Carefree, Arizona is north of Scottsdale, about 35 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Even if you have never been to Arizona, you've probably heard the song by Gordon Lightfoot, Carefree Highway (1973) . Carefree is an upscale, mostly residential community with quaint street names like Easy Street and Ho Hum Road. There are plenty of million dollar homes, no stop lights, no airport noise, no big box stores, no fast food chains, and a beautiful, desert environment. The elevation of Carefree is about 1,200 feet higher than downtown Phoenix, making it about 5 degrees cooler that Phoenix, give or take.
There aren't many employment opportunities in Carefree. There are a couple of resorts with hospitality positions, restaurants and some boutique retail stores. There are always infrastructure jobs, like schools, government and town services. By the way, I mention the word town because Carefree is not a city, it is a town.
The median age of a Carefree, AZ resident is about 60 years old (2010 Census), and families with young children are not especially attracted to the town. Even if you are not retired or independently wealthy, though, Carefree might be just the getaway for people -- locals or visitors -- who want to experience a more peaceful, laid back, (dare I say) "carefree" experience.
These pages are intended to give you ideas about how you might spend a relaxing, quiet weekend in Carefree, Arizona. Here's how I did it.
Page 1: Where is Carefree
Page 2: Where to Stay
Page 3: Downtown Carefree
Page 4: Carefree Garden and Sundial
Page 5: el Pedregal
Page 6: Play Golf
Page 7: Head Over to Cave Creek
