Why would anybody want to start a city in the middle of a desert? The answer is, surprisingly, agriculture. The Salt and Verde Rivers of central Arizona were exploited for large-scale agriculture by Native Americans as early as the 11th century. The area that now encompasses Phoenix was a center of the Hohokam culture, which built large canal systems and a network of towns and villages, whose remains may be viewed in the city to this day.

Anglo-American settlement of the area commenced in the 1860s, and in 1911 the completion of the first of several large reservoirs in the mountains north and east of Phoenix insured its success as a center for irrigation-based agriculture. Many tens of thousands of acres were planted in citrus and cotton and other crops, and for many years intensive, year-round irrigated agriculture formed the basis of the economy.

Warm and sunny winter weather also insured a thriving tourism industry, and encouraged many easterners and midwesterners to relocate to Phoenix. High-tech industry began to flourish after World War II, and since that time the growth of Phoenix has been explosive, rising from a population of just 106,818 in 1950 to today's figure of well over 1,300,000.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), which serves as a hub for Southwest and America West airlines, and which is also served by American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, and Alaska Airlines, and also by US Airways and British Airways. http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/

Due to a dispute among the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Union Pacific Railroad, and Amtrak, passenger train service to Phoenix has been discontinued. Amtrak passengers may disembark at Maricopa, Arizona (25 miles south of Phoenix) and arrange their own travel into the city. No regular shuttle service currently exists.

I-10 from the south and west, and I-17 from the north. US 60 is also a major route into Phoenix from the east.

Greyhound Bus Lines, 2115 E. Buckeye Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85034; Tel. (602) 389-4200. (This is a large bus terminal adjacent to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.) http://www.greyhound.com/

• Valley Metro. Extensive metropolitan bus system, soon to be supplemented by a light rail system. http://www.valleymetro.org/
• Freeways. Extensive network of freeways, most built since 1987. Caution: Heavy construction on some segments and interchanges continues. Check construction schedules and closures in the local media.

• Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. The US's only city-operated archaeological site, exploring and interpreting the pre-Columbian Hohokam civilization. http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/PARKS/pueblo.html
• Heard Museum. Celebrating Native American cultures and arts, especially those of Arizona and New Mexico. http://www.heard.org/
• Phoenix Art Museum. 16,000 artworks with an emphasis on American, Asian, Latin American, and modern and contemporary. http://www.phxart.org/
• Desert Botanical Garden. Plant life of the Sonoran Desert, and of arid lands around the world. http://www.dbg.org/

• Bank One Ballpark (The BOB), 7th Street and Jefferson, home of the National League Arizona Diamondbacks, capacity 49,033, with a retractable roof and air conditioning. You can get really decent tickets for $12.50. Call (602) 514-8400. http://www.azdiamondbacks.com/
• Arizona Science Center. Hands-on science for kids and grown-ups, modeled on San Francisco's Exploratorium. http://www.azscience.org/
• Phoenix Symphony. The city's classical and pops orchestra, presenting a 25-week season of concerts. http://www.phoenixsymphony.org/
• Arizona Opera. Presenting a season of five grand opera productions, with emphasis on Verdi, Puccini, and Mozart. http://www.azopera.com/
• Arizona Theatre Company. Professional theater in downtown Phoenix's Herberger theater complex. http://www.arizonatheatre.org/

• Arizona State University. Located in the eastern suburb of Tempe (with three branch campuses around the Phoenix metro area), ASU is one of the largest public universities in the United States. Noted for its engineering, business, music, and creative writing programs. http://www.asu.edu/
• Maricopa Community Colleges. Largest system of community colleges in the United States, with 10 campuses in the metro (Maricopa County) area; numerous community and adult education programs. http://www.maricopa.edu/

Time-honored tchotchkes from Phoenix are scorpion bolo ties and saguaro-cactus salt and pepper shakers. Look for them at the various airport gift shops.

• La Fonda del Sol, 1126 N. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, AZ 85281; Tel. (480) 966-8001. La Fonda is a great restaurant if you're looking for Mexican food. The problem with posting this restaurant in the budget section is that many will instantly assume that the food is mediocre. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is friendly; good pricing is an added benefit, not a factor.
• Guedo's Taco Shop, 71 E. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, AZ 85225; Tel. (480) 899-7841. Located in one of the eastern suburbs, Guedo's boasts a fanatical following... and for good reason. It's a simple formula -- superb soft tacos and Mexican beer, served in a hole-in-the-wall place with plenty of character. A salsa bar offers a choice of scratch-made and bottled sauces, ranging from mild to torrid. The cooks may sing Mexican ballads or pop songs while going about their work; your name will be called out when your order is ready. Some locals maintain that they have no interest in going to heaven if it doesn't include Guedo's.
• Pete's Fish and Chips, 22 S. Mesa Dr., Mesa, AZ 85210; Tel. (480) 964-7242. Eight other locations in the Phoenix Valley. Forget the tartar sauce -- "Pete's special sauce" is to die for. Family owned and operated since 1947. Only cash is accepted. http://www.petesfishandchips.com/
• Also look out for many 24-hour Mexican food places -- Filiberto's started here, with Raliberto's and other restaruants offering a burrito the size of your forearm for less than $4.00.

