Phoenix

The sun always seems to shine on the world-class golf destination that is Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the United States with unlimited things to do and the weather to do them in.

The warm climate keeps the golf business humming in Arizona year-round, with an average winter temperature high of 68 degrees. And though it's much warmer in the summer, that's also the time to find bargains, both on the golf courses and hotels (remember, it's a dry heat) for savings that are often 50 percent or more.

There are more than 200-plus golf courses in the area, which is home of the PGA Tour's Waste Management Open, and there are so many choices. While nearby Scottsdale gets much of the well deserved credit for the fantastic golf scene in the area, Phoenix can certainly hold its own with courses like Wildfire Golf Club, which hosts an LPGA event, Papago Golf Course, a terrific municipal that just underwent a massive renovation or the terrific Raven Golf Course, designed by Gary Panks and David Graham.

Access to Phoenix is easy, too, with Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport operating non-stop flights throughout the country. It's also an easy drive down Interstate 10 from Los Angeles.

The city also offers big-time professional sports with the Phoenix Suns, hockey's Phoenix Coyotes, the Arizona D-Backs baseball team and the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. There are also hundreds of world-class restaurants, spas, hotels and resorts such as the Arizona Biltmore, a 36-hole historic luxury destination with outstanding dining, accommodations, golf and spa.

Families also will enjoy the 1,300 animals at the Phoenix Zoo or go wild at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, where animals roam free and up close.

Whatever you do, be sure to put on the sunblock. It's a must when visiting the "Valley of the Sun."