If you’re in search of a destination that offers art, culture, history, and excitement, Scottsdale, Arizona should definitely be on your list. Scottsdale has so many things to do and experience, including shopping, dining, art, top-notch golf courses and breathtaking natural landscapes.
But before you pack your bags or hop in your car, here are fifteen fun facts about Scottsdale that you might not know.
- Scottsdale was originally named Orangedale by its founder, Albert G. Utley. He chose this name because of the area’s reputation for citrus fruits. However, he later changed it to Scottsdale after a newspaper article misidentified his town as the one owned by Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain who ran a nearby citrus grove.
- Scottsdale is known as “The West’s Most Western Town” because of its rich heritage and cowboy culture. Every year, the city hosts the Parada del Sol, a huge rodeo event that features horse-drawn parades, bull riding, and calf roping.
- Scottsdale, and Arizona, do not observe Daylight Savings Time, unlike most American states. Instead, you will find Mountain Standard Time year-round.
- Scottsdale has an average of 314 sunny days per year, making it one of the sunniest places in the country, meaning you can enjoy outdoor activities almost any day of the year.
- Scottsdale has more than 70 art galleries and museums, making it a haven for artists and art lovers alike.
- Desert Ivy League: Scottsdale’s Arizona Cowboy College is where the spirit of the Wild West meets academia, offering a curriculum in ranching and rodeo skills.
- Golf’s Grand Gathering: The Phoenix Open welcomed a record-breaking crowd, hosting nearly 180,000 golf enthusiasts in a single day. (It will be interesting to see where we land this year!)
- Trash Tech Pioneers: The innovative robotic arms that grace modern garbage trucks, making refuse collection a breeze, were conceived in Scottsdale.
- Surprise Seaside Proximity: Despite its desert location, Scottsdale is a mere four-hour drive from the ocean.
- Architectural Heritage: Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural genius is woven into the city’s fabric, with his designs dotting the landscape and his legacy cemented on a downtown street.
- The Pony Express Lives On: This annual event features the Hashknife Pony Express where riders deliver mail by horseback from Holbrook to Scottsdale, preserving a historic tradition since 1958.
- Cactus Treats: Treat yourself to prickly pear ice cream, a deliciously unique treat derived from the desert’s native flora.
- Spas Galore: Said to have more spas per capita than anywhere else in the United States, Scottsdale is the ultimate relaxation retreat.
- Beloved Mayor: Herb Drinkwater, Scottsdale’s charismatic mayor of yesteryear, once boasted a near-perfect approval rating, a testament to his enduring legacy.
- Polo in the Desert?: Known as “the best polo event in the world,” the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships features exciting polo matches, luxury fashion, and exotic car displays.
