Scottsdale, Arizona is famous for its Sonoran Desert mountain vistas, magnificent golf courses, cultural variety, world-class shopping, and fine restaurants. It is a popular travel destination for families, single travelers, golfers, and celebrities. Weather plays a part in Scottsdale's popularity, as well. Warm, sunny days year-round make the outdoors a major reason for visiting. 

Part of the Valley of the Sun (along with the capital city, Phoenix) the Scottsdale metropolitan area has all the wonderful experiences you would expect to find in a major city – set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Sonoran Desert. In addition, the region boasts fantastic museums and galleries, a wide array of sports events, Old West and Native American history, hiking and other outdoor activities suited for the state's more than 300 days of sunshine each year.

Whether you come to relax by a turquoise pool at a lush resort, shop until you drop, spend the day absorbing culture, or enjoy a round or two of golf, Scottsdale, Arizona is the vacation destination you are looking for. 

Scottsdale, Arizona Golf

You can't talk about Scottsdale without talking about golf. The quantity and quality of golf courses play a large part in the city's economy, bringing vacationers from all over the country. With over 300 days of sunshine and warm weather, beautiful scenery, and luxurious hotels, Scottsdale, Arizona is known as a preeminent vacation destination in the world for golf.

Here you will find majestic mountain views, glorious desert golf courses, hundreds of natural walking paths, meticulously manicured landscaping and exquisite, picturesque sunsets. Golfers find the Valley of the Sun irresistible, with dazzling courses that draw avid fans and professionals alike from around the country, making Scottsdale, Arizona a golf mecca.

North Scottsdale is more developed than other areas of the state, and most of the city's golf courses are located there. North Scottsdale, Arizona is located in the northeast part of the Phoenix Valley, at the base of the McDowell Mountains (east) and the Continental Mountain Range (north), all within the Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale. 

Popular golf courses include Orange Tree at the Orange Tree Golf Resort and the Acacia/Mesquite, Ironwood/Acacia, and Mesquite/Ironwood courses at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.

Scottsdale, Arizona Shopping

Take a break from the great outdoors to enjoy Scottsdale's bountiful shopping scene. Trendy boutiques, department stores, and unique art galleries are just part of what make Scottsdale, Arizona shopping irresistible.

5th Avenue Area
The Fifth Avenue arts district from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Boulevard combines the ambience of old Scottsdale with some of Arizona’s best restaurants, unique shops, and salons.

Biltmore Fashion Park
At the heart of a red-hot, upscale neighborhood of estate homes, grand resorts and new condominiums is the open-air Biltmore Fashion Park, a lush garden of shopping and dining.

The Borgata
6166 N. Scottsdale Road 
The Borgata is a shopping experience of local and national specialty shops and restaurants. Find unique merchandise at The Borgata in a setting straight from the Tuscan village.

Desert Ridge Marketplace
21001 N. Tatum Boulevard (at Tatum & Loop 101) 
This beautiful lifestyle and entertainment experience offers great shopping, live music, 30 eateries, an 18 screen luxury cinema, plus a rock climbing wall and more.


Kierland Commons
15044 N. Scottsdale Road 
Kierland Commons is a unique, upscale Main Street lifestyle center that artfully blends retail shopping, dining and entertainment.

Old Town Scottsdale Indian School Road  
Experience the flavor of the Old West where Scottsdale began more than one hundred years ago, in this area's 150+ shops and restaurants offer a wide variety.

Promenade Shopping Center
16427 N. Scottsdale Road
The Promenade, located at one of Scottsdale’s most prominent intersections, Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright, has emerged as one of the Valley’s most important shopping destinations.

Scottsdale Fashion Square
7014 E. Camelback Road
Scottsdale Fashion Square, recognized as one of the top tourist destinations in Arizona, is the Southwest's distinctive address for premier shopping, dining and entertainment.

Scottsdale Pavilions
8800-9199
 E. Indian Bend Road
Bring the entire family and make a day of it. Visit a wide variety of merchants at one of the largest power centers in the country, with more than 100 retailers.

Scottsdale Waterfront
7135 E. Camelback Road
The Scottsdale Waterfront is a 1.1 million-square-foot project located in downtown Scottsdale and includes retail, office, and high-rise residential buildings.

Scottsdale Downtown
Scottsdale Downtown offers a wealth of opportunities to enjoy galleries and shops, museums and theaters, restaurants and nightlife.

The Shops at Gainey Village
8787 N. Scottsdale Road
Offering a series of linked outdoor plazas and buildings reflecting an upscale, rustic village atmosphere.

SouthBridge
Opening spring 2007, SouthBridge will be a one-of-a-kind urban village that will bring together exclusive, high-fashion boutiques, and independent shops.

Scottsdale, Arizona Museums and Culture

Museums and galleries such as the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, Cosanti, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West and other studios and galleries continue to develop in Scottsdale. The area also draws nationally-known artists, some that have made the region their home, such as Paolo Soleri, Fritz Scholder and Ed Mell. 

