Vintage Tour
Perched atop the Valley like a feather in one of local hatmaker Eric Watson’s jaunty fedoras, Cave Creek has many beguiling attributes as a day-trip destination, from its bouldered desert scenery to its many funky bars and saloons. The shopping is pretty swell, too.
How To Get There
From most Valley locales, take the Scottsdale Road exit off the Loop 101 and ride that baby north until you see the big black mountain on your left. (Named Black Mountain, fittingly.)
Best Seasons to Visit: Winter, Spring and Fall
Itinerary
-> Fuel up for your day of vintage-shop exploration at Local Jonny’s – the newest addition to Cave Creek’s growing colony of coffee shops. They use beans from Northern Arizona’s Firecreek Coffee, which is all we need to know. 6033 E. Cave Creek Rd., 480-488-5261, facebook.com/localjonnys
-> How many thrift stores give you a side of history along with your purchase? You don’t even need to set foot in The Vintage Arizona to know it’s special. Check them out on Instagram @thevintagearizona for background on everything from Pyrex to AZ-centric treasures – then head to the shop. 10637 N. Cave Creek Rd., 602-323-4917
-> Continue your perusal of Cool Old Stuff at perhaps the largest vintage shop in the Cave Creek/Carefree area: Everything Goes, specializing in clawfoot tubs, refurbished headboards and everything else you need to fill your farmhouse. 11649 N. Cave Creek Rd., 602-331-3383, everythinggoesaz.com
-> Had enough retail therapy? Stretch your legs on the nearby Blue Wash-Camp Creek Falls hiking trail. From Carefree, take Cave Creek Road east approximately 7 miles to the gravel lot on the left just past the “Blue Wash No. 1” sign. Trail beings near the cottonwood trees across from the parking place.
-> Watson’s Hat Shop is truly old-school – each custom-made lid, whether a fedora, Panama or cowboy, is crafted by milliner Eric Watson with actual 19th-century hat-making gear like brim molds and a conformateur. Sounds like madness, but after all, Watson is a hatter. Starting at $999. 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., 480-595-9777 watsonshatshop.com
-> Set in a lively two-story cantina, Ofrenda reads like a more seafood-focused version of Barrio Café, with Pueblan-inspired fusion entrees such as Pasta en Nogado (tagliatelle with a poblano- and raisin-studded walnut sauce) running point for a well-authored selection of tacos, salads and gourmet hand-food. A CC must-visit. 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., 480-488-2187, theofrenda.com
DID YOU KNOW?
Cave Creek is a town of iconoclasts. Past celebrity residents have included late rapper DMX, Hells Angels honcho Sonny Barger and Hollywood tough guy Steven Seagal.
Overnight Option
The Boulders Resort & Spa
The Boulders’ secluded Carefree setting screams “tranquil Southwestern retreat” with ancient granite vistas and cozy, just-renovated casitas to go with slightly cooler temperatures than the rest of the Valley. But don’t let all that Zen fool you: This place is fitness buff heaven. With eight tennis courts, two Jay Morrish-designed award-winning golf courses (it was named 2017’s Best Golf Resort in the Southwest by Golf Digest), four pools, moonlight bike ride tours, sunrise stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga classes, gorgeous guided hikes and horseback riding, and desert fly fishing, this resort has an activity sheet long enough to tucker out Bear Grylls. 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Carefree, 480-488-9009, theboulders.com
Wild Card
Hypnotic agate and geode pieces as tall as a bear – some made into coffee tables, others into lamps – distinguish Rare Earth Gallery. It’s Disneyland for rockhounds and a home décor dream. 6401 E Cave Creek Rd, 480-575-4360, rareearthgallerycc.com
