Most of us don't often put the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, on our list of thrill-filled locales in the United States. Ask the residents of Phoenix and its nearby suburbs, however, and you'll discover quite a different story. Scottsdale, the city directly to the east of Phoenix (site of the 62nd Annual ICA Conference), is the metropolitan area's prime tourist, arts, and entertainment destination. Home to over 70 resorts and hotels, "The West's Most Western Town" also boasts a proud tradition of "Cowboy" culture, a flourishing arts district, a heavy schedule of cultural events and festivals, one of the most famous homes in the world, and one of the hippest nightlife scenes in the US.

For centuries a village of the Native American Pima tribe, Scottsdale was developed in the late 19th century by white settlers as a desert farming community. (It was named after the Scott brothers, two of its founders and most successful early farmers.) In the 1950s, the city transformed itself through an innovative solution to flooding on the riverbed that bisects it: Rather than a conventional canal system, the city government decided to build a chain of parks and golf courses along the riverbed, letting the grass channel the water. It changed the geographic and economic possibilities of the town, which in turn changed its demographics—and also began the development of a recreational atmosphere in Scottsdale.

In 1970, the first resorts appeared, on land that had belonged to an expansive ranch on the east side of the city. That redefinition continued for the next 40 years until today, when Scottsdale is the sixth largest city in Arizona, considered among the highest quality-of-life towns in the United States and one of the finest golfing and resort areas in the world. It's also a favorite destination for local residents in search of fun.

Perhaps the most visible, and certainly among the most popular, of these attractions is the Scottsdale Arts District. About 30 of the city's over 100 galleries are concentrated in this 10-square-block section of downtown. Southwestern and Western themes are dominant motifs among these galleries; however, there is also a great deal of contemporary, African, European, and Native American art. On Thursday nights, these galleries stay open late so that from 7 to 9 p.m. residents and visitors can stroll around the district and wander into whatever establishment tickles their fancy at any given time. This is a 30-year tradition known as Scottsdale ArtWalk.

There is no reason, however, that an enterprising visitor can't replicate the ArtWalk during regular business hours. In fact, the city has made that easy for everyone by adding painted "ArtWalk the Line" markers to the sidewalks in the Arts District. These, combined with the formidable amount of outdoor sculpture in the area, will let you know that you're in the right place. Scottsdale provides a broad menu; nothing stops visitors from sampling as much as they want.

East of the Arts District is the much smaller—just four blocks—but equally distinctive Old Town Scottsdale. Many of the buildings aren't terribly old, but rather are built in the architectural style of the Old West, with false fronts, arched doorways, adobe and stucco surfaces, and long covered walkways and verandas. Old Town even features wooden sidewalks with hitching posts and old lanterns lining them along the streets. There are some authentically old buildings in the area worth checking out, as well as the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (a sort of satellite to the Arts District)—but for the most part, Old Town is a shopping district that offers a distinctly Southwestern flavor. Cowboy-wear boutiques meet specialty and souvenir shops, Mexican importers, and Southwestern-style eateries, including the famous Sugar Bowl ice cream parlor. And, of course, saloons.

If the architectural aspect of Old Town is an attention-getter, an important stop in Scottsdale is further out than its downtown area. On the city's eastern edge—at the base of the McDowell Mountain Range—is a legendary residence and an absolute mecca for students of architecture. This is Taliesin West, the winter home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. The dean of American architecture purchased the desert parcel in 1937, building there a structure that was designed to be specifically Arizonan:  the long horizontal lines of the desert plain, the upward angles of the mountains, the browns and reds of the nearby rocks (local stones were the main building material), and a reliance on the natural light of the Arizona sun. More than a house, however, Taliesin West (like its eastern counterpart) served as a de facto laboratory for Wright's innovative designs and techniques. On the grounds are no less than nine buildings, constantly added and altered until his death in 1959, and linked by terraces and walkways into one grand plaza.

The complex now serves as the international headquarters for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and School of Architecture; however, tours are offered to the public, including a package offered for registrants to the ICA Conference. (http://www.icahdq.org/conf/2012/tours.asp

Head back to downtown, however, to experience what for many Phoenicians is Scottsdale's raison d'etre: its nightlife. Starting at happy hour, downtown Scottsdale becomes alive with people and hangouts of all varieties—most of them within walking distance of each other. Bars such as the Citizen Public House on 5th Avenue offer unique, seasonally inspired cocktails. There are restaurants like FnB, specializing in locally sourced cuisine, or more exotic fare like Roka Akor (acclaimed as one of the nation's best sushi restaurants). Live country & western and blues music hits the stage at The Rusty Spur Saloon and Pinnacle Peak Patio, with jazz at Degree 270 at the Talking Stick Resort. For the real night owls, there are a bevy of after hours dance clubs, including Axis/Radius, The Mint, the medieval-themed Wild Knight, and the posh three-story Myst. There are even family-friendly options for Scottsdale after dark, including night-vision Hummer tours of the desert and "Dive-In Movies," a program of family-rated films shown at the poolside of several participating resorts.

All of this is within easy reach of a taxi or light rail from downtown Phoenix—indeed, you’ll find many of the people hustling through the city center in the daytime are headed out to Scottsdale at night and on the weekend. In short, Scottsdale, with its embrace of the past and the present, arts and entertainment, is the place to be.

All above photos courtesy of the Scottsdale CVB