Arizona Wing Commemorative Air Force Museum
2017 N. Greenfield Road Mesa
Phone: 480-924-1940
Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aircraft Museum is located at Falcon Field Airport on the corner of Greenfield and McKellips Road in Mesa.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West
12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard Scottsdale
Phone: 480-860-2700 
Taliesin West was built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his apprentices in the 1930s and was constantly expanded and modified by the architect until his death in 1959.

Heard Museum
2301 N. Central Avenue Phoenix
Phone: 602-252-8840
Experience the Southwest at this internationally acclaimed museum featuring American Indian cultures and art. Children's hands-on activities and tours available.

Heard Museum North Scottsdale
34505 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ
Phone: 480-488-9817
Discover Heard Museum North Scottsdale - a community location of the world famous Heard Museum - featuring two exhibit galleries of American Indian artwork from the Heard's renowned collection.

Phoenix Art Museum
1625 N. Central Avenue Phoenix
Phone: 602-257-1880
Phoenix Art Museum is the largest in the Southwest, with world-class exhibitions and a collection of over 17,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and ancient art.

Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park
4619 E. Washington  Street Phoenix
Phone: 602-495-0901
Experience a prehistoric Hohokam Indian ruin. Outdoors you can explore a 2/3 mile (1km) interpretive trail featuring the archaeological site and walk through the Hohokam houses.

Scottsdale Historical Society
7333 Scottsdale Mall Scottsdale
Phone: 480-945-4499
The Scottsdale Historical Museum, in the Little Red Schoolhouse (1909), chronicles the city's history with photographs, artifacts, and changing displays.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
7374 E. Second Street  Scottsdale, AZ 85251-5604  
Phone: 480-994-2787 
Located in Scottsdale's popular Old Town district, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) features the most compelling modern and contemporary art, architecture and >>>>.

Scottsdale Arts District

Home to the country’s original “Art Walk” each Thursday evening, this area of downtown Scottsdale features one of the largest concentrations of galleries in the country, showcasing artwork ranging from the most traditional to cutting-edge contemporary.

Scottsdale has more art galleries per capita than almost any other city in the United States -- more than 125 at last count. The galleries offer a variety of art, including a selection of Western art rivaled only by Santa Fe. Most of the galleries are clustered in four areas that together make up the downtown art and shopping district.

For more than 20 years, downtown Scottsdale has featured the Scottsdale ArtWalk, held Thursday evenings year round from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Galleries open their doors to the public and show off the works of some of the Southwest's most extraordinary artists.

The galleries host special exhibits with artists' receptions, demonstrations and more. In addition, visitors can enjoy the Summer Spectacular ArtWalk in July, the Western ArtWalk Weekend in October, and the Fiesta Bowl ArtWalk in December.

Sculptors and painters Ed Mell and Phil Curtis are among the nationally-known artists who call Scottsdale home. The works of these and many other well-known artists are prominently featured in some of the 100 or so art galleries around town.

The desert continues to inspire architect, artist, planner and ceramicist Paolo Soleri, who lives and works in his studio, Cosanti (which he built himself almost 50 years ago). Soleri makes windbells to finance his architectural life work.

Scottsdale, Arizona Family Fun

Rugged outdoor adventure blends easily with sophisticated urban chic to serve up a variety of activities perfect for the whole family in and around Scottsdale, Arizona. Family fun activities range from Rawhide, the re-creation of an 1880's western town, the Heard Museum, water parks, Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park, and the Arizona Science Center, to miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boat lagoon, indoor rock climbing, volleyball, batting cages, and arcades.

Your family can enjoy tubing on Arizona's Salt River, explore Old Town (between Scottsdale Road and Drinkwater Blvd) with souvenir shops, dining, galleries, and plenty of upscale shopping, or take in the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, with train and carousel rides, historic exhibits, picnic areas, a playground and seasonal Sunday-evening concerts

Even teenagers won't be able to resist a tour on the hottest new ride of the year: a Segway. RideMeAZ.com offers one-of-a-kind tours of Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Arizona State University, Sedona, or Flagstaff. Grandparents will enjoy these tours with the grandkids.

Other Fun Things To Do With Kids Around Scottsdale

Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park - laser tag, go-karts, bumper boats, mini-golf, batting cages, an arcade and a seven-ride Kiddie Land.

CrackerJax Family Fun & Sports Park - automated driving range, miniature golf, go-karts, batting cages, volleyball, an arcade and a restaurant.

Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse - a fanciful 34-year-old reconstruction of a Western town; steakhouse, saloon and shops.

Grand Canyon Railway - travel the historic rail line that passengers rode more than a century ago to the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. During the journey, you’ll be entertained by strolling musicians, cowboys and remarkable views.

Verde Canyon Railway - offers magnificent scenic rides near the red rock country of Sedona. Departing from Clarkdale, Arizona (about 2 hours north of Scottsdale), the four-hour train ride follows a historic route that is nestled between two national forests and adjacent to a designated wilderness area.

