Wanted: Friendly People in Scottsdale
I am a 33 y.o. female social worker in Chicago making the big move to Scottsdale in August. I have a place to live near Old Town already and was planning to move whether I have found a job or not. My #1 concern is making new friends. I've visited Scottsdale several times and have always found the people to be friendly; however, while researching for my move, I have encountered several sites that bash Scottsdale residents and claim the people are most unfriendly and snobby. Any advice or input regarding that? Do you have any info on social clubs or organizations to meet people? Thanks!People love to bash Scottsdale and its inhabitants. I think every city has an area or group like Scottsdale!
Here's my take on it. Hopefully you'll make friends where you work. If you have kids, that might be through school activities. Find out if your community has potlucks or barbecues. There are hiking groups, golf leagues, artists' guilds, women's groups, Toastmasters clubs, mommy groups and more. Many people make friends at places of worship. Some make friends at the gym or at dance classes. Still others volunteer. There are charitable organizations, as well as business and professional organizations (that might also help on your resume or with networking). Of course, there are some wonderful events in Scottsdale where you could volunteer and meet people, like the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. Our libraries out here do a great job, and if reading is fun for you, there are a variety of book discussion opportunities all over town. The City of Scottsdale offers a wide variety of recreational and educational workshops and classes that are geared toward adults. Those are just a few thoughts off the top of my head.
I get this question fairly often, and my answer is usually pretty much the same for everyone. However you make friends where you are is probably how you'll make friends in your new location! Some people ask me if it will be easier to make friends here than where they are from. My gut feeling is no, because if you have a tough time mingling or meeting people where you are, you'll probably have the same challenges here. The only difference is that if you are an outdoorsy type, you might find more like-minded people here, and more opportunities to find walking groups, hiking groups, biking groups, camping groups, garden groups, etc.
Decide what you like to do. Then get out and enjoy it. Chances are, you'll meet some nice folks along the way.
Comments
My husband always says he couldn’t wait to moove back East as he is from Pittsburgh. I agree, if you’re not outgoing to begin with, then don’t expect miracles.
The one thing that stood out in his mind was the different topography. If you’re used to seeing green…forget it, get over it…deal with it!
If you’re not used to brick walls; same as above!
If you’re not used to crickets, heat etc…same as above!
But, if you are young, outgoing and visited the area for more than two weeks in a row…you will love it!
I am a year shy of being 30 and have lived here in the Valley for 8 years. Although I have married the man of my dreams and have two beautiful children, the only thing I can’t find is any loyal friends, or people that know how to be a friend anyways. I have been thru about a hundred shady fairweather friends. People I’ve met at work, doing activies, church groups, mommy groups, the playground etc. I may start volunteering though, and hopefully will meet some like minded pleasant people that don’t want to bring you down, only to cheer you on. People are jealous and fake here, and I can’t take it anymore! Good luck to you, but I’m sure you’ll find the same eventually. A previous boss from Manhattan said it’s not very cultured here since it’s new and that and the heat is a big problem. Anyhow, take care…..
I just moved to Phoenix from the Washington, DC area. I have to say that the people here are more friendly and down to earth. In DC everyone is stressed out from the daily grind and long commutes. People here are more laid back and outgoing. Even people who work in the stores are friendly and helpful. In DC they act like you’re bothering them if you ask them a question or roll up to their cash register if they are engaged in a conversation with a co-worker. And god forbid they’re on a personal phone call and you interrupt them to get waited on! I think the sun makes people happy.
I am young, outgoing, and I spent longer than two weeks in a row in the Phoenix area, and I certainly didn’t love it! People are rude, it is ugly, polluted, dusty, hot, and lacks any city culture whatsoever. It is like a sprawling suburban subdivision from one end to the other. Yuck. It is also does not feel safe because not only is the violent crime quite high, but it is not focused to one or two areas because there are pockets of shady areas throughout the entire metro area so therefore impossible to avoid. In other cities, the bad areas can be avoided, but not so in Phoenix. I hate the place.
First off, good luck to you. I am a 28 year old recently married female living in the valley. I for one love Scottsdale, but will admit it is not for everyone. Good ways to meet people are at work, the gym, hiking Squaw Peak or Camelback or of course night spots. Scottsdale is full of great night spots including wine bars, lounges, great restaurants and nightclubs. Scottsdale also has some of the best shopping around. It is truly a beautiful city in my eyes. Even though it is hot, I would not trade our summers for one of Chicago’s winters any day. Good luck to you on your future move.
