Few cities have grown faster and more dramatically in the past
half-century than Phoenix, which in 2005 overtook Philadelphia to become
the fifth most populous city in the nation. It's also larger in area
than Los Angeles and the hub of a metro region that includes several
other fast-growing metropolises, including Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and
Glendale. But the "Valley of the Sun" is much more than a popular place
to live - tourism here has taken off thanks to the bounty of lavish
resorts, a cultural renaissance in downtown Phoenix, and some of the
best shopping, dining, and recreational opportunities in the West. More
recently, the region's office of tourism has begun enthusiastically
wooing GLBT travelers.
A highly contemporary metropolis surrounded by mountains and high
desert, Phoenix is in many ways the last stronghold of the western
frontier. The region is dogged by certain challenges prevalent in the
West, such as rampant sprawl and sometimes oppressive smog. It's also
bone-dry here - only the Sahara is less humid than Phoenix's Sonoran
Desert. Most of the year, the weather is ideal for outdoor recreation,
with winter highs in the mid-60s and spring and fall highs in the
mid-80s. About the only period with blistering heat is summer, when
daytime temperatures routinely climb into the low 100s (and many
accommodations drop their rates precipitously).
In terms of gay-friendliness, Phoenix defies labels. This somewhat
conservative capital city has long maintained strong Republican
leanings, but some of the region's most famous right-of-center
politicians - including Sen. John McCain and the late Sen. Barry
Goldwater - have expressed relatively accepting attitudes toward gays
and lesbians. And somewhat surprisingly in 2006, this traditionally
"red" state became the first in the nation to vote down a proposed ban
on same-sex marriage. Phoenix has a highly visible GLBT community, and a
huge number of queer bars, social organizations, and "family"-friendly
eateries.
Visitors to this area have traditionally made a beeline for swanky
Scottsdale, with its chichi hotels, lush golf courses, haute galleries,
and sumptuous spas. However, Phoenix proper - which is home to most of
the region's GLBT bars and other businesses - has enjoyed a notable
comeback of late, especially the once soulless downtown commercial
center.
The action centers on Copper Square and its massively expanded
convention center, plus dozens of trendy restaurants, high-end hotels,
and fine performance venues. There are also a 24-screen cinema, several
museums, and sports stadiums that host baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks
and basketball's Phoenix Suns. A cultural must is the outstanding
Phoenix Art Museum, a dramatic green-quartz structure containing
19th-century European paintings, delightful artworks of the American
West, and Abstract Expressionist masterworks. Two blocks north is the
Heard Museum, a 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival hacienda containing the
nation's top collection of Native American art and artifacts. Continue to page
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The Hunk
