Most golf vacations are pretty predictable. You get up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and a quick bite to eat, and head to the course. After a good round, you shake hands on the 18th green and head into the bar to tally the damages and share a cold beer. Fortunately, the itinerary can be a little more exciting in Scottsdale. Not only does the city boast some of the best golf venues in the world, but it’s dining, nightlife and entertainment offerings make it the perfect destination for golf travelers looking for the total vacation package.
FOOD, FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
Scottsdale has seen a celebrity chef invasion the past few years with notable names opening high-end steakhouses in a city known for its luxury cache. The first to plant his roots in Scottsdale was two-time James Beard Award Winner Michael Mina with BOURBON STEAK at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (http://ift.tt/1disZIM), which delivers contemporary steakhouse cuisine with classic American side dishes like black truffle macaroni and cheese. Hot on Mina’s heels was the notable Chef Laurent Touroundel, acclaimed as a “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine magazine, with BLT Steak at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (www.camelbackinn.com). And rounding out the trio is Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who opened his first-ever Arizona location of J&G Steakhouse at The Phoenician (http://ift.tt/U3fte2). The menu is designed specifically for Scottsdale and features premium meat and fish and an extensive cocktail list.
After playing a memorable round amidst jaw-dropping mountain vistas at the award-winning We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (www.wekopa.com), head to Ahnala Mesquite Room Restaurant at the We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center (www.wekoparesort.com) for adventurous fare and bold beverages. The restaurant’s eclectic menu features local American Indian dishes with several house specialties featuring citrus, pecans and herbs grown locally at the neighboring Fort McDowell Farms on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. For another option that focuses on mouth-watering flavors from the rugged Southwest, check out Roaring Fork (www.roaringfork.com). Here, Old West recipes like wood-grilled steaks are top items on the menu. Besides being known for great food, Roaring Fork is famous for its happy hour with tempting drinks like the Huckleberry Frozen Margarita.
These days, golfers don’t have to stray far from the course to sip and sample savory bites. Celebrity Chef Richard Sandoval recently took over the reins at TPC Scottsdale’s (http://ift.tt/17XZY2L) clubhouse signature restaurant Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar (http://ift.tt/1OrHh7S). Sandoval’s Pan Latin cuisine capitalizes on the flavors of Central and South America with small plates designed for sharing and a selection of 110 rums. Isabella’s Kitchen (http://ift.tt/1Mqk5Iv) at Grayhawk Golf Club (www.grayhawkgolf.com) also is sure to impress. Styled after an Italian country bistro, all items from Isabella’s are made from-scratch and feature local, seasonal ingredients. Sit indoors or in the courtyard at a fireside picnic table with views of Grayhawk’s Talon course. Taste test Arizona brews at Relish Burger Bistro, tucked into the second story of The Phoenician’s (http://ift.tt/U3fte2) clubhouse. True to its name, Relish features a wide selection of oh-so-tasty burgers, tater tots, milkshakes and draft beers that will leave you wanting to come back for another round, so to speak.
RAISING THE BAR ON NIGHTLIFE
Experience the Old West at Rusty Spur Saloon (http://ift.tt/17VeYMF) housed in the original location of the Farmer’s State Bank of Scottsdale, a building constructed in 1921. In 1933, the bank closed for a holiday and never reopened. The old vaults remain in their original place and have now been converted to a refrigerator unit for storing the bar’s selection of beverages. Then sip on some moonshine – Apple Pie Moon Shine to be exact – at Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse (http://ift.tt/1Mqk5Iz) in downtown while sampling a variety of tasty pork delights with the Bacon Board.
Sample some local suds on Scottsdale’s ale trail in downtown. After a day at the course, walk, bike or take the trolley during a day of sipping, savoring and inadvertent spilling at Sip Coffee & Beer House (http://ift.tt/1EIPWhX), a restaurant and bar that feels like your best friend’s backyard. Then make your way to the all-new Goldwater Brewing (http://ift.tt/1EbbQZ4), which opened its doors in May 2015. Grab a souvenir growler to go at Two Brothers (http://ift.tt/LpTlf1), a family-run brewery that offers up eight year-round beers, eight seasonal beers, three artisan beers, and barrel-aged sours.
