Scottsdale, Arizona · City Break
Sonoran desert resorts, Old Town galleries & the gateway to the Southwest
Desert luxury, championship golf, world-class spas and one of the best dining scenes in the Southwest — with Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Arizona's red-rock country all within easy reach.
Why Scottsdale
The most relaxed way into the American Southwest
Scottsdale pairs a walkable, gallery-filled Old Town with some of America's finest desert resorts and a setting straight out of a Western — saguaro forests, jagged mountains and impossibly long sunsets. Add Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Sonoran adventures within easy day-trip range and it becomes one of the easiest, most rewarding city breaks in the country.
Explore More · Top Tips
Top tips for leisure travellers in Scottsdale
Highlights drawn from Experience Scottsdale, the city's official destination organisation — tell us which appeal and we'll fold them into your itinerary.
Wander Old Town Scottsdale
The walkable heart of the city — adobe storefronts, Western boutiques, sidewalk cafes, more than 100 galleries and some of the best cocktail bars in Arizona, all in a few easy blocks.
Stay at a Sonoran desert resort
Scottsdale is famous for its destination resorts — saguaro-studded grounds, multiple pools, palm-lined cabanas and uninterrupted desert and mountain views. The resort is half the holiday.
Play a round of championship golf
Over 200 courses within an hour, including TPC Scottsdale (home of the WM Phoenix Open), Troon North and We-Ko-Pa — desert-target golf framed by mountains and tall cacti.
Book a spa & wellness day
Scottsdale's resort spas are world-class — Sonoran-inspired treatments, desert botanicals, sunrise yoga and rooftop pools. An easy way to spend a half-day between activities.
Get into the Sonoran Desert
Hike Camelback Mountain or Pinnacle Peak at sunrise, jeep tour through the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, ride horseback across the desert or float over it all in a hot-air balloon.
Dine, drink and stay out late
Old Town is one of the best food scenes in the Southwest — Sonoran-Mexican, modern Southwest and steakhouses — followed by rooftop lounges, live music and the city's celebrated nightlife scene.
Dive into art & culture
Scottsdale's ArtWalk runs every Thursday evening through Old Town's gallery district. Add Taliesin West (Frank Lloyd Wright's desert home and studio), Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West and the seasonal Canal Convergence light festival.
Shop in a way you can't at home
From Native American silver and turquoise in Old Town to Fashion Square — one of the largest luxury malls in the Southwest — and the open-air Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons.
Use Scottsdale as a Southwest base
Day trips to Sedona's red rocks (2 hrs), the Grand Canyon's South Rim (3.5 hrs), Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, the Apache Trail and the mining town of Jerome — Scottsdale is one of the best launch pads in the Southwest.
Source: experiencescottsdale.com, the official Scottsdale destination marketing organisation.
Ready for Scottsdale?
Pair a few nights of desert-resort luxury with Sedona, the Grand Canyon or a wider Southwest fly-drive — we'll build the resort, the tee times, the spa and the day trips around you.