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UPTOWN
Description/History
This central part of Phoenix is one of the oldest neighborhoods in town. Featuring homes built in the middle of the last century, it has seen a major resurgence as homeowners continue to desire Mid-Century Modern homes. There are also many homes in the Central Avenue corridor that sit on larger lots and verge on mansion status. This part of town (Between 7th St. and 7th Ave.) harkens to Midwest or eastern landscapes in many ways. Tree-lined streets, grassy yards, and front patios are abundant. They add to the charm & desirability of Uptown.
Freeway Access
The 51, to the east, I-17 to the west and I-10 to the south are all 10-15 minutes away.
Things To Do
Uptown Phoenix is an urban mecca. Boutique shopping and restaurants are plentiful. There is no shortage of cultural events and fun, eclectic places to go. Changing Hands bookstore is a fantastic place to get a hot coffee and curl up with your favorite book while the row of MCM furniture shops in Melrose provides countless opportunities to find secondhand furniture. The Uptown shopping center features West Elm, an AJs, Flower Child and other hip shopping options. The Bridal Path goes almost the entire length of Central Ave. and provides locals a place to walk, bike or run under shady trees. Being urban and centrally located, Uptown is a drive to hiking and biking trailheads. Uptown’s farmer market every Saturday is a destination for people all over the city.
Restaurant Headliners
Federal Pizza, The Windsor, Joyride Taco Shop, Elly’s Breakfast, Chula’s Seafood, Southern Rail, Chantico.
DOWNTOWN
Description/History
Until 15 years ago or so, Downtown Phoenix was like many other downtowns across the nation, bustling during the day and sleepy at night. That has changed dramatically in the intervening years. Phoenix’s urban transformation arguably began with the advent of light rail, which initially opened in 2008. The light rail runs directly through downtown Phoenix and proceeds north along Central Avenue and east to Tempe and Mesa. Multi-family living started popping up along the light rail corridor at the same time as it was being built. Apartments for rent, condominiums, and townhomes for sale started to become more and more prevalent. This brought more commercial shopping and restaurants and has sparked a massive urban revolution for Phoenix. In addition to the newer homes being built, downtown Phoenix has several historical neighborhoods, like Encanto, Wilo, Garfield, FQ Story, and others. These homes, built towards the beginning of the 20th century are often smaller bungalows with alluring architectural interest.
Freeway Access
The I-10 and I-17 run directly through the middle of downtown Phoenix.
Things To Do
Downtown Phoenix is the cultural epicenter of the city. Featuring a multitude of museums like The Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum & Children’s Museum and theaters such as the Orpheum Theater and the Herberger Theater. The Japanese Friendship Garden is a fantastic place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Professional sports teams, The Arizona Diamondbacks, The Phoenix Suns, and Phoenix Mercury all call downtown Phoenix home. The Phoenix Convention Center hosts lots of events throughout the year, filling up local hotels and further enhancing the local economy. There is no shortage of restaurants and bars throughout downtown Phoenix. Roosevelt Row is now a destination to find some of the best. The first Friday of every month Phoenix hosts a local walking art tour with street festivals and performances, called First Friday.
Restaurant Headliners
Cibo Italian, Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co., Il Bosco Pizzeria, Compass Arizona Grill, Pomo, Durant’s Steakhouse, Palma, Taco Guild, Fez on Central.
THE BILTMORE
Description/History
The Biltmore has long been considered one of the commercial hubs of Phoenix. Many of the larger corporations locally have or still make this part of the city their corporate headquarters. Law firms, title companies and investment banks are plentiful here. Some of the oldest and largest homes reside nearby, particularly within the grounds of the Biltmore Hotel itself which lends its name to the area. The Biltmore Hotel is a Phoenix staple that has hosted many US Presidents over the years and still sets itself apart from other resort hotels, simply because of it’s fabulous location. This area of the city has always done well from a real estate perspective and has benefitted from the expansion of Arcadia to the east. Homes to the south of the Biltmore are now experiencing a surge in interest as those neighborhoods are being upgraded
Freeway Access
The SR51 is just minutes away from most areas of the Biltmore.
Things To Do
The Biltmore sits right on the edge of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Because of this, there is no shortage of hiking and biking options, highlighted by Piestewa Peak, which offers a challenging hike that is open to visitors late at night. Biltmore Fashion Park is an upscale shopping and dining hub located directly on the northeast corner of 24th St. and Camelback. Bisecting the Biltmore is the Arizona Canal which offers additional urban running, walking and biking paths. The Esplanade AMC Movie theaters, The Arizona Biltmore golf course, and the historic Wrigley Mansion are other places to explore nearby.
Restaurant Headliners
Hillstone, The Parlor, The Capital Grille, True Food Kitchen, The Gladly, Pizzeria Bianco, Seasons 52, The Macintosh, Los Dos Molinos.
ARCADIA
Description/History
There is much debate about the boundaries of Arcadia but traditionally Arcadia proper has been 44th St. to 68thSt., Camelback to the Canal. Originally citrus farms, the neighborhood began to change in the 50s as Phoenix expanded and the land became too valuable for just agriculture. Most of the lots are large and grassy, often serviced by irrigation (flooding of lots to grow grass). Homes in Arcadia are typically some of the biggest and most expensive in Phoenix metro. Following the real estate crash in 2009, Arcadia was the first neighborhood to recover to pre-crash pricing, making it one of the strongest and most resilient parts of town to live in. All of the areas surrounding Arcadia have benefitted from its desirability and there are now a lot of areas, particularly to the west and south that claim to be “Arcadia Lite”. Real estate in those areas has also done extremely well over the last decade.
Freeway Access
Located in the very center of the city, freeway access is good, but it is about a 10-15 drive to the closest freeways, whichever direction. The 51 to the West, the 202 to the south and the 101 to the east being the closest.
Things To Do
Camelback Mountain dominates the landscape here. Not only are there exceptional views of the south side of Camelback, but Camelback provides a great place to hike, albeit, it is very challenging. Arcadia is just minutes away from Old Town Scottsdale, which features an abundance of shopping, nightlife, and art museums. (See the Old Town Scottsdale Section for more). The Village at Camelback is a fantastic gym with an emphasis on tennis and it is located at 44th St. & Camelback. Both The Phoenician Resort and Royal Palms Resort are in the heart of Arcadia too.
Restaurant Headliners
Steak 44, Le Grande Orange, The Henry, Buck & Rider, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Hash Kitchen, The Vig
SHEABORHOOD
Description/History
This long-established neighborhood in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve has a rich history of mid-century homes, eclectic homes, and even custom homes built into the foothills. In the late 90s and the early 2000s, the SR 51 extension bisected this area and caused it to lose some of its charm. It struggled through the housing crash of 2009 but has been on a steady upward trajectory since then.
Freeway Access
This micro-neighborhood has some of the best freeway access in the valley as it sits directly on the 51 which then leads to the 101 or the I-10/202 in about 10-15 minute commutes either direction.
Things To Do
Located in the middle of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, hiking, biking, and trail running are plentiful here. There is also a bouldering gym and airsoft arena nearby. The old Paradise Valley Mall area (Cactus and Tatum) is less than ten minutes away and features lots of restaurants and shopping. This area of the city is currently undergoing massive reformation.
Restaurant Headliners
Press Coffee, Taphouse Kitchen, 32 Shea, Zipps Sports Grill.
DESERT RIDGE
Description/History
As the loop 101 made its way towards this part of the city another outdoor shopping experience was built – Desert Ridge Marketplace. As it was built, so too were homes nearby. This enclave has performed extremely well since inception in the early 2000s. In fact, during the massive housing correction of 2008-2010, Desert Ridge was one of the few areas of town that did not see significant price drops. It continues to be a solid place to own property. With a nice mixture of single-family homes, condos, and townhomes, there is great diversity in home types here, appealing to most every buyer. Many of the builders that have constructed homes in this area are the more reputable ones, which means that the quality of the homes are generally quite strong.
Freeway Access
Everything in Desert Ridge is just minutes from the 101/SR51 interchange, making it easy to go East/West/South from here.
Things To Do
Desert Ridge is situated such that it is an easy drive to hiking/biking in north Scottsdale, as well as lake access + off-roading. Of course, Desert Ridge Marketplace dominates the area. It provides an abundance of shopping and dining options + movies and activities for children like Dave & Busters or outdoor water splash pads. The schools here have good reputations and the Musical Instrument Museum, which is highly regarded, is just on the other side of the 101. The Wildfire golf club is also located in Desert Ridge and features two 18-hole golf courses with excellent reputations. The JW Marriott Desert Ridge is a very reputable resort/hotel either for out-of-town guests or staycations.
Restaurant Headliners
Nori Sushi, Thirsty Lion, Artichoke Basille’s, Modern Margarita, Mellow Mushroom, Breakfast Kitchen Bar and Flower Child.