Is Phoenix, AZ a nice place to live?

I currently live in upstate New York and am seeking to relocate to a warmer climate but cannot to live in the high cost cities of Southern California or Miami. I'm considering Phoenix, eventhough i've never visited. Is the heat unbarable? what do Phoenicians do to keep cool? Are there city pools or lakes? What about nightlife... are there nice restaurants and clubs for young professionals? What is the arts scene like? Good museums or galleries? Any insight is valued as I know nothing of the place.

We moved here from Rochester, NY seven years ago and love it! We decided that we'd give up 7-8 months of cold weather for 3 really hot ones. To answer your questions:

- The heat is not unbearable. You learn to live with it. In the summer, you are in your air-conditioned house, car or office (or mall). That's maybe from mid-June to September. Early summer it can get hot in the daytime but at night you still need a jacket. And there are virtually NO BUGS (not compared to NY anyway). I would take a 108 degree day in Phoenix over an 85 degree (and humid) day in Rochester anytime.

- Southern Cal is nice but as you said pricey. Florida is very humid which makes a HUGE difference - in Phoenix you don't really get sweaty except for the rare summer day when it's 50% humidity. So, no swimming in your own sweat like they do in the Southestern US (or in New York for that matter!)

- If you rent an apartment or house, find one with a pool. It will be well worth it and also serves as a good way to meet neighbors. There are lots of wonderful public pools and if you drive for an hour or so you will find lakes (Canyon Lake, Lake Havasu, Lake Pleasant and others).

- For nightlife your best bet is Scottsdale, though Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert have a few places here & there. There isn't much going on downtown I'm afraid, as much as the city is trying to change it. They do have nice facilities for baseball and basketball games, and ASU in Tempe has some more casual, less "stuffy" places to hang out. And wherever you go, there are a TON of wonderful restaurants in all styles and prices.

- If you are "artsy" you will like Old Town Scottsdale which has lots of galleries and every Wednesday night they have the Art Walk where the galleries stay open late for browsing (every Thursday from 7pm-9pm). There is also a wonderful Art Museum in downtown Phoenix, as well as the Desert Botanical Gardens, Heard Museum, Taliesin West and countless others.

For additional information, check out:
www.scottsdalecvb.com
www.phoenixcvb.com
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Visit first. The heat is high, but not totally unbearable - Phoenicians tend to be active early in the day or later in the evening, when it cools down, or they go swimming, and there are city pools, though they're busy.

There is a decent nightlife scene in Phoenix, particularly in and around the suburb of Scottsdale. The arts scene is improving, and there's a very nice art museum and some good theater, as well as lots of art galleries downtown (and the First Friday Art Walk, which is fun.) There's good hiking, some nice bike trails, and several good bars and clubs.

The biggest problem with Phoenix is that it's so new, and so sprawling, that it all looks vaguely the same. There's no cohesiveness in between the neighborhoods, and that gets frustrating and monotonous. There's some development downtown, and the city is definitely on the upswing, but it also has its problems, including heat and sprawl and traffic. Visit before you move here, would be my advice.

Phoenix is a NICE place to visit...-But think TWICE about moving here! Yes, it IS lovely here from November through April... But once it hits 100 degrees in May, it STAYS over 100- for the next 5 months! Phoenix has more Holidays than Rainy Days (people actually come Outside to BE in the Rain- it's so uncommon); and it's DUST you have to brush off the car's windsheild sometimes- NOT snow. City pools are crowded & closed half the time, but most homeowners have their own pools, anyway. Airconditioning is Universal; & people run from shade to shade in the Summer- to avoid standing in the BROILING Sun. Prices ARE alittle lower here, but Entertainment Options are Limited- so people end up spending aLOT of their free time- at the Movies (& there are MANY movie houses here). There IS some "Culture"- but nothing like they have back East. So WHAT should you do? -Pay Phoenix a visit for a week or two in July or August. If you like like it, then you'll LOVE the Place. If you DON'T, try Albequerque, NM. . -It's Smaller, but you should be able to "hack" the Summers better... :)

Just depends on what part of town you're in... I live right in the heart of the 602 (Phx) and it sucks. It was 95 degrees yesterday, so I suggest transferring in the winter. As far as all your inquiries go, yes yes yes yes and yes. The night life is hopping, there's a bar on every corner. Tons of clubs and gentleman's clubs. The art scene is so so, we have a sister city named Tempe, it's the college area and there's plenty of art and bars over there. The Phx Art Museum is pretty nice. There are swimming pools everywhere and the lakes are all on the borders of the city. There are a few park lakes but you don't want to dive into those. If you are young then Phoenix is cool, I have a lot of friends that came here to go to school and to find opportunity and then moved away ten years later and found it hard to leave. The architecture varies from block to block and living here is very affordable. Yes it's hotter than hell, but we're talkin' 0% humidity so it is bearable... Accept in August, the temp can reach 120. Now, if you decide to move to AZ remember to always take a cab home from bars and such, the state has made a huge business on DUI. Everyone out here has atleast one, They will put you in prison over it too. I happen to owe the state $10,000 right now over DUI. It's easy to make friends out here and there is always something to do, but if you dehydrate easily don't bother. Good luck.

I am from Buffalo, NY. My parents have a condo in Mesa, AZ where they will be retiring. My sister already lives out there. They love it out there. The summers are just like winters in Buffalo.. you stay inside a lot. But in the early morning and in the evenings it cools down in the summer.
There is a good nightlife b/c of ASU being in Tempe/Phoenix. I have been there myself. They have a strip of great bars. Some of the area around ASU looks really new. As a law student, I consider myself a young professional and probably have a lot of the same interests as you. I unfortunately have no knowledge of Phoenix's art scene but I am sure it is vibrant. Lots of golfing there as well.

I have lived here 19 year years and love it. First off it wasn't 95 degrees yesterday like the person above mad stated, it was 85 at the airport. In the summer you try to stay out of the sun as much as you can. We do have city pools and yes there are lakes around the general area.This city has everything you are looking for. Go to http://azcentral.com or http://myfoxphoenix.com to check out what we have to offer.

i went there once for a concert at the cricket pavilion, omg that place is horrible. im from miami, fl. so maybe it was too much of a big change. but never again!!!!!!!!!!!

maybe i think but it evey hot

It's freakin hot here in the summer time, but you learn how to stay cool. You are inside most of the time during the summer at mid day unless you're out early, or late at night, at the mall, movies, in the pool, the lake or water park. But you can still drive around comfortable if you have a/c in your car. The Arizona cool country is not far away either (Prescott, Flagstaff, Payson). You can also find flights to CA or Vegas for $39 one way.

I'm originally from Southern CA and I can tell you that you'll miss those big green trees. I guess you get use to that to. Whenever I go to CA, and come back, Phoenix seems soo dry and brown, maybe because it's a desert?

There's a lot to do here. Scottsdale has the more upscale entertainment venues and restaurants, but it does have laid back places to. Tempe is home to ASU, so there's a lot there, but you have to deal with drunk college kids. The Northwest side of town now has the Gateway City Center were the Superbowl took place, and you can find nice bars throughout the valley with live music to.

When you want to cool off, there's a few near by lakes and a few water parks through out the valley. A lot of people also like tubing down the Salt River.