Sincerely,
M
Tell people to go to meetup.com. There will be dozens of groups of people around Scottsdale with all kinds of activiities newcomers can enjoy and get the chance to meet others. Also, check the yellow pages and the net for clubs that might be of interest
I moved to Scottsdale from Milwaukee almost three years ago and it is growing on me. There ARE quite a few unfriendly people that I have run across but, for the most part, people here are friendly and more tolerant than those in the Midwest. The best way to meet people is to just get out, even when sitting on the couch, watching a movie sounds like the best idea going. I agree with Mike, go on meetup.com - I’m a member of several groups and the meetings are a very nonintimidating way to make new friends. But move here with an open attitude - believe that you are going to love it and see joy in all that Arizona has to offer. There is SO much to do here and at least you will get ample amounts of sunshine, unlike the dreary Midwest!
Also there is MeetInPhoenix - wwww.meetin.org then select Phoenix from the drop-down city list on the left. There are members of all ages from early 20’s to mid 50’s.It is FREE to join. (MeetIn is a different organization than MeetUP, which is event specific).
I wouldn’t have either a Phoenix/Scottsdale summer, or a Chicago winter. Both are equally horrible, and one is not better than the other. I lived in Phoenix for 13 months for work, and I found Scottsdale to be fake and pretentious. If you like people driving around in expensive leased or borrowed cars, plastic surgery, and people that pretend to be someone else, then the Scottsdale nightlife may be for you, but certainly not for me. People are snobby and rude, but most people I met in the Phoenix area are rude. The Phoenix area as a whole does feel dangerous and unsafe unlike any other city I’ve spent time in the US for the reasons that a previous person said, and AZ is rated as the 3rd most dangerous state in the country. I think the heat makes people angry, and I would never return to that hell-hole.
I agree with Heather and Shane. Phoenix, and Scottsdale is awful. The crime is high, the cost of living is growing at a rate unlike anywhere else in the country, the housing market is the worst in the country, and although there may be plenty of sun, it’s hard to see it through the brown cloud because it is one of the most polluted cities in the country. If people like a brown sky and a brown landscape, then Phoenix may be for them. There are too many strip malls, and there isn’t any culture, and the architecture actually made me feel physically ill. In Scottsdale, as with Phoenix, a car is needed to get anywhere adding to the cities pollution and the immovable brown cloud.
I cannot agree with Jennifer at the least bit. First off I am going to school to become an Architect and living in Chicago all of the houses look horrible. Everything is made out of siding. When I visited Phoenix I could not believe the great architecture. The home made out of adobe are amazing and the are built in such a way that it keeps energy costs down. Also one of the most amazing pieces of architecture Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd resides in Scottsdale.
As for the crime rate here in Chicago I attended one of the worst High Schools around and there were many shootings and things of that nature. As I look at it when I think of crime in America Chicago, New York and LA are first in my mind. I have been to Scottsdale with my girlfriend and her sister in law and when we would be walking their dog almost everyone who we passed by stopped to say Hi and to pet the dog. We also went rock climbing on Camelback and we struck up conversations with people along the way and most of the people were very friendly. I must admit the pollution is not desirable but every city has its ups and downs and by no mean do the downs outweigh the ups. I am thinking of actually visiting in the summer again and if all goes well I might move to the Phoenix area after I finish with my Bachelors degree.
My husband and I have stayed several times in the Scottsdale area when we have come to visit. We love the area and the people we have met. I believe it is all in what you are willing to put in to getting to know people that makes the difference.
Scottsdale is just like similar areas in other cities (Buckhead to Atlanta, Adams Morgan to DC, Manhatten, etc.). My wife and I live in Chandler and in less than a year we have met many more nice people than when we lived near Annapolis. I equate the hospitality to that of Alabama, where I grew up. Sure there are snobby people anywhere the average income is high, so move to Chandler if it concerns you that much.
For those that were (off topic) bashing Phoenix, I would guess you just frequented the wrong areas. I have never encountered feelings of not being safe, rude people, etc. My family is happier here than anywhere else we’ve been, by far…
I moved to Scottsdale 10 years ago from California (Beverly Hills). I loved Scottsdale, it’s fun, friendly and safe.
I have lived in Arizona for 35 years with a few attempts to escape to different parts of the country. As for the snobs in Scottsdale, I would compare that to moving to Beverly Hills. In both places you will have pleasant and unpleasant people. The rich do not always mingle well with the working class.
It is a shame for the the people that have so many negative things to say, Arizona has so much to offer. The people are so diverse as they come from all over the world to call Arizona home. They have taken the time to see the beauty of not only the people but the state, which is as diverse as the people.
The time that I have lived here crime has not been an issue. I hear that we have high crime, I have not been a witness to this. The last report that I read stated it has one of the highest crime rates. The reasons were because of theft and other non violent crimes.
