The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Scottsdale, Arizona Now
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Get ready to experience pure vacation bliss in Scottsdale, Arizona. From the stirring beauty of the lush Sonoran Desert to luxury resorts, chef-driven restaurants, and exciting activities and attractions—Scottsdale is bursting at the seams with the makings of a memorable getaway.
Source: Experience Scottsdale
Nestled within Old Town Scottsdale are walkable neighborhoods where you’ll find a unique collection of boutiques, restaurants and art galleries—as well as contemporary public art installations, world-class museums and historic sites from the late 1880s. It’s an effortless blend of urban chic and Old West charm. These are the top five reasons why Scottsdale, Arizona should be on your bucket list.
1. A Foodie’s Paradise: The Cuisine + Cocktails
Welcome to COURSE Restaurant, where food is a form of art. Bask in the elegantly modern, light-filled dining room or dine alfresco under the desert stars. This new Scottsdale icon serves eclectic, seasonal chef’s tasting menus and signature craft cocktails. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying the Tiki-La—concocted with Maestro Dobel Silver Tequila, Denizen Aged White Rum, orgeat and lavender, the Fizzy Lifting ‘Mosa with Sula Vineyards Brut Tropical, kumquat and P.O.G. bubbles, or the Oh Mami! (a perfect brunch cocktail) with tomato juice, MW umami spice blend, limón, anchovy, and olive.
Celebrity Chef Cory Oppold and his culinary team take you on a food exploration through an explosion of both your taste and visual senses, using seasonality of products and progression of flavor. Offering both a 5 and 10 course chef’s tasting menu, COURSE Restaurant presents a story to be told and each course is viewed as a chapter that builds up a story celebrating the bounty of the season we are in. Favorite dishes include Forms of Cucumber with arctic char, crème fraîche and sorrel, Fennel with eggplant, squash and fava bean, Romaine with jidori chicken oysters, oyster mushrooms and smoked oyster velouté, as well as Lamb Loin with chickpea, carrot and yogurt. Vegetarian? They take pride in vegetable cookery and are more than willing to alter dishes to fit your needs.
Known as the “immature sibling” to COURSE Restaurant—Morning Would has its own identity as the much anticipated 6 Course Sunday Brunch. Enjoy classic brunch items (such as Chicken & Waffles and Avocado Toast) done up in a more sophisticated, fun and artful fashion—complete with bottomless mimosas, classic craft cocktails and nostalgic jams from the 80s and 90s. Hungry yet?
2. Artistic Oasis: Galleries and Public Installations
The Scottsdale arts scene vibrates with a creative energy all its own. Located in Scottsdale's popular Old Town district, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art features the most compelling modern and contemporary art, architecture and design from around the globe.
Source: Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Designed by award-winning architect Will Bruder, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s minimalist building (an ingenious renovation of a former movie theater) includes a public "skyspace" by the acclaimed artist James Turrell (one of only a handful in the world), where visitors can experience the ever-changing light of the desert sky.
When it comes to Instagram-worthy spots in Scottsdale, take a walking tour of public art installations throughout Old Town. The “It’s Always Sunny in Scottsdale” mural was inspired by the 1950s feel of the Hotel Valley Ho.
3. Luxury Shopping: Scottsdale Fashion Square and High-End Boutiques
Scottsdale boasts the best shopping in Arizona with more than 2,500 luxury retailers, one-off boutiques, and upscale malls. Old Town Scottsdale is home to dozens of gift shops, Native American jewelry stores and Scottsdale Fashion Square, the Southwest’s largest shopping destination located in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale. Discover the very best in every category, from Neiman Marcus to Gucci.
Situated on the corner of Scottsdale and McDonald roads, The Shops at Hilton Village is an upscale, yet intimate shopping destination located within Scottsdale's high-end dining, shopping and resort corridor. Bordering the tony neighborhood of Paradise Valley, the center's retailers, local boutiques, trendy restaurants and services were carefully curated to meet the needs of the surrounding area.
4. Botanic Beauty: Desert Botanical Garden and Butterfly Wonderland
Discover the tranquil vibrancy of 50,000 desert plants nestled amid the red rocks of the Papago Buttes at Desert Botanical Garden. Stroll through five thematic trails to explore the fascinating beauty of Sonoran Desert plant life, from towering cacti and alluring succulents to brilliant wildflowers and lush trees.
Desert Botanical Garden offers an array of gardens and picturesque trails to choose from. On these trails you’ll experience the unique and beautiful plants that thrive in some of the hottest and driest parts of the world. For a great view of the surrounding mountains, check out the top of the Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail. Explore this loop trail to see how Sonoran Desert plants have been used by native people for food, medicine and building materials. This trail is one of the largest exhibits of its kind dedicated to helping people understand the complex cultural relationships between people and plants in this region.
5. Architectural Marvels: Taliesin West and Old Town's Heritage
A UNESCO World Heritage site and National Historic Landmark nestled in the desert foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale—the circa 1937 Taliesin West was Frank Lloyd Wright’s beloved winter home. Handcrafted over many years into a world unto itself, the home is deeply connected to the desert from which it was forged and possesses an almost prehistoric grandeur. Always in favor of local materials, Wright constructed Taliesin West largely of “desert masonry,” a local rock set in wooden forms and bound by a mixture of cement and desert sand.
In so doing, Wright hoped to preserve as much of the desert environment as possible by embedding Taliesin West within the landscape. Canvas roofs bathe the interior spaces with light, while redwood beams provide Wright’s favored red accents. It was built and maintained almost entirely by Wright and his apprentices, making it among the most personal of the architect’s creations. With daily tours, come see a side of Scottsdale and the Sonoran Desert unlike any other.
WHERE TO STAY IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
Capture the moment as well as the imagination at Arizona’s premier luxury resort destination, The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort. With views of both the resort and Camelback Mountain, a refreshing and sparkling oasis awaits at the luxurious pool with a private cabanas and even a “kids zone.” The multi-tiered Phoenician pools include an upper level for aquatic recreation, a lower-level, tranquil Mother-of-Pearl Pool, and an adult-only center pool. Whether you choose an elegant guest room in the hotel, an intimate casita on the edge of Necklace Lake, or residential style suite—you’ll enjoy the rich tones of the surrounding Sonoran Desert in a relaxed elegant atmosphere, unparalleled service and natural charm.
