Traveling north from Phoenix

Central Arizona between Phoenix and Flagstaff. - photo by Joe Alexander
Central Arizona between Phoenix and Flagstaff. – photo by Joe Alexander
Arizona doesn’t generally get a lot of rain, so you don’t have the towering trees or the amount of greenery that you see in some parts of the country.

As you drive north from Phoenix, you also go up in elevation. You leave behind the saguaros and see more trees and, eventually, the red rocks of the area around Sedona.
Along the way, you pass by the Prescott National Forest to the west.

Here is a description from the United States Forest Service:

“At the lowest elevation, the primary vegetation is of the Sonoran Desert type. As the elevation rises, chaparral becomes common, followed by piñon pine and juniper. Above that, Ponderosa pine dominates the landscape.”

Forest Service: Prescott National Forest

Munching in Old Town Scottsdale

This is how you know when you're in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander
This is how you know when you’re in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. – photo by Joe Alexander
It would take weeks to try all the restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale in Arizona.

Daytime in Scottsdale entertainment district

Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row in the entertainment district in Old Scottsdale. - photo by Joe Alexander
Whiskey Row in the entertainment district in Scottsdale. – photo by Joe Alexander
The entertainment district in Scottsdale, Arizona rocks at night.

The area on the fringe of Old Town Scottsdale is actually pretty quiet during the day.

Here is a look at some of the local hotspots and their signs while the sun shines.