The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Scottsdale, Arizona Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2021 • 4 min read
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.
Image courtesy of Experience Scottsdale
1. THE SHOPPING
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 national retailers, local boutiques, trendy restaurants and services were carefully curated to meet the needs of the surrounding residents.
2. THE ART
The Scottsdale arts scene vibrates with a creative energy all its own. Experience art-driven events like the free weekly ArtWalk, Canal Convergence and Scottsdale Contemporary Month. Catch Broadway shows at our performing arts theaters. 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.
Image courtesy of Experience Scottsdale
Wonderspaces is an exploration of the idea that art is for everyone and partners with artists to deliver artwork to new audiences. Located inside Scottsdale Fashion Square, Wonderspaces presents an evolving lineup of fourteen extraordinary art installations and signature cocktails to enjoy with friends and family.
With each show, we intend to create a place where people can connect with art and with each other. Wonderspaces is open year-round with regularly changing artwork.
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
Welcome to Hush Public House—an upscale, yet inviting, New American dining experience in Scottsdale serving an eclectic seasonal menu and signature craft cocktails. With a love for local and an eye on local purveyors, you’ll discover many ingredients from local artisans, craft masters, farmers, and creators. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying the Boulevardier—concocted with bourbon, Campari and vermouth.
Hush Public House in Scottsdale, Arizona
Through small seasonally crafted plates, with a frequently rotating menu, Hush Public House presents both classic dishes and creative takes on original specialties. Favorite dishes include Salt Spring Mussels with Italian sausage, fennel, pickled peppers, Pernod, and grilled Noble Bread, Crab Hush Puppies with sweet corn remoulade and scallions, Sonoran Pasta Co. Rigatoni Alla Norcina with pork sausage, king oyster mushroom, fall spice, and pecorino, as well as Chilled Soba Noodles with coconut green curry, poached shrimp, roasted peanuts, and mango.
Take the time to indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy one of many decadent desserts such as Date Cake with bourbon toffee sauce, Grateful Spoon vanilla gelato or Chocolate Bodino with fresh whipped cream, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Hungry yet?
4. THE GARDENS
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. The trail is brought to life through cultural examples of the Tohono O’odham, Western Apache and Hispanic households.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
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 tours available seven days a week, come see a side of Scottsdale and the Sonoran Desert unlike any other.
WHERE TO STAY IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
Abloom with the vibrant spirit of the wild, the five-diamond Fairmont Scottsdale Princess re-energizes and reinvigorates desert escapism through imaginative amenities and experiences you won’t soon forget. Leave the day-to-day behind and journey to a world of endless adventure with award-winning restaurants and bars, sparkling pools and cabanas, Well & Being Spa, a world-class golf course, shopping, fire pits, and so much more. Enjoy water slides, relax in plush daybeds and cabanas, and indulge in poolside food and beverage service on a real white-sand beach—a truly incomparable experience.
