While the warm weather climate of the Phoenix Valley area brings in visitors from all over, it also brings congestion. As the population of the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area soars towards 5 million people, the desire to branch out beyond the city limits increases. About 45 minutes due north of Downtown Phoenix is a fledgling master-planned community capitalizing on this momentum that is growing year over year in the Arizona desert. Anthem, Arizona, is a unique Phoenix neighborhood that is now home to more than 22,000 residents (and rising) that mixes all of Arizona’s most treasured amenities in a more serene setting. It also offers convenience to the metro area for its residents, much like Arizona’s nearby desert town of Paradise Valley.
The planning of Anthem by Del Webb dates back to the 1990s, where the population then began to soar into the thousands. Once Anthem became a city in 2004, the completion of the nearby Loop 303 highway to follow only furthered retail and community development in the area. Now, this idyllic locale in the shadows of the Sonoran Desert offers championship golf, city amenities, and priceless sunsets that make it one of the more desirable places to live in the Phoenix metro area.
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Anthem’s trails and golf courses make for suburban desert scenery
Golf course hole at Anthem Golf and Country Club – OldBearPhoto/Shutterstock
The scenery in anthem is reminiscent of much of the greater Phoenix area — desert highland mixed into the valley with mountain backdrops and panoramic views around every corner. In Anthem, saguaro cacti line the roads and predominantly tile-roofed homes are built for the often harsh desert climate, as the average high temperatures in Anthem regularly exceed 100 degrees in the summer months. The Arizona sun has its drawbacks but also its benefits, as there’s no shortage of great weather to explore the surrounding area. Residents in Anthem can enjoy the by foot through its trail systems, or with a round of golf on one of two tracks that weave through the community. The neighborhoods have over 15 miles of trails to navigate. One of the more popular excursions is the 6.3 mile stretch of the Maricopa Trail, which is owned and cared for by the Anthem Community Council and branches off to a larger system of trails.
Arizona and golf go hand in hand, so for a less strenuous tour of the area be sure to check out Anthem Golf & Country Club. This property features not one, but two championship courses that are playable for all skill levels and emphasize the desert beauty. The Persimmon Course is the older of the two, opened in 1999. It features lots of elevation change and a massive 18,000-square-foot double green for holes 9 and 18. The Ironwood Course is widely regarded as the tougher test, with an abundance of bunkers and water hazards designed to inflate your score. The water-filled stretch of holes 10-12 is known as “Anthem Alley” due to its difficulty. While the courses that wind through Anthem’s neighborhoods feel a world away, Sky Harbor International Airport that boasts a mile-long fitness trail remain convenient to this escape, just 45 minutes away.
Anthem’s community comes together for festival fun in the sun
Anthem Days event at Community Park in Anthem, Arizona – @anthemazcouncil/Instagram
As Anthem’s population continues to soar to over 22,000 residents, their home values have climbed to a median value of over $500,000 but the sense of a tight knit community remains. The hallmarks of Anthem’s seasons in the Arizona desert are the festivals put on by local community organizations throughout the year. The Anthem Days festival is a weekend full of fun that happens every spring, and with free admission and parking it’s a great easy for visitors to explore the area. There’s a carnival for the kids, along with food vendors and a business expo showcasing local business and entrepreneurs. Entertainment keeps the crowds buzzing at Community Park where the neighborhoods of Anthem come together. Anthem’s Independence Day celebration is a patriotic affair that typically takes place on July 3 every year with food and fireworks by night.
Though the high temperatures don’t dip much lower as the “autumn” months approach and it may not rival the best fall festival in your state, Anthem brings the fall vibes at their Autumnfest Arts and Crafts Fair. Here in the fall for a weekend, Anthem’s residents gather at the Community Park, the cleanly waterfall-filled hub for most of their events. Arts, crafts and vendors of all forms of creativity assemble, and it’s a popular time to get a leg up on shopping for the holiday season. As the holiday season moves into full gear, the holiday tree lighting arrives where Christmas caroling meets a festive night at The Outlets at Anthem, where there’s more than 60 designer brand shops on hand. With a suburban community vibe and a warm climate for year-round activity, it’s not hard to see what is driving demand in a destination like Anthem.
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