I spent an afternoon in Scottsdale, Arizona's most elite neighborhood, where homes cost up to $50 million. It felt like a private small town.

Roughly 30 minutes by car from downtown Scottsdale's shops, businesses, and amenities and 40 minutes from Phoenix, North Scottsdale is known for its large mansions and suburban mountain views.

According to the company's website, DC Ranch started as a cattle ranch in the 1900s. In 1997, the first home in the now-residential area was finished. Today, DC Ranch has 2,800 homes and 7,000 residents.

When I arrived at DC Ranch, I hopped in an SUV with my tour guide, senior communications manager Elizabeth Dankert. We drove through all four villages so I could get a closer look at the custom homes, shops, restaurants, pools, golf clubs, and other amenities enjoyed by residents.

Market Street is a public area on the edge of DC Ranch. It's a walkable complex with real estate and financial offices, shops, and restaurants. While anyone can peruse Market Street, it's especially convenient for residents with stores like Safeway.

Residents of Desert Camp can walk to the commercial area of Market Street.

The village on the west side of DC Ranch includes a mix of condos, townhouses, and single-family homes, as well as a community center.

Desert Camp is the most affordable village in DC Ranch. Its oldest homes were built in the 1990s, according to the community's website.

Farm, ranch, and Spanish-style homes in Country Club Village line a pristine, private golf course dotted with cacti.

Desert Parks Village is full of gated neighborhoods lined with single-family homes and luxury apartments.

Desert Parks is home to Spanish and Western-style houses and bungalows. The area is also dense with small parks and shaded areas.

Aside from its suburban streets, Desert Parks has businesses on walkable roads. One area, DC Ranch Crossing, has shops, restaurants, and doctors' offices.

Silverleaf is the most expensive village in DC Ranch, with homes costing up to $54 million.

The village also has a 50,000-square-foot clubhouse with a spa, pools, and restaurants. Like in the Country Club Village, there's also a golf course.

On our way to Silverleaf, we passed Copper Ridge School, where many DC Ranch students can walk or bike to class. According to the neighborhood's website, a pedestrian underpass leads from Silverleaf to the school.

The homes in Silverleaf are unlike any others I saw in DC Ranch. Driving down each street, I felt like I'd been transported to Europe.

According to the neighborhood's website, these properties have Spanish and Mediterranean Revival Estate architectures. And many of them showcase vibrant gardens and landscaping.

As we headed up the mountain, I noticed the Silverleaf homes were even more expansive.

At the top, estates had multiple buildings. We stopped, and I got out of the car. I thought of Italian castles and Greek villas as I wandered the hilly street on foot and marveled at the grand houses.

DC Ranch is still growing. From luxury apartment buildings to gigantic Silverleaf homes, there's more high-end housing in the works.

DC Ranch may be a slight trek from the action in downtown Scottsdale and Phoenix, but to me, it felt like a community that could provide for itself. With so many amenities, shops, and restaurants, I thought residents wouldn't have to leave DC Ranch to fulfill their needs.

And with views like this, I'm not sure I'd ever want to.