Phoenix/Scottsdale

The sun always seems to shine on the world-class golf destination that is Phoenix/Scottsdale.

A wonderful climate keeps the golf business humming in Arizona year-round. The average high in the winter months of December and January of 68 degrees caters to snowbirds. Golfers on a budget tend to play during summer when the 100-degree heat knocks rates down 50 percent or more.

Golfers love how the velvety green fairways of area's 200-plus courses look so cool cut out against the rough, rocky terrain of the Sonoran Desert. There are dozens of must-play golf courses, from the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, home to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, to the Monument and Pinnacle Courses at Troon North, and the Talon and Raptor Courses at Grayhawk Golf Club, a place associated with Phil Mickelson.

Access to all these tee times is easy, considering the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport sits centrally located between the two cities.

Scottsdale is hardwired toward keeping tourists happy. This affluent city ranks third, after New York City and Las Vegas, respectively, for having the most AAA Five-Diamond hotels and resorts in the United States. The Phoenician, Camelback Inn, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa in nearby Carefree, and the Fairmont Princess Resort and Spa have all been so honored in recent years. All these resorts add up to more spas per capita than anywhere in the country. If you can't relax here, then you're out of luck.

The culturally rich Scottsdale includes more than 125 professional art galleries and studios, rivaling trendy Santa Fe, N.M., and even New York City. There's something always cooking in town: an annual auto show in January, a culinary festival in April, a film festival in September-October, and a fashion week in November.

Scottsdale gives off a party vibe without being over the top like Las Vegas. Bars and restaurants are aplenty, all supported by the region's avid sports scene. The NBA's Phoenix Suns, the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, the NFL's Phoenix Cardinals and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks (and don't overlook the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury) keep fans cheering in every season.

For those looking to get away from the crush of these sprawling metropolises, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing are all nearby at the Camelback Mountain or the McDowell Mountains in the McDowell-Sonoran Preserve. Lakes tucked inside desert canyons are great for boating and fishing.

Families will enjoy the 1,300 animals at the Phoenix Zoo or go wild at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, where animals roam free and up close.

Whatever you do, be sure to put on the sun block. It's a must when visiting the "Valley of the Sun."