Scottsdale, Arizona is best known for golf courses, spas, and baseball spring training, but beyond the usual, you’ll find something much more interesting: strange desert architecture, giant saguaro cacti, mountain hikes, ancient petroglyphs, and some of the most beautiful desert landscapes in Arizona.
It’s no secret I love Arizona. From Page to Sierra Vista and Lake Havasu to the Petrified Forest, every inch of the state is a treat. But with its unique attractions and easy access to the rest of the state, Scottsdale keeps drawing me back.
If you’re visiting Scottsdale, I’d set aside at least a few days to explore nearby. Here are some of my favorite things to do in and around Scottsdale, Arizona.
Explore Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town is Scottsdale’s heart and an easy place to spend an afternoon or evening.
This historic Old West district is filled with Southwestern architecture, restaurants, art galleries, shops, bars, and plenty of places to browse or hang out. It’s also where you’ll find some of Scottsdale’s most recognizable Western-inspired imagery, from cowboy boots and saddles to public art and sculptures.
Art lovers will especially love the many galleries and public art displays. You’ll find murals and displays throughout the area. Scottsdale has one of the largest concentrations of art galleries in the Southwest, particularly around the Marshall Way Arts District.
Scottsdale’s public art and the historic buildings scattered throughout the district.
Old Town is also a good place to visit after a day of hiking when you want to trade dusty trails for air conditioning, dinner, and a cocktail. Check out The Merchantile of Scottsdale for local artist and independant shops in a shared space.
Don’t miss Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Inside, you’ll find Western paintings, sculptures, photography, Native American artifacts, cowboy culture (swoon), and exhibits exploring the people and landscapes that shaped the region.
Ring a Bell at Cosanti
One of the most unusual places around Scottsdale is Cosanti, the former home and studio of Italian-American architect and artist Paolo Soleri.
Located in nearby Paradise Valley, Cosanti feels like a mix of an artist’s studio, an experimental architectural site, and a desert sculpture garden. Soleri designed and built the property as an exploration of earth-formed architecture, incorporating curved concrete structures, underground spaces, terraces, and unusual forms that seem to grow out of the landscape.
But Cosanti’s most recognizable feature is the wind bells. They come in all sorts of strange shapes and sizes, and their sound as they move in the Arizona breeze adds to the otherworldly atmosphere of the place.
The buildings themselves are fascinating, too and worth a walk around. Think: New Mexico “Earthship.” Many were constructed using unusual earth-casting techniques, giving the walls an organic, cave-like form.
If you visit: Cosanti is a historic site and an active gallery and studio. Tours are available, and the site is especially interesting if you like architecture, art, or unusual places that you won’t find anywhere else.
Tour Taliesin West
Architecture lovers, or anybody really, shouldn’t leave Scottsdale without visiting Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home, studio, and architectural laboratory.
Located in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, this place, like all Wright homes, is special. He and his apprentices began developing the property in the 1930s, creating a compound that blends unique architecture with the Sonoran Desert.
Look for the desert masonry, dramatic rooflines, and the way the buildings frame the surrounding mountains. There’s also a great sculpture collection.
Tip: Taliesin West is a popular attraction, so check tour availability (sometimes closed for special events) and book ahead if you have a specific date in mind. Check out one of the many hikes or special tours they host, too.
Wander Through Desert Botanical Garden
If you want to understand the Sonoran Desert without spending hours on a mountain trail (which you should absolutely do), visit the Desert Botanical Garden in nearby Phoenix.
The garden contains thousands of desert plants, including towering saguaros, agaves, prickly pear, ocotillo, and other plants adapted to life in an incredibly dry environment.
Several walking trails run through the garden, and the displays help you appreciate and understand the diversity of the desert environment. What initially looks like a landscape dominated by cactus is actually filled with an enormous variety of plants.
The garden is beautiful around sunset, when the light changes and the landscape takes on a completely different vibe.
Visit McDowell Sonoran Preserve
For a true taste of the Sonoran Desert, head to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This is my hangout when I’m in Scottsdale during the winter months.
At roughly 30,500 acres, it is one of the country’s largest urban preserves and protects an enormous stretch of desert habitat surrounding Scottsdale.
The preserve is filled with trails ranging from easy desert walks to challenging mountain hikes. Some are great for trail running. I spent many an evening virtually alone in bliss among these diverse trails. You’ll see saguaros, cholla, palo verde trees, rocky hillside structures, and expansive views across the Valley.
Tom’s Thumb Trail is a popular pick: it climbs to a high point of about 3,848 feet via a challenging 4.5-mile round-trip with roughly 1,200 feet of elevation gain. It gets crowded, though – people around Scottsdale prize their fitness!
Hiking tip: Carry more water than you think you’ll need, particularly in warmer weather. Many trails have very little shade.
Find Hieroglyphs in the Superstition Mountain
If you like hiking, this trail is a good one. It’s a little farther from Scottsdale, but worth the drive.
The Hieroglyphic Trail in the Superstition Mountains is a relatively short hike leads through the desert toward a collection of petroglyphs created by Indigenous peoples on rock surfaces near a seasonal pool.
The trail itself is part of the experience. You’ll climb gradually through the Sonoran Desert with the dramatic Superstition Mountains rising around you before reaching the rock art. It’s so pretty.
Important: The petroglyphs are culturally significant archaeological resources. Do. Not. Touch, climb on, or otherwise disturb the rock art.
Climb Camelback Mountain
If you’re looking for a challenging hike close to Scottsdale, Camelback Mountain is one of the area’s most beloved options. If I didn’t have a ton of time and just want to move a bit, this is where I’d go.
The mountain gets its name from its distinctive profile, which resembles a lying-down camel (Use your imagination). Two main trails lead toward the summit: Echo Canyon Trail and Cholla Trail.
Don’t let the relatively short mileage fool you. These are steep mountain hikes with rocky sections and significant elevation gain. The final approach to the summit requires some scrambling (climbing if you’re short like me) skills.
However, at the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the Phoenix metropolitan area and the surrounding desert.
The trail is popular, so don’t expect solitude, particularly during the cooler months.
Hike Piestewa Peak
The summit trail climbs steeply through the rugged desert and offers expansive views of Phoenix and the surrounding mountains. Yes, there’s a theme, I enjoy desert hiking. So should you! It’s amazing.
Like Camelback, Piestewa Peak isn’t a particularly long hike, but the elevation gain makes it much more strenuous than the mileage suggests.
If you’re looking for a challenging workout with a big payoff without driving far from Scottsdale, this is a good option.
Look Through Hole-in-the-Rock
If you want to get outside with the kids, head to Papago Park and hike up to Hole-in-the-Rock.
The short trail climbs through the distinctive red sandstone formations of the park to a natural opening in the rock. From the opening, you can look across the surrounding desert and Phoenix skyline.
It’s one of those places with an excellent effort-to-reward ratio. It’s a quick, fun little hike where you don’t have to spend half a day hiking to get a unique view.
Tip: Sunset is a particularly beautiful time to visit, when the red rocks glow against the changing desert sky. Need I say, maybe a bit crowded though?
How Many Days Do You Need in Scottsdale?
An entire winter should do it. Kidding (but not really). You could easily spend a long weekend exploring Scottsdale and the surrounding area.
For 2 days, I’d combine Old Town, Cosanti or Taliesin West, and one of the nearby desert hikes.
With 3 days, add the Desert Botanical Garden and another hike such as Camelback Mountain or Piestewa Peak.
If you have 4 or more days, use Scottsdale as a base for exploring farther into the Sonoran Desert, including the Superstition Mountains.
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