The chic crowd saunters between art galleries and fashion districts while the adventurous gang goes hiking in the barren and mountainous landscapes of this desert city.
Ask someone from Arizona for their opinion of Scottsdale and they might tell you that it’s a Phoenix satellite city with an artsy swagger. The art connoisseurs and fashionistas are certainly here but so are the bikers, cowboys, and hikers. Billionaires, rock stars, and sportspeople have all been drawn to this stylish corner of the American frontier.
If you are wondering what to do here, just let your personality guide you. Old Town Scottsdale is an enclave that takes you back to the era of the Wild West. Find cowboy saloons and shops selling Native American crafts. The Arts District has more galleries than you can flick a paint brush at. The Thursday evening ArtWalk is the perfect excuse to dress up, take a horse-drawn carriage ride and sip wine while chatting to artists. Even architecture buffs will have something to see in Scottsdale at Taliesin West, the winter home of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
With 300-plus days of sun there’s every opportunity to be outside in Scottsdale. Public golf courses are in abundance on the edge of downtown. Arnold Palmer was even kind enough to design one of them. Other sports get a look in, too. The Scottsdale Scorpions lend their ballpark to the San Francisco Giants for their spring training camp.
Need an adrenalin fix? Then grab your bike or pull on your walking boots because MacDowell Sonoran Conservancy has miles of trails to explore in the Sonoran Desert. Or, you can climb to the summit of Pinnacle Peak Park. There’s water in this desert city as well. You’ll believe it when you’re paddleboarding and tubing in the shadow of cactus fields and rugged hills.
Round out your trip at a health spa; Scottsdale is renowned for its wellness resorts where you can experience anything from animal spirit meditation to chakra balancing treatments.