Whether you are an avid golfer, an adventurous hiker, or an admirer of the fine arts, Scottsdale has something for everyone.  With almost 200 golf courses and an average year-round temperature of 72.6 degrees Fahrenheit, Scottsdale is considered one of the nicest golf destinations in the country.  The 58 miles of bike paths, 40 miles of hiking trails, the McDowell Mountains and the Sonoran Desert will excite the outdoor enthusiast, while the 125 galleries will dazzle the art aficionado.  More than 67 resorts with a combined total of more than 12,500 rooms provide a variety of accommodations all uniquely nestled into the surrounding Sonoran Desert. 

Taking advantage of both a long weekend and a short, non-stop flight from Austin to Phoenix via the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Wade and I headed to Scottsdale; well actually the little town of Carefree just north of Scottsdale.  Using his “Friends and Family” connection at The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa, a Wyndham luxury resort, Wade secured us a casita with a significantly reduced nightly rate.  I cannot compliment The Boulders enough.  The Boulders was truly the finest resort I have ever had the pleasure of staying in; the staff anticipated every last need and fine tuned every last detail making the our stay unforgettable.  

We arrived at The Boulders early Friday afternoon and settled into out lovely casita.  Our terrace opened up to the green of the 12th hole of the South Course allowing us to leisurely watch concentrating golfers putt.  However, the resort was far to beautiful to stay inside the room so we threw on our workout clothes and headed down to the Golden Door Spa for a quick workout, a jog around the property and a hike up the famous boulder for which the resort is named.  The Golden Door Spa deserves as much praise as the resort itself with it’s a relaxing, serine, rejuvenating environment.

After a quick lunch at the golf club Wade and I headed out onto the South Course of the Boulders.  Since my golfing handicap ranges from 100-150, I really did not want to spend the money necessary to play my own round and therefore designated myself as Wade’s cart driver.  On a normal course, some might find this boring, but not at The Boulders.  Literally, the golf course is an oasis in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.  Noble saguaro and prickly pear cacti line the thin, vibrantly green fairways.  The pueblo styled resort and homes blend almost unnoticeably with the surrounding desert and mountains, but the wildlife certainly caught our attention.  Jack rabbits hopped all over the course undisturbed by our presence and we even spotted a coyote wandering the fairway in search of a late afternoon snack.  The cloudless, indigo blue sky provided the perfect backdrop to watch each drive drop onto the fairway—or so we’d hoped.  You see the golf course was beautiful, but also very difficult, especially if your drive just misses the fairway and the ball disappears into the mystique of the desert.

Upon finishing 18 holes of challenging golf we headed back to our casita to find a spread of fruit and cheese waiting for us compliments of the manager.  (I told you this place was nice!) Instead of going out for dinner as we had originally planned, we decided to stay in, curl up next to our own wood burning fireplace and enjoy a little room service—very relaxing and very romantic.

The concierge recommended hiking in the Cave Creek Park only 10 minutes from the hotel.  Saturday, Wade and I arose early and headed west on the Carefree Highway towards Cave Creek Regional Park.  As with most national parks, Cave Creek charges a nominal $5 entry fee per each motorized vehicle.  Hiking trails, mountain biking trails and horse back riding trails for all abilities weave up and down the dusty foothills through the desert landscape. 

The weather Gods again blessed us and the sun shined brightly heating us up just enough so we welcomed the cool spring time desert breeze.  Of the six hikes available, Wade and I chose the most difficult and longest, the Go John Trail.  With 4.7 miles of trekking, we anticipated this hike would take close to 2 hours.    The blooming local wildflowers next to the various cacti and other flora and fauna displayed visual diversity that rivaled the most colorful coral reef.  The 360 degree views completely lacked development making it hard to believe the 5th largest city in Arizona was less than 15 miles away.  Impressively tall saguaro cacti amazed us as we hiked around the large circular trail which eventually led us back to the parking lot.  Pictures and words cannot describe the beauty of this area, of this landscape.  You have to see it, be there, breath the air and take it all in.

Saturday afternoon found us lounging by the pool at the Golden Door Spa, soaking up raise as we waiting patiently for Wade’s afternoon tee time.  You see, there is a secret about golf that The Boulders won’t always disclose.  If you schedule a tee time right around 2 pm the pro-shop assumes that you will only have time for nine holes and therefore you only pay for 9 holes, but if you’re quick you’ll make all 18.    This time Wade played the North Course which is usually private, but because of Easter weekend, the club opened the course to resort guests. The course was just as immaculate and just as difficult as the South Course and we again had a blast, although I don’t think I will be getting picked up by any pro golfers as a caddy anytime soon. 

Saturday night we decided to escape the resort for dinner.  The concierge recommended a steak place about 10 minutes away named Cartwright’s.  We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner.  Both Wade and I had the filet sampler:  1 of each, elk, veal and beef.  Although I preferred the elk, each filet had a distinctive flavor and melted in my mouth.  

We slept in Sunday morning.  We had set Sunday aside for relaxation and relaxation only.  The café at the Golden Door Spa offers delicious and healthy entrees and serves them pool side where we spent most of the day.  Afterwards we took full advantage of the spa’s luxurious steam room, hot tub, sauna and showers.  When we sadly departed The Boulders Resort and Golden Day Spa, we felt refreshed and rejuvenated.  It was the perfect end to the perfect weekend.

**All Photos by Tara Miller

If You Go

Southwest Airlines and America West Airlines both have hubs in Phoenix and offer non-stop flight to many US cities.

www.iflyswa.com or www.americawest.com

The Boulder Resort and Golden Day Spa

www.wyndham.com/hotels/PHXTB/main.wnt

Low season starts mid-May and the nightly rate for the casitas drops by almost 60%.

For larger parties the pueblo homes along the golf courses can be rented.

Cave Creek Regional Park

www.maricopa.gov/parks/cave_creek

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