Scottsdale : Arizona

Scottsdale is a popular winter vacation of Arizona and is popularly known as the "Valley of the Sun." Scottsdale which started as a small farming community is now a vibrant city of more than 200,000 residents covering nearly 200 square miles. The community was named for Army Chaplain Winfield Scott, who settled here in 1888. It is bordered by the city of Phoenix and town of Paradise Valley to the west, Tempe to the south, and Fountain Hills to the east. It is a major tourist attraction and has been described by many as “The West's Most Western Town." Its many golf courses and resorts attract visitors from around the world. Some of other reasons for tourists visiting Scottsdale are art galleries, purple shadowed mountains, and pastel landscapes, the lively restaurants, nightclubs, and cultural and sporting events. Besides its flourishing tourist industry it has also become a diverse high technology center and a fast recognized leader in health care and medical research. It offers a vast array of recreational activities including biking, hiking, white water rafting, horseback riding, and ballooning. Scottsdale has its own symphony orchestra. Scottsdale is a city in Maricopa County, in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area.
The climate of Scottsdale is largely hot and arid with mild and moderate winters and hot summers.

Area: 184.5 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 1,250 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 51.2° F; July, 91.2° F; annual average, 70.3° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 7.05 inches

Population: 226,013 (as on July 2005)

Local festivals include:

    * McDowell Mountain Music Festival

    * Paradise Valley Jazz Party

Website: www.scottsdaleaz.gov/site4.aspx