Papago Park Area (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe: real estate, neighborhoods, restaurants)

[Sampras]

I am moving to the papago park area in Phoenix and was wondering if you guys had any ideas of stuff to do in the area?

Thanks

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Sampras

I am moving to the papago park area in Phoenix and was wondering if you guys had any ideas of stuff to do in the area?

Thanks

Papago Park itself features the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden, the Papago golf course, and some relatively easy hiking and mountain biking trails. Beyond those attractions, the best feature of Papago Park is its central location. It's a short drive to Central Phoenix, Arcadia, Old Town Scottsdale, and Tempe, so you have ready access to the restaurants, bars, clubs, shopping, museums, and performing arts in those locations. For recreation, you'll be near Tempe Town Lake, as well Camelback Mountain, which offers much more rigorous hiking trails than those found at Papago.

[vegaspilgrim]

Papago Park is definitely a nice place to go for a picnic, urban fishing, a quick hike, or watch the sunset. It's centrally located between Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe, so it's very convenient. The main problem is the area, with beautiful red rock buttes, has been overdeveloped. The Phoenix Military Reservation is built right on the sight, not to mention ball fields, a zoo, a botanical garden, and a major SRP utility corridor. You won't get the sense of the wide open desert there. The neighborhoods surrounding the park are ok but not great, considering its prime location. There has been various talk, various plans over the years to remake Papago Park into a more unified, recognizable attraction, (ie. make it a real estate hotspot). Last year the Urban Land Institute was talking about turning it into Phoenix's equivalent of San Diego's Balboa Park. Personally, I wouldn't believe a word of it. The park is what it is. It isn't going to change any time soon.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Papago Park is definitely a nice place to go for a picnic, urban fishing, a quick hike, or watch the sunset. It's centrally located between Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe, so it's very convenient. The main problem is the area, with beautiful red rock buttes, has been overdeveloped. The Phoenix Military Reservation is built right on the sight, not to mention ball fields, a zoo, a botanical garden, and a major SRP utility corridor. You won't get the sense of the wide open desert there. The neighborhoods surrounding the park are ok but not great, considering its prime location. There has been various talk, various plans over the years to remake Papago Park into a more unified, recognizable attraction, (ie. make it a real estate hotspot). Last year the Urban Land Institute was talking about turning it into Phoenix's equivalent of San Diego's Balboa Park. Personally, I wouldn't believe a word of it. The park is what it is. It isn't going to change any time soon.

Looks like there is still some talk of enhancing the park and the surrounding area, but it's too early to tell what results will follow:

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/s...6/daily38.html

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/88321 (broken link)