Out of Africa (Camp Verde) - home to lions, tigers, wolves, zebras, giraffes and more, Out of Africa offers Serengeti Safaris (complete with biscuits to feed the giraffes), tram/trolley rides through the preserve and many more activities for the whole family.

Kartchner Caverns State Park - awe-inspiring caverns. Two guided tours lead you to different “rooms” in the caverns. Discover the role that water played in the creation of Kartchner Caverns.

Grand Canyon - helicopter tours, hiking/biking.

Montezuma Castle (National Monument) – Ancient dwelling of prehistoric Sinagua Indians inhabited over 600 years ago.

Scottsdale, Arizona Tours and Recreation

If you want to experience all of Arizona, but unpack just once, Scottsdale AZ is the perfect hub from which to explore the rest of the Grand Canyon state. 

The Sonoran Desert is a "living desert" with unique animal and plant life seen nowhere else in the world. Whether you want to learn about the history and culture of Scottsdale, visit all the best sights, or have a desert adventure, you'll find that Scottsdale tours deliver.

RideMeAZ.com
Phone: 480-993-7086
Arizona Segway tours and rentals. Tour Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Arizona State University, Sedona, or Flagstaff on the hottest new ride: a Segway.

Pink Jeep Tours
Phone: 928-282-5000  
Since 1958, Pink Jeep Tours has been providing the most talked about off-road adventures in the Southwest.

Apache Trail Tours & Superstition Mountain Adventures
Phone: 480-982-7661
Seen on the Travel Channel! Incredible Jeep and hiking tours around the awesome Apache Trail, the legendary Superstition Mountains and Four Peaks Wilderness areas.

Windwalker Expeditions Inc.
Phone: 480-585-3382 
Windwalker has expanded their popular, off-road ecotours to archaeological, geological and photographic destinations unique to Arizona.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Phone: 480-312-2312 
Treat yourself to a few hours of outdoor fun at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, located on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale.

Arizona Classic Jeep Tours
Phone: 480-786-9198
Visit the West the way it was before concrete and electricity. Cowboy guides will take you out onto Arizona Sonoran Desert trails.

A Day in the West
Phone: 928-282-4320 
Nobody knows the Red Rock Country like the folks at A Day in the West. The Bradshaw family has provided tours in Sedona with a Western flair since the 1940s.

Desert Storm Hummer Tours, Inc.
Phone: 480-922-0020 The undisputed founder and leader in Hummer outfitting since 1995, Jesse Wade pioneered Desert Storm Hummer with more than 25 years experience in the outfitting industry.

Fort McDowell Adventures
Phone: 480-816-6465
Experience spectacular mountain views, rugged terrain and historic scenery of the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation.

The Outback Safari Company
Phone: 480-987-8335
Hummer and ATV off-road desert expeditions for individuals or groups of any size.

Red Rock Western Jeep Tours, Inc.
Phone: 928-282-6826
Celebrating over 25 years of "Old West Hospitality & Style," Sedona's original cowboy company offers exciting, entertaining, and informative tours into Sedona's magnificent red rocks.

Desert Voyagers Guided Raft Tours, LLC
Phone: 480-998-7238
The Lower Salt and Lower Verde Rivers are unique riparian oasis in the heart of the beautiful Sonoran Desert.

Grand Canyon Railway & Resort
Phone: 928-773-1976  
Travel the historic rail line that passengers rode more than a century ago to the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon.

Verde Canyon Railroad
Phone: 928-639-0010  
Verde Canyon Railroad is Arizona's longest-running nature show. The four-hour scenic ride includes views of Sinagua Indian ruins, bald and golden eagles, waterfowl, wildlife, and more.

Scottsdale, Arizona Dining and Nightlife

Try any one of the myriad restaurants for an incredible, one of a kind Scottsdale dining experience. With so many Scottsdale, Arizona restaurants to choose from, your dining experience is bound to be a memorable one. The area has a variety of dining options, from the classic steak and potatoes to gourmet and international cuisine. And of course, the Valley of the Sun is the place for local, southwestern dining. It's not just the food that makes dining a one-of-a-kind experience, the city is a who’s who of notable chefs.

The Scottsdale area features some of the finest bars and nightclubs in the country, many with live bands and dancing. Whether you prefer blues, country & western, jazz, oldies, rock, or rap - there is a venue in the valley of the sun to satisfy your tastes for fun. Some of the popular hot spots include: Barcelona, Coach Houe, e4 Lounge, Eddie V's, Handlebar-Js, Maloney's Tavern, Martini Ranch, Remington's Jazz, and the Rusty Spur.

Scottsdale, AZ is the perfect location for a peaceful vacation, golf getaway, or family fun. Thrilling desert adventures, world-class golf courses, pampering spas, irresistible shopping, and a vibrant arts and cultural scene are just a few of the Scottsdale attractions that will please even the most discerning traveler.

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