As I said I have made attempts at living other places for I love the trees and meadows etc, that other places have to offer. This last attempt I realized how much I loved that Big blue sky, the openness when you drive and can see for miles, the 10 different directions you can go in this state and none of them being the same.
As for the people, each state has its idiots, rude and just plain mean people (it is a law written somewhere). If you have a hard time being out of your comfort zone and people you have grown up with your whole life that know every detail about you………then yes you will have a more difficult time. But if you are willing to spread your wings a bit, you will fly and even soar!
We just moved to the Phoenix area from Orange County California in the beginning of December. So far we LOVE it here. We took many trips the prior year deciding on where to live in the Valley area, and fell in love with an area in the West Valley. We have made many trips to Scottsdale, and other areas also, and I agree that there is so much to do and see. The weather for the most part is wonderful, and although this will be our first summer here in the extreme heat, we have visited during the HOT times. It was actually better than what we had expected during the 115 degree heat. I guess some of it’s what your expecting, and what you make of it. So far, most people have been very friendly here, such much more than in California. Of coarse you always get those snobby, mean people, as you can anywhere. It sounds like the young people are the ones who bash the city, and it doesn’t sound like they have a very good attitude anyway. Even in beautiful Orange County, there were great areas, and right around the corner the bad areas. It was like that all over. There werer citys that had some of the best crime rates, next to cities that had some of the worst crime rates. Hopefully we will continue to be happy here and make new friends. I think if Scottdale doesn’t work out, just move to one of the growing, friendly cities around the Valley. There are so many of them to choose from. I think it won’t be too hard to find some place that makes you happy around here!
I think it probably depends on where you come from. If you’ve moved from the East Coast, everyone seems friendly. If you’ve moved from the West Coast then it seems unfriendly.
I’ve lived here a year and there is plenty to complain about but I try not to. The one unavoidable, terrible thing about Phoenix/Scottsdale is that culture is completely absent. People attempt to assimilate here. Everyone wants the same haircut and terrible dye job. Everyone wants an offensively humongous car that makes them look like a moron, etc. It gets tiresome trying to find interesting people. You just have to try harder than you would somewhere else. There is very little to do for the under 50 crowd. Unless you golf. People complain about the heat and it is extreme but you just deal. I’d rather deal with 120 degrees than -20 any day.
I have to say that this page has given me pause to think. I’m a 35, working class, single, african american mother of 3 who is planning on moving to AZ (particularly Scottsdale) this summer and I must say that I have not felt a bit of trepidation about the move until reading this. I would love to hear from someone who has similar situation to mine tell me what their experience has been. I also wonder if you dislike AZ so much why did some of you move there? If you had no choice its one thing but if you did there must have been something that appealed to you? Were your expectations reasonable? Was it a “happy” move or under duration…I don’t know just thinking out loud…
thanks to maggie and the others who have positive scottsdale comments. i’ll take the suggestions and make sure to get involved in activities after moving. but wow, so many people have such nasty things to say about scottsdale, such as the pollution and high levels of crime. i’ve been to scottsdale about 5 times and have never seen an ounce of brown in the sky. in fact, my breathing has never been more clear and my body has never felt so healthy anywhere else. i’m not sure about the high crime rates, but i’m hoping it is no where near the level of murders, robberies and rapes that occur every minute in chicago. i do not even live in scottsdale yet and already want to defend it.
I am from New York City and I moved to the Phoenix area and visited Scottsdale many times. The Phoenix metropolitan area including Scottsdale is horrible and I couldn’t wait to get back to Manhattan. The high crime and the high pollution made me feel unsafe and because there are so many pockets of bad areas mixed in everywhere I never felt safe. Scottsdale is in fact pretentious and people there are the most fake that I have seen anywhere and the people of the Phoenix area are RUDE! Much more so than New York in my opinion. And by the way, the Phoenix metropolitan area was named as more dangerous than the Chicago metropolitan area, and AZ is the 3rd most dangerous state in the US behind only NV and LA. The pollution is also higher than Chicago and many other cities because it is a valley and the pollution just sits there with nowhere to go, and a car is needed for everything, and if you search for ‘Phoenix brown cloud’ then it will explain it in depth. And also search for ‘valley fever’ which is an incurable disease that is caught from the dust in the air from the desert. The entire Phoenix area is disgusting. Lacking in any culture and ugly architecture, and rude, polluted, fake and unsafe.
