The Valley of the Sun has over 200 golf courses and has been named the “Golf Capital of the World” by the National Golf Foundation. The desert landscape is one of the reasons that Phoenix is so popular among critics and the many professional golfers that call this area home. Waterways, stunning mountain views, towering saguaro cacti and ancient lava flows create breathtaking golf courses by anyone’s standards. Two of the top 100 golf courses in the U.S., rated by Golf Magazine, are located in the Valley – Estancia Club and Troon North – and the PGA’s FBR Open is a must for most avid golfers.

Golf Digest magazine’s top 10 courses in the Valley (2005):

1. The Estancia Club, Scottsdale
2. Desert Forest Golf Course, Carefree
3. Whisper Rock Golf Course, Scottsdale,
4. The Golf Club, Scottsdale
5. Troon Golf and Country Club, Scottsdale
6. Troon North Golf Course, Scottsdale
7. Desert Mountain Course, Scottsdale
8. The Mirabel Course, Scottsdale
9. Desert Highlands Golf Course, Scottsdale
10. Quintero Golf & Country Club, Peoria

Outdoor activities are abundant for Valley residents. There are hundreds of hiking and biking trails throughout the Valley’s mountains and plentiful parks. Snow skiing is just a short 2-3 hour drive from the Valley in wintertime. And, for those seeking a refreshing refuge in the desert, the Valley offers easy access to several beautiful lakes for water sports and fishing enthusiasts of all kinds.

The Phoenix area is a melting pot of Native American, Hispanic, African American and Asian histories, as well as cowboy culture. There are more than 300 arts and cultural venues that celebrate these roots throughout the Valley.

Central Phoenix is the hub for the arts and cultural venues in the Valley. The internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is a gallery for contemporary and traditional Native American artists, and the more traditional Phoenix Art Museum attracts masterpieces from around the world. The recently renovated Orpheum Theater offers a piece of history as well as all modern amenities. The Herberger Theatre blends sophistication and approachability, and on a grander scale, the new Dodge Theater offers all entertainment venues from Broadway to concerts and comedy tours. And to round out the fine arts venues in the center of Phoenix, Ballet Arizona and Phoenix Symphony perform for packed houses at Phoenix Symphony Hall.

A short drive away, Old Town Scottsdale offers more than 100 galleries, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, a weekly ArtWalk and many annual festivals while the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers theater, dance and music lovers a place to call home.

The Northeast Valley offers Taliesin West, built by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1930s, and the Celebration of Fine Art showcase each spring that demonstrates over 100 artists working their craft in their studios. In Tempe in the Southeast Valley, much of the arts and culture scene revolves around Arizona State University and Grady Gammage Auditorium, which offers everything from Broadway shows to big-name performing acts. Down the road from Tempe, the  stunning multi-million dollar Mesa Arts Center was recently completed for the Mesa Symphony as well as dozens of other acts and performances throughout the year.