RELAX AND RECOVER
The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (http://ift.tt/1fWlXal) is a relaxation hub offering an extensive array of innovative spa treatments like the Golfer’s Massage. The treatment incorporates stretching techniques with the kneading of tight muscles with warmed golf balls to alleviate tension and stiffness while keeping golfers at the peak of their game.
The hip, not-your-spa-next-door Bliss Spa at the W Scottsdale (http://ift.tt/IthzU9) features seven treatment rooms, grass (yes, grass) tiled steam showers, and the legendary brownie buffet in its relaxation room. The spa’s deep tissue Extreme Sports Massage is an intensive, deep-reaching treatment that helps relieve stubborn knots and chronic tension associated with an athlete’s often rigorous workout routine.
OFF THE COURSE AND INTO THE WILD
Adventure lovers can get their kicks at Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve (http://ift.tt/1bRTNfM), which is home to 30,200 acres of protected Sonoran Desert land. There, you can experience the natural environment through hiking, biking and horseback riding. Other hot spots for free outdoor adventure include the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, Piestewa Peak and Pinnacle Peak Park. Canyoneering might be a new word for your vocabulary, but 360 Adventures (http://ift.tt/1bRTPnQ) guarantees that just one experience will have you hooked. The journey takes visitors to the Roosevelt Lake area for hiking, wading, swimming, scrambling and rappelling excursions through one of geology’s most impressive feats, a canyon. Professional guides navigate guests through spectacular chasms as they encounter the stunning elements.
Learn to rope and ride with the best of ‘em at Arizona Cowboy College (http://ift.tt/1fWlWTM) where you’ll gain first-hand insight into the true cowboy life. Participants sleep in a bunkhouse for two nights while learning the ropes of horsemanship and participate in rigorous classes about cattle. Then, they trade in their cot for a few nights on the desert floor under starry skies and partake in on-the-range lessons about cutting, branding, inoculating, dehorning and driving cattle on working ranches.
The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving (www.bondurant.com) is the largest purpose-built facility in North America featuring a 1.6-mile road course and an 8-acre paddock. There’s no better way to satisfy the need for speed than driving door-handle to door-handle at 100 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Corvette or Camaro. Experience the art of high-performance driving and maybe even drive from zero to 60 in less than four seconds. Octane Raceway(http://ift.tt/1fWlWTJ) offers is an indoor and outdoor kart racing and entertainment venue offering high-speed European kart racing.
During the fall, winter and spring, climb aboard Desert Splash Adventure’s (http://ift.tt/1fWlWmJ) Cessna Caravan Amphibious Seaplane for an excursion that begins at Scottsdale Airport and snakes its way through the Salt River canyons and lakes for a bird’s eye view of the rugged, breathtaking terrain that lies 20 miles east of Scottsdale. In just over an hour, you’ll have soared through Salt River Canyon and over Roosevelt Dam and “The Spires,” a rugged sand castle-like rock formation that’s tucked deep inside the Superstition Mountains. You’ll even experience a water landing when the seaplane touches down on the surface of Roosevelt Lake.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura McMurchie, Vice President of Communications
Tel: 480-429-2253
E-mail: lmcmurchie@scottsdalecvb.com
Megan Neighbor, Director of Communications
Tel: 480-889-2716
E-mail: mneighbor@scottsdalecvb.com
Stephanie Pressler, Communications Manager
Tel: 480-889-2719
E-mail: spressler@scottsdalecvb.com
Visit us at http://ift.tt/1disXR3
Jerry Rose, Vice President of Communication Links
Tel: 480-348-7540
E-mail: jrose@commlinks.com
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