For those wondering about the crime of the Phoenix metropolitan area compared to other cities, here is the list of the top-10 most dangerous metropolitan areas of over 1 million population…
1. Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI
2. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
3. Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
4. Miami-Dade County, FL
5. Charlotte-Gastonia, NC-SC
6. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
7. Houston, TX
8. St. Louis, MO
9. Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD
10. Los Angeles/Orange County, CA
That ranking shows that the Phoenix metropolitan area is more dangerous for crime than other metropolitan areas of over 1 million people such as (not in order) Houston, Washington DC, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas, Minneapolis, and others. The violent crime rate is practically the same as Chicago, but because of the pockets of bad areas in Phoenix it is more random throughout the entire metropolitan area which makes it harder to avoid, while in Chicago it is easier to avoid because most of it occurs in the more socially challenged areas.
After reading the previous post, here are some photos of the legendary Phoenix brown cloud. By the way, I live in PHX and I hate it…
http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM107/AirWeBreathe/PhxBrownCloud.jpg
http://i.treehugger.com/files/phoenix%20brown%20cloud.jpg
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/122597/art/birdpix1.jpg
If you are happy with yourself you will be happy wherever you live. I think it mostly depends on what kind of weather you like as to where you should move to.
I’ve lived in Phoenix for over 10 years–moved from Birmingham, AL. Have lived in Nashville, TN and grew up in NYC. While I do love NY, I absolutely LOVE living in Phoenix! The desert is beautiful, I’ve found the people to be overall very friendly, and I’ve never felt unsafe. I also love that you can drive a couple of hours to a completely different topography and much cooler weather. That said, of course there are drawbacks–the brown cloud is real, for example, as is the summer heat. But for me, the pluses greatly outweigh the negatives. AS for meeting people–if you like to sing, check out the Scottsdale Chorus (). It’s lots of fun and a great way to make life-long friends!
I visited AZ 1n December 2006 and spent 1 week in Mesa in 2007. After those visits my husband and I have decided to relocate to Arizona. I LOVE the weather. We are planning to visit with friends in a few days an whilst there look at some new homes. I can’t wait to be there.
As for the crime; sure if you live in a very high-dollar area of Scottsdale etc. I’m sure you won’t see the effects of it. But if you are an average; middle-class or in that income-level somewhere and must mainly live in Phoenix, etc. you WILL definetely see the effects of crime and feel unsafe. I definetely don’t live in the ghetto, and comporable to the South where I came from pay quite a bit for a very small place, but I have drug-dealing neighbors, and a couple of crazy, violent parolees, and of course decent folks like us, but we are all forced to “hide-out” due to the nuts. And don’t get me started on the gang-banging kids. Prior place we rented from some set their apt. on fire b/c imagine the audacity they were kicked-out for having drugs and guns and arrested, so when released the set the place on fire, almost killing innocent people by them and then driving past the fire brandishing a gun at an onlooker! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
I have been on this site for over year when I decided I wanted to find out if Arizona was a place for me to spend the second half of my life (I’m single and 49 yrs old). I have read the comments for the past year (good and bad) with an open mind, then came to visit to create my own experience (I didn’t know a soul here). I visited twice - July 2007 (it was 112 degrees) and Feb 2008 (it was cool and rainy) and moved here in April of this year. (One caveat - I moved from the suburbs of Detroit so it wasn’t going to take much to improve on my location) but I knew what I wanted - outdoor lifestyle, age demographics, church life, career choices and I did my homework. In spite of coming from depressed Michigan, there were things that I was going to miss - good air quality, beautiful trees and lakes but I had to process that loss and know that there were going to be trade offs and I decided it was all worth it in the long run. I have been living in the North Scottsdale area for 4 weeks (don’t laugh - I don’t sit around and have been more places in 4 weeks than some Arizonians that have lived here for years)and have had incredibly wonderful experiences - primarily with the people. I am awestruck with the genuine friendliness, willingness to help and I have made several friends by reaching out - at my condo, church, met friends through these friends. I have found a job, joined a church, enrolled to complete my degree and I’m set on moving forward with my life. This isn’t because I ran into rude, snobby people! It is all about your attitude and how much effort you put into creating a new life for yourself. Of course I have run into the person who didn’t want to engage in conversation - but most people don’t turn from my friendly greeting. There are snobby people everywhere (I came from the Grosse Pointe/Birmingham/West Bloomfield area!), there is no perfect place. This area has incredible diverse beauty, incredibly diverse neighborhoods offering grass/trees, desert landscapes, diverse architecture, diverse activities not only outdoor but culturally, has many offerings for higher education, not to mention weather that can’t be beat. For those of you considering moving here, keep an open mind, know what you want and do your homework and you better gear up to reach out because I don’t how you make friends without doing that. For those of you who don’t like AZ, move on so I don’t greet you with a hello and you snarl at me because you are so unhappy in AZ.