The Phoenix metropolitan area comprises several dozen cities, the main ones being Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, Carefree and Cave Creek. The Phoenix metropolitan area is hundreds of miles away from any other metropolitan area with a similar population. For example, the nearest metropolitan area with nearly the same population size is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California metropolitan area, which is 300 miles away. Most of the major highways in the Phoenix metropolitan area are drawn on a regular grid, following the section lines established in the System of Public Topography.
As a result, arterial roads in cities that were once geographically separated may have received different names while occupying the same section line. When these roads were expanded to adapt to the growth of the area, they eventually merged into a single road, while the previous sections retained their current names. This results in several cases where a road changes its name abruptly; for example, Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix becomes Olive Avenue west of 43rd Avenue, in Glendale. Amtrak operates in the Phoenix metropolitan area with its Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle trains, which stop at Maricopa, located about 40 miles south of the downtown Phoenix.
Amtrak's Stagecoach Express offers Amtrak Thruway service from Maricopa Station to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Tempe Station. Amtrak also offers an additional Thruway bus service from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Flagstaff Station, served by the Southwest Chief. Amtrak's Los Angeles-New Orleans Sunset Limited served the city of Phoenix directly from 1971 until it was diverted on June 2, 1996 to a more southerly route between Tucson and Yuma (Arizona), to accommodate the Union Pacific Railroad's desire to abandon part of its western line from Phoenix to Yuma. This turned Phoenix in one of the largest cities in the country without direct passenger service.
Welcome to the Valley of the Sun. While Phoenix is the capital of Arizona, the Phoenix metropolitan area actually encompasses several cities: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler. Located in central Arizona, this region is best known for its year-round sunshine, desert landscapes, luxury resorts and world-class golf courses. The city and its surroundings also have incredible architecture and urban landscapes, authentic southwestern culture and endless outdoor adventures to discover.
Surrounded by mountain ranges, the Phoenix metropolitan area encompasses more than 500 square miles of the Sonoran Desert and is comprised of a total of 24 municipalities, each with a distinct set of features, attractions and flavors that offer visitors a unique view of the country's fifth largest city. The Phoenix metropolitan area is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, with approximately 5 million people living here. Scottsdale housed a German prisoner of war camp at the intersection of Scottsdale and Thomas highways, in what is now Papago Park. In 1999, the school opened a second campus at Scottsdale Airfield, allowing it to serve the business community and north of Scottsdale. Scottsdale Fashion Square presents the Old Town Scottsdale lifestyle with approximately 2 million square feet of luxury retail space.
Scottsdale Fashion Square features the old town of Scottsdale, which is among the 30 largest shopping centers in the country and offers exclusive and luxury stores. The largest is the Scottsdale Main Street Arts District, which houses the largest and most diverse collection of styles and genres, the more contemporary Marshall Way Art District, and the more touristy and Western-themed Old Town district, which features the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Notable regional centers include Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter, in north Scottsdale, and Scottsdale Fashion Square, in downtown Scottsdale, a major destination for luxury shoppers. The Scottsdale Jaycees Sun Parade, an annual month-long event that has been held in Scottsdale since 1954. The downtown streetcar runs through downtown Scottsdale and the neighborhood streetcar runs from downtown Scottsdale to neighborhoods across South Scottsdale, connecting with the city of Tempe's own free public circulator, the Tempe Orbit on Roosevelt and Scottsdale Road.
