Let's talk about Arrowhead: What is there to do for 20 somethings? (Phoenix: apartment, hotel)

[zona2OC]

Hey all,

I'm looking to move back to PHX from So Cal within the next couple months. I was looking to buy first house up in arrowhead around 101 and 59th-75th or so.

The one major concern I've had is that everytime I visit the area and spend a few days there I have trouble finding anything entertaining to do close by.

We've ended up always going to Mill, Old Town, downtown phx, or Westgate, which is a little discouraging. Im sure after a year or two it will get old if we have to drive 30 miles anytime we want to have fun. I work from home so its not like I'm moving to be close to work.

Hoping some locals can help shed some light here.


Secondary request:
Everything in the area looks cookie cutter for the most part (which is fine) but Id like a little bigger yard and a little smaller house compared to many of the subdivisions that have everything slammed together where I could shake my neighbors hand from our bedrooms. Looking to spend 150-200k for a 3/2. Any areas in glendale/peoria that could fall into that space? I've been trying to find golf villas or other smaller homes with potentially a little more space.

Appreciate the feedback!

[HX_Guy]

Why are you set on the Arrowhead/North Peoria area?

I've lived here most of my life, am past my 20s now, but still only 31, and can tell you there really isn't anything up here to do. There are a couple sushi places we frequent from time to time but come the weekend, we always drive out to Central/Downtown Phoenix or somewhere in Scottsdale.

[zona2OC]

GF is at Midwestern for the next 3 years so I don't really want her to have to drive a ton to get to school, but its starting to sound like we may need to look to be a little more centrally located and compromise on the drive to work/drive to fun dilemma.

[Finger Laker]

not true at all ... I lived in arrowhead in my mid-20s and loved it .... your budget for home ownership may be a slight issue though to meet all your requests in that area

the big question is what do you like to do? what type of places do you like to frequent?

[HX_Guy]

What did you do in your 20s in the Arrowhead area that you loved? Honestly I can't think of much, but it depends on what you like to do.

[Sco]

Finding a big lot with a small house in the 150-200k range that is close to fun things to do is going to be nearly impossible. At that price, you will have no choice but to look out on the fringes of the metro area. I think that you will either have to compromise on the house or you will end up much further out than Arrowhead.

[Finger Laker]

yeah - it all depends on the people

I liked the bars/restaurants in the area .... good sports bar to watch NFL on Sundays (couldn't get DTV in my apartment), liked the proximity to the mall & shopping (could walk to the mall), loved the monastery (although that is now a salty senorita), spring training and AZ Fall League baseball .... various community festivals at the sports complex ... like movies so having both an AMC & a Harkins in the immediate area was nice

easy drive to desert ridge & north scottsdale .... easy drive to the stadiums ... easy drive to downtown glendale and their festivals/shops/restaurants

some decent local parks that were good for recreation

a good mix of people .... actual single young people around and I had a few friends at midwestern

everything was very convenient and there was plenty to do and it was close to a lot more ... quite a few of the places I would go to are now gone, but new things are there as well

our apartment had some nice pool facilities as well ... so when not working we would either go do something or just hang out at the pool

[zona2OC]

As far as things to do... same as most 20 somethings probably:

Cool places to have drinks with friends
Interesting hipster joints to try food-wise (like in central phx)
Basically... any nightlife that excludes the club scene (not a fan)
Parks, parades, picnics... who knows...

One of my favorite places ive been in the valley is big bang on mill. Sit and have drinks with friends and enjoy the pianos and the scene... nothing crazy.


@sco: When I say large lot, Im thinking more like a 1500 sqft house on a ~8000 sqft lot (1/5th an acre) ... not gigantic, just not so small I feel claustrophobic in my own backyard.

@finger: Thanks, thats the kind of stuff im interested in and trying to find for the most part.

[Finger Laker]

Won't have as much as the cool/hipster places as you would in central phoenix - there are some good places though and you can get a decent mix - especially if you stretch into glendale a little

There is a shout house in Westgate that is a dueling piano bar - Skye in Arrowhead has music and such, but is a bit of a more pricey/formal feel to it

I really do not like clubs - I like to have some drinks & hang - there are a variety of good bars for that, including some that are just in the strip malls

You're probably going to be looking at a situation of tradeoffs one direction or another ... doesn't sound like the completely ideal situation is out there - but you could do a lot worse than arrowhead

[HX_Guy]

I guess the area is good for those types of activities, spring training, sports bars, movie theaters.

I prefer more trendy/happening places and this area is not that. We usually like to go to places like The Vig/Postino's in Central Phoenix, or Tanzy/Narcisse/True Food in North Scottsdale, Arrogant Butcher/Lucky Strike/Hanny's/Cibo in Downtown Phoenix or Sushi Roku/W Hotel/The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale.