Canadians invited to savour Scottsdale

With industry partners on-hand for a Savour Scottsdale event last night in Toronto, the message was clear that there are plenty stories to tell about the Arizona destination.

James Gregory and Laura McMurchie of The Conventions and Visitors Bureau were joined by representatives from various local businesses, including Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, and Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa Montelucia.

Each are enthusiastically anticipating more Canadian visitors, especially as winter approaches. It's becoming an easier getaway as expanded flight options are available to the market with both Canadian and U.S. carriers. Air Canada has non-stop, year-round service from YYZ, and WestJet recently expanded service to Phoenix to include daily service from Toronto. The CVB is also expecting Canadian travellers from the Ontario region to take advantage of Porter's new interline agreement with JetBlue, with flights to Phoenix set to go on sale Oct. 22.

To maintain its appeal, Scottsdale is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, with an evolving food and wine scene, cultural appeal, and plenty to offer for the "outdoorsy" traveller as well.

With that in mind, McMurchie noted that contrary to popular belief, it is a "young, vibrant destination with more than 80 nightlife spots downtown."

A few highlights of what travellers can expect to see in Scottsdale:

Superbowl XLIX

In 2015, Arizona will again play host to the Super Bowl, and Scottsdale will be at the center of the party as the game coincides with the final day of the PGA Tour’s biggest tournament, the Waste Management Phoenix Open (wmphoenixopen.com). 

Scottsdale Fan Fest will be the home of the ESPN live broadcast outside Scottsdale Fashion Square, the largest shopping mall in the Southwest, where visitors can see live sports coverage and partake in the food, games and fashion. 

In addition, Taste of the NFL (tasteofthenfl.com) will take place Sat., Jan. 31, the eve of the Super Bowl at WestWorld of Scottsdale. This is a strolling food and wine event featuring more than 32 restaurant stations, one from each NFL city, providing food and wine pairings for guests to sample. 

New attractions

In fall 2015, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale will be home to the 16-acre OdySea Aquarium (odyseainthedesert.com), which is set to be a high-tech, high-entertainment, oceanic adventure. Coined “SeaWorld meet Disneyland,” OdySea Aquarium will explore marine life from bayous and coral reefs to deep abysses in exhibits such as “Rivers of the World,” Amazon Rivers,” “Penguins.” And in the “The Bizarre & the Beautiful,” exhibit, you’ll find jellyfish, octopuses and seahorses.

The OdySea Aquarium is part of the Talking Stick: A Cultural and Entertainment Destination on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. This $170 million complex includes already debuted attractions such as TopGolf Riverwalk, which opened in June 2014. 

Over the next several years, Talking Stick: A Cultural and Entertainment Destination on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community will break ground on an IMAX theatre, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, and a “Taste of the World” culinary showcase with 14- to 16-distinct restaurants from across the globe.

Food & drink

Downtown Scottsdale is the place for chef-driven restaurants, fine art galleries, shopping and nightlife. 

In 2013, Scottsdale welcomed Maya Day and Nightclub (mayaclubaz.com), the first high-end beach club bringing together entertainment, music and food for day and nighttime fun. Around the same time came Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row (dierkswhiskeyrow.com), a 1920s-style saloon with a new country vibe. 

Bottled Blonde Pizzeria and Beer Garden (bottledblondeaz.com) opened early in 2014, plus another new hotspot is Derby Public House (derbypublichouse.com), a part-modern, part-vintage “American Gastropub.” 

Scottsdale was named the U.S.'s No. 2 “Foodie City, 2014” by Livability.com. A few new culinary options include Sumo Maya Mexican Asian Kitchen (sumomaya.com), which opened in June 2014, offering the unexpected blend of tapas-style small plates and dim sum. The Henry (thehenryrestaurant.com) is another new installment, which made its debut in December 2013. Meanwhile, classic tiki bars of the 1950s and 60s are making a comeback in the restaurant scene, and Scottsdale welcomed Hula’s Modern Tiki (hulasmoderntiki.com) in downtown Scottsdale in February 2014.

For more on what you can find in Scottsdale, visit www.experiencescottsdale.com.