East Phoenix Arizona

Majestic Camelback Mountain and Squaw Peak help define this established area of Phoenix where the landscaping is mature and the houses a bit older (by Phoenix standards anyway), many dating from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

Sophisticated Camelback Corridor is another East Phoenix point of pride. The corridor is lined with sleek retail and commercial enterprises that include the Ritz-Carlton hotel, the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, and Biltmore Fashion Park. This part of the city also boasts such stellar attractions as the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden and Papago Park.

Arcadia, which means a pastoral, peaceful place, is known for its houses on large grass lots, many with citrus trees. When the trees blossom in March, the fragrance is heavenly. The area originally was planned in 1919, and it was mandated that no home could be built for less than $5,000. The oldest home in Arcadia is at 5005 E. Camelback Rd., and now serves as the Shemer Art Center. With its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, the center blends nicely with the Monterey revivals and pueblo-style homes built in the late 1920s and early '30s.

You can consider yourself a true Phoenician with one simple deed - a hike up Squaw Peak. The famous landmark in Camelback East Village offers an awesome Valley vista if you're tough enough to reach the top. For more outdoor fun, on the east border of Camelback East Village is the 914-acre Papago Park, where you can hike, bike, fish and picnic. A reminder of the area's ancient beginnings is the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park, site of an 800-year-old Hohokam Indian ruin.

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