• Los Dos Molinos, 8646 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85042; Tel. (602) 243-9113. Sonoran-style dominates Phoenix-area Mexican cookery, but Los Dos celebrates the cuisine of the Rio Grande Valley -- which means lots of very hot chiles. This long-established and highly regarded restaurant is a must for all true chile-heads. Reservations not accepted.
• Matta's, 932 E. Main St., Mesa, AZ 85203; Tel. (480) 964-7881. The Mexican restaurant on the east side of town since 1953, hosted by the Matta family. Nice atmosphere with strolling mariachis in the evening.
• Phoenicia Cafe, 616 S. Forest Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281; Tel. (480) 967-8009. (From central Phoenix, take AZ 202 -- the Red Mountain Freeway -- east to the Scottsdale Road exit, make a right on Scottsdale Road, which becomes Rural Road once you cross the bridge. Make a right on University Ave., then a right on Forest Ave. The cafe will be on the left just past Sixth Street.) Hours vary by season: I recommend you call ahead and inquire. A delicious and inexpensive place to find Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. You can eat here for under 15 dollars per person, including beverages (non-alcoholic -- I don't think they have a liquor license, and the cafe is a locus of the Muslim community in Tempe), appetizers, dessert and tip. Relatively small, it is within walking distance of the Arizona State University main campus, so expect seating to be hard to find during the lunch rush while school is in session. I recommend the baba ghannouge (eggplant dip) appetizer and the baklava (which one of the owners makes from scratch) for dessert. It is hard to go wrong ordering here. There is also an attached small Middle Eastern grocery that has great prices, especially on spices, Middle Eastern/Mediterranean deli items, and bulk olive oil. Very good service and friendly atmosphere is to be found at both the restaurant and the grocery store. Like many places near large schools, they will operate with restricted hours in the summer months (June to September).

• Mastro's Steak House, 8852 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85255; Tel. (480) 585-9500, is actually located in north Scottsdale, but if you're willing to spend the money, you're probably willing to drive as well. Mastro's also has a restaurant in Beverly Hills, with a plethora of well-known visitors that frequent it. Call ahead, as you'll most likely need a reservation.
• Eddie V's Edgewater Grill, 20875 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85255; Tel. (480) 538-8468. Eddie V's is very close to Mastro's (about 10 minutes), meaning it's also in Scottsdale. The food is great, and Eddie's has something for everyone, in comparison to the meat-centricism of common steakhouses. (I recommend the Parmesan encrusted sol... mmmmm.) Call ahead for a reservation.

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• Extended Stay America, 15501 North Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254; Tel. (480) 607-3767. For inexpensive lodgings (think Motel 6 for the business traveler) in North Scottsdale, try this hotel. They have studios, with built-in kitchens, for very low prices, particularly for longer stays. The location is right across the street from a large, upscale Scottsdale mall, and right off of Scottsdale Road near the outer-loop (Route 101) freeway.
• Quality Inn Mesa Phoenix Hotel Just 14 miles away from downtown Phoenix and only 08 miles away from Sky Harbor International Airport.

• Embassy Suites Biltmore Hotel, 2630 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016; Tel. (602) 955-3992. Next to the Biltmore Fashion Park offering over 70 shops and 14 restaurants. The Phoenix Airport is just eight miles away. http://esphoenix-biltmore.felcor.com/
• Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 W. Dunlap Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021; Tel. (602) 943-8200. Located in the heart of Phoenix's bustling high-tech commerce corridor and 30 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the Sheraton Crescent Hotel is also close to the MetroCenter Mall, NHL hockey at the Glendale Arena, and baseball spring training at the Peoria Sports Complex. http://sheraton-phoenix.felcor.com/
• Wyndham Phoenix Hotel, 50 E. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ 85004; Tel. (602) 333-0000. Only a short walk from Phoenix's convention center, shops and restaurants at the Arizona Center and Collier Center, America West Arena, Bank One Ballpark, the Herberger and Orpheum Theaters, Symphony Hall, and the Dodge Theatre.

• Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85255; Tel. (480) 585-4848. The Princess is an excellent hotel/spa for anyone. Pools a plenty, and much to do; swimming, fishing, golf, tennis, or enjoying time at the spa -- you can't go wrong at the Princess. The area that surrounds it is also very nice, in close proximity to Mastro's and Eddie V's restaurants. $200-400.

If you're a traveler, and you're leaving Phoenix, you might want to go to Tucson, Las Vegas, or San Diego. For cool weather, head up to I-17 to Flagstaff.

A good option for a day trip, or longer, out of Phoenix is a drive north to Sedona.

• Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors' Bureau
• City of Phoenix
• AZ Central -- Web presence of The Arizona Republic, Phoenix's major daily newspaper. Besides news, provides detailed community info, including an events calendar and dining guide.
• Phoenix Public Library