Best for: Easy desert golf days with friends or family
Few places do desert golf quite like Scottsdale, and The Phoenician has been part of that conversation for decades. Set against the picture-perfect backdrop of Camelback Mountain, the resort’s 18-hole championship golf course boasts a layout that’s both scenic and refreshingly playable, whether you’re chasing a personal best or just happy to be golfing in Arizona.
The secret sauce here is a major redesign by architect Phil Smith, who, in 2018, cleaned up the old, choppy 27-hole layout and dialed it into a single, seamless 18-hole loop. It’s the ultimate vacation-mode course—super forgiving and highly walkable, with contoured fairways that practically funnel your ball away from the cacti and right back into play. Things get photogenic on the back nine, where you climb right up the lower slopes of Camelback for some unobstructed views of the valley floor. Plus, they don’t skimp on the tech: The golf carts are fully loaded with high-def touchscreens and Bluetooth speakers so you can soundtrack your round.
Back at the resort, afternoons are just as easily spent at the sprawling spa, hopping between the pools, or lingering over mountain views as the sun slips behind the cacti.