Shopping

Parts of the Valley are like Beverly Hills with upscale shopping that draws visitors from around the world. But the Old West vibe of Cave Creek, the sprawling urban malls of Arrowhead Towne Center in Peoria, and the fun assortment of retail at Tempe Marketplace make the Valley a diverse shopping experience.

Scottsdale is probably the best shopping in the Valley, and the best shopping in Phoenix is closer to Scottsdale than anywhere else. Old Town offers dozens of jewelry stores, art galleries, and cool little Old West shops to spend hours in. Just north are Scottsdale Fashion Square and the Camelback Waterfront with some of those Rodeo Drive-type joints we mentioned earlier. North Scottsdale’s Kierland Commons area offers everything from Coach to the Apple Store.

Malls are a big part of the Valley’s shopping culture. Each community has its own. So if you’re staying in Mesa or Glendale, the Fiesta Malls and Westgates of the Valley world should carry what you’re looking for, mostly in the comfort of a clean air-conditioned venue. But the Valley also has its share of local shops and unique Arizona gift spots.

Shopping - The Arts

Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe have deep artistic traditions. Phoenix, for example, began building a foundation for arts and culture early in the 20th century. The Heard Museum opened in 1929 as perhaps the premier exhibition of Native American art, and the Phoenix Art Museum traces its beginnings to the 1930s. Frank Lloyd Wright and other creative thinkers have left their imprint in Scottsdale, while Arizona State University students have forged their own modern path at studios in Tempe and along the gritty art walks in revitalized neighborhoods in central Phoenix.

In this chapter we give an introduction to the arts—though a comprehensive listing would be longer than this book. There are also additional details on art museums, venues, and theater for kids in the Attractions and Kidstuff chapters.

Overview

Cowboy art is an important tradition in the Valley. The Cowboy Artists of America was founded in 1965 in Sedona, and its annual auction is a premier Valley art event. Modern art has found a haven here as well, but perhaps the best combination of the two styles is the work of Ed Mell. This Arizona native draws on Western themes for his cubist renditions in oil and bronze.

Another form of art that has allowed people around the world to enjoy Arizona’s natural wonders is photography. The photographers of the magazine Arizona Highways—in print for more than 85 years—have established the benchmark for this type of landscape work. Its first color cover featured a photograph taken by one of Arizona’s famous politicians, Barry Goldwater, who documented Native American life.

Theater is also huge in Phoenix, and the wide variety of venues provides national acts with plenty of options. Film, too, is a burgeoning medium in Phoenix as more filmmakers take advantage of better tax incentives than they have in California. Musicians and actors from the East and West coasts have made the area home, and the Valley scene has blossomed to include an estimated 60 professional and community theater companies, ranging from the mainstream to experimental. There are also active theater departments on the main and west campuses of Arizona State University. The film program at tiny Scottsdale Community College is regarded as one of the top film programs in the state, and Scottsdale also hosts the Phoenix Film Festival each year.

After many rough years, the Phoenix Symphony is in a period of relative financial stability that continues to draw residents regularly to the downtown Herberger Theater Center. Arizona Opera has gone beyond traditional performances to attract a new generation of fans. For those who like rock, pop, alternative, and New Age music, Phoenix has packed in more national acts than it has in years. It attracts most of the major tours, from the Rolling Stones to Kenny Chesney. The jazz scene also sizzles, thanks to local music promoters who bring in regional and national artists known for classic jazz, easy-listening jazz, Dixieland, and other styles.

Outside the Valley, art also flourishes. To the north, Sedona is home to approximately 200 working artists, many of whom have fled urban areas to draw inspiration from the town’s red-rock vistas. Jerome, near Sedona, and Bisbee to the south are both former mining towns that have also retooled themselves as art communities. Tourists find plenty to see and do in these areas.