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Getting There

Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport (www.phxskyharbor.com) is a major hub for international and domestic airlines, with non-stop flights available from more than 100 cities in the US and beyond. It's serviced by nearly two dozen airlines, including United (www.united.com), Delta (www.delta.com), and American (www.aa.com), among others; it also operates as the hub for popular low-cost carrier Southwest (www.southwest.com). Although Scottsdale does have a small airport, it's only open to charter and private planes. Flight time to Phoenix is 1.5 hours from Los Angeles; 3.5 hours from Chicago; close to 4 hours from Atlanta; and about 5 hours from New York.

While there is no direct rail service to Phoenix, Amtrak (800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) will sell you tickets to their stations in Tucson or Flagstaff and provide bus connections to Phoenix from there. Greyhound buses (2115 E. Buckeye Rd., Phoenix; 602/389-4200 or 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) also operate in the area; their main bus depot is located just west of the airport.

Package Providers
Booking air and hotel together (and other trip essentials such as airport transfers, car rentals, and even tours and activities) can save a bundle of cash – online travel discounters such as Orbitz.com (www.orbitz.com), Expedia.com (www.expedia.com), and Travelocity.com (www.travelocity.com) are a good place to start your search. eLeisureLink.com (www.eleisurelink.com) also occasionally turns up good deals to the Greater Phoenix area.

Getting into Phoenix
The airport is located about a 10 minute drive from downtown Phoenix and about 20 minutes from Scottsdale. For sheer convenience, we propose renting a car right off the bat (even if it does mean paying a bit extra in airport taxes and fees) – airport car rentals are available from major agencies including Alamo (www.alamo.com), Avis (www.avis.com), Budget (www.budget.com), and Hertz (www.hertz.com), among others, all of which operate from the airport's efficient rental car center.

Other ground transportation options include the 24-hour airport-to-door van service operated by SuperShuttle (602/244-9000 or 800/258-3826; $6-$35; www.supershuttle.com). Taxis can also be hired outside of all three terminals – rates are about $10-$13 to downtown Phoenix and $20-$30 to Scottsdale. A final option is hopping on the Valley Metro (602/253-5000; $1.25; www.valleymetro.org) Red Line or Route 13 bus, which operates between Sky Harbor and downtown Phoenix and Tempe. Plans are also in the works for a new METRO light rail service (due to open in December 2008; www.valleymetro.org) that will link the airport to high-traffic areas like the downtown Phoenix area and Tempe.

Getting Around
Beyond the airport, you'll need to keep in mind the Valley's 2,000 square-mile sprawl makes a car and a map an absolute must. There is much to be desired in the way of public transportation in the Greater Phoenix area, although Valley Metro (602/253-5000; $1.25; www.valleymetro.org), Phoenix's public bus system, does operate select routes of interest to tourists. Other exceptions include the free DASH Shuttle (Mon-Fri 6.30am-11pm; 602/253-5000; www.valleymetro.org) if you're planning on roaming downtown Phoenix – it runs every 6 to 12 minutes and can save you lots of parking headaches; and the Scottsdale Trolley (daily 11am-9pm, runs every 10 min; www.scottsdaleaz.gov/trolley), downtown Scottsdale's free shuttle bus service runs between Scottsdale Fashion Square, the Fifth Avenue shops, the Main Street Arts and Antiques district, and Old Town.

If visiting the Wild West is calling out your inner renegade, consider snatching up a Harley or other bike or ATV rental through EagleRider Motorcycle Rentals (2945 N. Scottsdale Rd.; 480/970-0120 or 800/514-7004; www.eaglerider.com).

Taxis are also available for hire, but be prepared for high fares, since distances in Greater Phoenix can be so far between – AAA Yellow Cab (480/303-0200; www.aaayellowaz.com) is one reputable service. Alternatively, consider hiring a car service, a particularly good value for longer distances – we propose Your Ride Transportation (602/454-7433; www.yourridetransportation.com) or Southwest Luxury Sedan (602/889-5137 or 877/211-5466; www.southwestluxurysedan.com).

See Phoenix Travel Guide