Going Out

By Lindsey Canant

The year 2012 heralds centennials in spades: Fenway Park, the Titanic and, perhaps less well-known, Arizona. The state has some surprising draws for visitors: James Beard award–winning cuisine, vintage shopping, streets named for every imaginable synonym for “paradise.” Winter-weary Bostonians, though, will most appreciate the Southwestern weather, in which donning sunglasses counts as adding a layer. For luxury and outdoor leisure in a dramatic setting, check out the rambling Montelucia Resort & Spa situated at the base of Camelback Mountain.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport operates as a hub of US Airways and Southwest Airlines, so there are plenty of low-fare options for shuttling visitors to the country’s ninth-busiest airport (but tops in friendliness, if all the signage is to be believed). After a six-hour flight, you’ll arrive bleary-eyed (you could almost make it to Paris by air or Riverside by T in the same time frame). Perhaps the region’s biggest downside is that it’s so difficult to maneuver without being tethered to a rental car.

Though perky gate agents may ease the trek, Montelucia’s onsite Joya Spa is where the real vacation begins. Signing up for one treatment gives visitors full access to the spa’s facilities, including an outdoor pool/patio, whirlpool, steam room, snacks, a candle-strewn “whisper room,” and bath and beauty products. Leaving with residual stress requires effort.

Once rejuvenated, you’re ready to enjoy the outdoors. Lounge or dine poolside, or follow guides on morning hikes up the face of Camelback. (Warning: This is an all-limbs-required trek, not a stroll. And that “tree” you’re about to grab for balance? It’s a cactus.) For a more relaxing rendezvous with nature, ramble through the nearby Desert Botanical Garden. Many evenings, Montelucia’s fires illuminate the outdoor dining areas, where stargazing and s’mores buffets are on the menu.

As a whole, the property’s Spain-meets-Italy-and-they-all-go-to-Morocco concept is peculiar, but the plush luxury smooths out any contradictions. Just like the state itself, the resort seems to find its identity in the sprawling hodgepodge of a Southwest that’s evolved to include more than just cowboy kitsch.

Phoenix has the raw material to be whatever it likes. An ultra-long growing season keeps cuisine fresh and local, while even expected imports like wine and olive oil are now produced in-state. This regional focus defines restaurants like Tuck Shop, a cozy eatery in a residential neighborhood led by Rhode Island–native DJ Fernandes. The kitchen emphasizes gourmet comfort food like beer-battered cheese curds ($4), chorizo-stuffed dates ($9), dry-rub skirt steak ($20) and drinks crafted with house-made tonic. Another fun hideaway is Central Avenue’s Lux Central, a multifaceted coffee shop that, by night, features owner Jeff Fischer’s creative cocktails.

The city’s got art and design chops, too. Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and school, embodies the Arizonan impulse to pull the outdoors inside (rugged landscapes are big here, and with reason—just look out the window). Constructions by Wright’s protégés dot the skyline, and Native American art aficionados converge on Phoenix’s justly famous Heard Museum.

No matter the time of year, people in Phoenix are friendly, prices are reasonable, air conditioning is plentiful, and there’s an itinerary for any taste. Eclectism is a big part of the appeal. Check it out in its current iteration, because, like Fenway, there’s no telling what it’ll look like at its next centennial. 

Traveler’s Checks

• For those with an indoor itinerary, the summer months offer deeply discounted packages at the area’s snazziest resorts.

• Diners looking for south-of-the-border-inspired cuisine should visit Barrio Queen and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’ La Hacienda.

Montelucia Resort & Spa
4949 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale | 888-627-3010 | montelucia.com

Desert Botanical Garden
1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix | 480-941-1225 | dbg.org

Tuck Shop
2245 N. 12th St., Phoenix | 602-354-2980 | tuckinphx.com

Lux Central
4400 N. Central Ave., Phoenix | 602-696-9976 | luxcoffee.com

Taliesin West
12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale | 480-627-5340 | franklloydwright.org

Heard Museum
2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix | 602-252-8848 | heard.org