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, and 11 a.m to 6 p.m. the rest of the week (excluding federal holidays).
The trolley stops at Old Town, Main Street Arts District, Marshall Way Arts District, Fifth Avenue Shops, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Waterfront and SouthBridge.
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