Entertainment
The Carefree Town Center is a lively, bustling downtown district offering events several nights a week. On Thursday evenings, the Town presents “Concerts in the Gardens,” a free community event featuring local talents and ensembles. Special performances also periodically take place at the Carefree Resort Opera House. A local attraction with worldwide recognition is the Giant Sundial in Sundial Circle. At 90 feet in diameter, it is the third largest working sundial in the Western Hemisphere (though some reports claim it is the largest). Carefree boasts more restaurants per capita than any other community in the Phoenix metropolitan area, so residents and visitors can find any type of food they desire in Carefree. Restaurants range from fast food and casual to an upscale formal dining experience.
Shopping
Shopping in Carefree is diverse, and local shops as well as national retailers have locations in the Town of Carefree. A stroll through the Town Center will satisfy the everyday browser and the serious art and antique collector. One could spend an entire day here, wandering through art galleries, trading posts, clothing boutiques, crystal shops and more. Local residents enjoy the community spirit found at the local farmer’s market. The Market features locally grown, pesticide-free and organic produce. Often the Market also features live entertainment. The Market is held at the Amphitheatre in downtown Carefree, every Friday morning from October through June.
Recreation
Carefree residents love the outdoors, and the variety of outdoor activities available in the area caters to their desires. In the adjacent Tonto National Forest, activities include hiking, camping, and water sports. Departing from the lobby of the Carefree Resort and Villas, the Carefree Desert Jeep Tours is a fun and educational tour through the Sonoran Desert. Riders learn how to “live off the land” and encounter various desert wildlife. Within the Town Limits, there is one private golf course (Desert Forest Golf Club), a few public tennis courts, a community park, and some playing fields for team sports.