Scottsdale

Scottsdale works because the days are simple to plan. Mornings are for courts and courses, afternoons belong to the pool, and evenings stay warm long enough to eat outside. It is a short drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor, which makes it realistic for a group flying in from several cities on the same day — and close enough that Phoenix-area locals book these houses as a staycation, with the pool, the court and the games as the whole plan. In the cooler months the same homes suit longer stays: snowbirds down from Canada and the northern states, and visitors travelling from further afield.