I toured Culdesac, a Tempe, Arizona neighborhood that banned cars, and found a walkable oasis in the Phoenix suburb

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
Culdesac Tempe: An alleyway lined with white buildings with red trimmings
Culdesac Tempe is a carless community in Arizona.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I visited Scottsdale for the first time in the spring. I made 3 mistakes that I'm still thinking about months later.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The author in a cowboy hat and sunglasses stands smiling in front of cacti and an adobe building in Scottsdale
Business Insider's reporter visited Scottsdale, Arizona, in the spring and made a few mistakes.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I stayed in 2 of Arizona's top hotels, and they couldn't have been more different. Take a look.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Left: A resort with pools and palm trees in front of a mountain with blue skies in the background Right: A pool lit up with palm trees around it and an adobe hotel behind it. Mountains in the background at dusk
The Phoenician (L) and the Hermosa Inn (R) are two of Arizona's top hotels.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider, Hermosa Inn

I visited 2 of America's wealth hubs: Scottsdale and Jackson Hole. One was ideal for vacation, while the other seemed better for living.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
Two images: Left: Mega mansions in the desert in Scottsdale with mountains in the background. Right: A wide view of a valley between two hills and a large mountains in the background
Scottsdale (L) and Jackson Hole (R) are wealthy enclaves in the American West.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I stayed at one of the best hotels in Arizona, complete with 5 pools and a luxury golf course. Take a look inside my $500-a-night room.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The author stands on a balcony with pools, palm trees, and palm trees
Business Insider's reporter booked a one-night stay in a grand deluxe room at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Scottsdale and Paradise Valley are both in Arizona's millionaire hub, but it's clear why one suburb is more expensive than the other.

Tech Insider : Travel
Two images of mansions in desert mountains, Paradise Valley (L) and Scottsdale (R)

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I stayed in 2 of Arizona's top hotels. They explain why Scottsdale is a luxury travel hot spot.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
Left: Exterior of the Phoenician with a fountain in front. Right: A fountain in front of a casita at the Hermosa Inn
Business Insider's reporter stayed at the Phoenician in Scottsdale (L) and the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I'm a New Yorker who spent 2 days in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. 8 things surprised me.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The author in a cowboy hat and sunglasses stands smiling in front of cacti and an adobe building in Scottsdale
Business Insider's reporter encountered a few surprises during her trip to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I thought I'd have to get my driver's license to move out of NYC until I visited this car-free neighborhood in Arizona

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
The author stands in a courtyard with trees and picnic tables. Behind her is a white building with boutique storefronts
Business Insider's reporter visited a car-free neighborhood in Tempe, Arizona, called Culdesac.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I visited a car-free neighborhood in Arizona and was surprised that it felt 15 degrees cooler than the surrounding blocks

Tech Insider : Travel
Culdesac Tempe. Left: The author stands in a courtyard with trees and picnic tables. Behind her is a white building with boutique storefronts. Right: An alleyway lined with white buildings with red trimmings
Business Insider's reporter visited Tempe, Arizona's Culdesac neighborhood.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Subscribe to scottsdale-luxury-trip-2024