I'm a New Yorker who spent 2 days in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. 8 things surprised me about Arizona's wealth hub.
I visited Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, Arizona. I was surprised by walkable neighborhoods and luxury estates in the desert hills.
Business Insider's reporter was surprised by the luxurious suburban lifestyle offered in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, Arizona, during her 48-hour trip. Despite her initial expectation that a luxury lifestyle in the desert would not appeal to her, she found the area to be walkable, with hillside estates and short commutes. The proximity to Phoenix's international airport made travel between the two suburbs relatively quick and easy, making the luxury desert lifestyle more accessible.
The reporter also discovered that Arizona has a significant amount of luxury tourism, with Scottsdale alone hosting over 10 million visitors in 2025, spending $2 billion on their trips.
Brief written by urgent.news from Business Insider's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
