I'm a New Yorker who spent 2 days in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. 8 things surprised me about Arizona's wealth hub.

• As an NYC resident, I didn't expect a luxury suburban lifestyle in the desert to appeal to me.
• But my 48-hour trip to Arizona's millionaire hot spot was full of surprises.
• Scottsdale and Paradise Valley wooed me with walkable pockets, hillside estates, and short commutes.

I'd been to Phoenix many times, but I had never ventured 15 miles east to Arizona's millionaire enclave until April 2024.

I flew from my home in NYC to the familiar Southwestern city to spend 48 hours in two nearby suburbs — Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

Scottsdale is America's fastest-growing wealth hub, with a 125% increase in millionaire residents between 2014 and 2024, according to the 2025 USA Wealth Report by Henley & Partners.

Nestled between Scottsdale and Phoenix, Paradise Valley is the richest municipality in Arizona by per capita income, according to the US Census Bureau. The desert mountain town of grand estates and billionaire residents is known as the "Beverley Hills of Arizona."

Real-estate agent Shawn Shackelton, who has been selling luxury homes in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale for over two decades, told Business Insider in 2024 that incoming residents are typically entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, medical professionals such as doctors and PAs, and young retirees.

I spent one night in each Phoenix suburb. After seven years of calling NYC home, I couldn't imagine ditching the big-city life, but Scottsdale and Paradise Valley surprised me in many ways. Some of those surprises made me think I could get used to the luxury desert lifestyle.

Coming from NYC, I was surprised by how quickly I could get from Phoenix to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

I grew up in a New York City suburb, and every trip to the airport took at least an hour.

So, I was thrilled when my cab ride from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Downtown Scottsdale took only 20 minutes.

And when I was headed to the airport on my way home from my hotel in Paradise Valley, it only took 15 minutes. It was easy to see the appeal of living near an international airport.

I took both cabs around noon, so traffic was minimal. However, according to Google Maps, commuting between Phoenix and Scottsdale or Paradise Valley can take 30 minutes or longer during rush hour.

Ultimately, I found that the three areas were close enough together to navigate easily throughout my trip. While staying in Paradise Valley, I grabbed dinner in Scottsdale, which was less than 30 minutes away by car. Back in New York, getting to nearby cities can take over an hour, depending on which borough you live in.

I wasn't expecting the area to have so much to offer for all types of travelers.

Arizona has a lot to offer in the luxury travel scene.

Scottsdale alone hosted more than 10 million tourists in 2025, and together they spent $2 billion on their trips, according to a research report conducted for the City of Scottsdale.

During my trip, I stayed in two of the state's top hotels — first, at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, "Arizona's Leading Resort," according to the 2025 World Travel Awards. I spent my second night at the boutique Hermosa Inn, which ranked as the second-best hotel in Arizona in Travel + Leisure's 2026 World's Best Awards.

I was expecting to feel like a VIP in both accommodations, and I did. However, the experiences were so different that I realized the area suits a wide range of travelers — and not just in hotels.

Scottsdale has mountain hikes for adventurers. I spotted luxury spas for those looking to recharge, high-end department stores and boutiques for shoppers, public sculptures for art enthusiasts, and an old town area for history buffs.

In Scottsdale, The Phoenician felt like a mega-resort.

The Phoenician was massive. The 600 acres were filled with five pools, eight restaurants, several shops, a spa, and a sprawling golf course.

Inside, the hotel had a modern, Southwestern style with warm hues, geometric details, and 645 rooms.

The hotel reminded me of a mega-cruise ship. There was so much to do that you could spend your entire trip to Scottsdale on the property without getting bored. But not without getting lost — if you're directionally challenged like me. I spent 30 minutes looking for my room after exploring the property.

In Paradise Valley, the Hermosa Inn provided a more intimate experience.

With six acres of gardens, adobe structures, 43 stand-alone casitas, and one pool, the Hermosa Inn was smaller than The Phoenician and had a more cultural feel.

The inn, originally built by a cowboy and artist in 1936, is rooted in history. From the lobby to the casitas, the property transported me back in time with traditional Southwestern architecture and interior decor, including rustic furniture, wooden beams, and historical works of art.

Unlike The Phoenician, which would be perfect for families, the Hermosa Inn seems made for travelers seeking a unique, secluded experience rich in culture.

I thought I'd enjoy a couple of days in the sun, but dry heat is a different beast.

In New York, April can be pretty hit-or-miss weather-wise. Sometimes we'll have a sunny, 65-degree-Fahrenheit day, and other times it'll be 40 degrees Fahrenheit and rainy.

However, Scottsdale is known for its year-round warm weather, so I was excited about having a couple of sunny days in the desert.

But I didn't expect it to be so warm — upward of 90 degrees Fahrenheit when I visited in April. And unlike in NYC, the heat was dry, so I felt I got dehydrated easily. It seemed like I had to drink twice as much water as I do at home.

If I ever move to Arizona, the weather will take some getting used to.

In Scottsdale, I was impressed with the architecture.

Like New York, Scottsdale has a mix of modern and historic buildings. However, historic architecture in the Southwest looks different.

I spotted warm-toned adobe buildings in Scottsdale with geometric features, as well as modern glass skyscrapers. Some buildings seemed to combine modern and traditional elements.

I was also surprised to find walkable neighborhoods in the Phoenix suburb.

One of the best things about living in NYC is not needing a car. While Scottsdale as a whole is a car-dependent city, I was surprised to find that some neighborhoods are walkable, like the downtown area, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and businesses.

Unlike NYC, the area's luxury housing seemed separate from less expensive homes.

I'm used to seeing neighborhoods with a mix of expensive and affordable housing in New York. But that didn't appear to be the case in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.

I spotted modest homes in the Phoenix suburbs, but they were nowhere near the mega-mansions. Generally, it seemed like the cheaper housing and luxury estates were separated by elevation — the streets higher up in the mountains were lined with exclusively high-end homes.

In North Scottsdale, I was amazed by mansions in the hills that reminded me of castles.

About 40 minutes north of Downtown Scottsdale, DC Ranch is home to some of the most expensive residential real estate in the city.

I got a private tour of the 4,400-acre community, which is made up of four villages. Most have shops, restaurants, golf clubs, and other businesses within walking distance of many of the homes. There's even a school in the community that students walk and bike to.

Ultimately, DC Ranch felt like a little town that could sustain itself without having to go to Downtown Scottsdale.

In the most expensive village, Silverleaf, mansions line long, winding roads up the mountains. It looked nothing like the luxury housing in NYC, mostly sky-high, sprawling apartments.

My jaw dropped as we drove by these homes, most of which had multiple buildings and dramatic entryways. There was a variety of architecture up there. As I passed through the desert landscape, I was reminded of medieval castles and Greek villas.

The biggest surprise during my trip to Arizona's wealth enclave was thinking I could see myself living there.

I don't see myself leaving NYC for a long time. Still, when I do, I may consider this luxury desert oasis thanks to its surprisingly walkable neighborhoods, stunning architecture, and proximity to the bigger city of Phoenix.

If I can take the heat — and the price — there's a chance I'll call this area home someday.

Read the original article on Business Insider