Internet in Phoenix-Scottsdale

These days, wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) is widely available throughout the Valley of the Sun, including Sky Harbor Airport and the state capitol complexes downtown. To attract customers, many businesses offer it for free while some, like Starbucks charge a tidy sum to sip and surf. Most hotels have grown hip to the benefit of offering hot spots, especially for business travelers and, while most of them charge for the service, others will offer it free in public areas. For those traveling without a laptop, cyberspace is still just a click away on public computers for a fee. Larger hotels and resorts generally have business centers with computer and Internet service.

There are also places to sample some local flavor while logging on to the World Wide Web. Jamaica Blue, in Scottsdale, is open 365 days a year, from 6 AM to 2 AM with hourly, daily, and monthly Internet rates. Netlans attracts a wide range of Internet users and LAN gamers with their quality computers, friendly staff, and "surfing" snacks.

For free Wi-Fi, try Sahara Coffee Roasters, in Central Phoenix: they have Pentium-friendly fresh-roasted coffee, smoothies, and pastries. Counter Culture Café, downtown, attracts an eclectic mix of people, pop art, cyberspace, smooth lattes, and Mediterranean-style nosh. Drip Coffee Lounge is a great, hip coffee hangout. The humble menu offers creative and flavorful organic options for breakfast and lunch, and outstanding coffee drinks brewed to order with a smile. The soy latte is simply divine for sipping and surfing. Hava Java, in the Camelback Corridor, is a cozy but comfy, upscale coffeehouse with a strong Internet signal and serious people-watching for monitor-weary eyes. The Gelato Spot next door also has a good signal. The Burton Barr Central Library is a cool and quiet place to catch up on communiqués of all kinds, in Downtown Phoenix. At Gold Bar Espresso, in Tempe, you can listen to live music, send e-mails, and enliven your tastebuds with premium fresh-roasted coffee.