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16 Things to Do in Scottsdale That are 100% Worth the Hype - The Emerald Palate I visit Arizona often, so I’m always on the hunt for the best things to do in Scottsdale. Given its year-round sunshine and abundance of restaurants, shops, wine tasting rooms, and world-class resorts, it’s the perfect escape from the Pacific Northwest…especially during our dreary winter season. Plus, it’s near some of the most iconic outdoor adventures in the United States. So if you’re wondering what to do in Scottsdale, I’m sharing all my favorite activities in this roundup. There’s a little something for everyone no matter if you prefer lounging, hiking, eating, or all three. Get ready to add these fun activities to your Scottsdale bucket list! This article is sponsored by Experience Scottsdale . However, I’ve been to Arizona before, so all thoughts about this gem of a city are my own. There may also be a few affiliate links in this article, which means I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you if you click on them and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep this site running! 16 Things to Do in Scottsdale Before diving into all the things to do in Scottsdale, let’s break down some need-to-know info that’ll be helpful while planning your Scottsdale itinerary. Where is Scottsdale? Scottsdale neighbors Phoenix, Arizona’s capital city. It’s in the heart of America’s southwest, so you’re surrounded by a beautiful arid landscape dotted with cacti and pops of colorful flowers. It’s easy to get to Scottsdale from the Pacific Northwest via a 2-3 hour flight out of Seattle or Portland. You can often find flights from Seattle for as low as ~$59 each way! That’s why it’s one of my favorite weekend getaways when I want something a little different from Washington’s greenery and rain without spending a fortune. Ride shares are readily available in Scottsdale once you arrive, so you can easily get around without a vehicle. However, I often rent a car since parking is always easy and you can get one for as low as ~$35 a day. Is Scottsdale worth visiting? 1,000% yes, visiting Scottsdale is worth it. There is a ton to do in the city itself, plus it’s well connected for other adventures in Arizona like the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and countless outdoor experiences in the breathtaking Sonoran Desert. I also personally love that Scottsdale has a little bit of that luxury vacation feel with all its fancy resorts, but at the fraction of the cost and effort it takes to get to places like Hawaii or Mexico. Another huge draw to Scottsdale is the ~314 days of sun and ~7.5″ annual rainfall. A trip to Scottsdale works any time of year, but an especially attractive time to visit for Pacific Northwesterners is from November through March when “the Big Dark” and rain season arrive in the upper left coast. What to do in Scottsdale, AZ Alright, now to the meat of why you came to this article: All the best things to do in Scottsdale, AZ! Save this to Pinterest for later , as I’ll keep adding more things to do in Scottsdale when I discover them! Go shopping in Old Town website | area: Old Town ( get directions ) | best for: art galleries, souvenirs, dining, and culture Old Town Scottsdale is the heart of the city, with 9 walkable districts full of hundreds of restaurants, bars, shops, and more. There are more than 50 art galleries alone! So Old Town is a shopper’s paradise. As you comb the streets, keep an eye out for some of my favorite spots: Rusty Spur Saloon – Bar inside a historic bank (they store booze in the vault!) Old Adobe Mission – One of three historic adobe structures left in Old Town Native Art Market – The only Indigenous-owned shop in the area Bischoff’s Shades of the West – Huge curator of handmade southwest goods Yellow Spruce – Excellent coffee roaster with fun drinks and a wine bar Old Town Farmers Market – Saturdays mornings October through June Schmooze – Dreamy coffee shop with a garden patio Růže Cake House – Insta-worthy dessert shop (next to great art galleries!) Berdena’s – Coffee shop with a cult following Seek out public art area: Old Town ( get directions ) | best for: art lovers There are more than 45 public art installations scattered throughout Old Town’s 9 different districts. Here is a walking guide for exploring 10 of the most popular structures. If you’d like a guided tour with narration about each art piece, consider booking a tour with JoyRidesAZ . They take you around in a cute golf-cart-like electric vehicle so you can get great photos from any angle. Visit a museum Scottsdale has quite a few museums, such as the popular Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West . There are even more in the area if you count the ones a short drive away in Phoenix, like the popular Musical Instrument Museum and The Heard Museum . I haven’t had a chance to visit all of them yet, but here are two of my favorites not to miss. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art website | area: Civic Center ( get directions ) | price: ~$10-13pp, free for 18 and under everyday or for everyone on Thursdays | best for: modern art Piece from Casey Curran’s “Tidal Sky” collection at SMoCA Visiting SMoCA is one of my favorite things to do in Scottsdale. It’s small, so you can explore it in just an hour or so, but it has 6-8 really well-curated rotating exhibits featuring contemporary art, architecture, and design. The building itself is really cool, too. It’s actually a former movie theater! When I last visited, SMoCA was actually featuring a few Pacific Northwest artists ! One favorite was the “ Tidal Sky ” exhibit from Washington-born Casey Curran . It features incredibly intricate 3D structures that visitors are encouraged to move by turning a crank. There’s a devastating beauty to each piece because they look almost skeletal, yet in striking or gilded colors like gold, blue, and pearlescent white. This is on purpose, as the exhibit explores hope beyond global themes like climate anxiety, political uncertainty, and the pandemic. When you visit, don’t miss James Turrell’s breathtaking Skyspace, “ Knight Rise “, which is one of dozens around the world he created. He’s considered a master of light because he’s able to build architectural structures that capture sunlight in interesting patterns. A local was actually visiting with his pup when we were last there and he told us we had to take this iconic photo using the panorama setting on our phone! Skyspace, “Knight Rise,” from James Turrell at SMoCA Wonderspaces Arizona website | area: Fashion Square ( get directions ) | price: ~$15-50pp, kids under 3 free | best for: immersive sound and light installations Wonderspaces Arizona is an art experience inside the most unexpected place: Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. Yet it feels a world away as you’re transported into an interactive art playhouse featuring ~14 rotating exhibits and a full bar. For example, watch a bunch of mini Flip-Discs move to the shape of your body as you explore the kinetic artwork of Portraits in Pink, Blue, and Silver by BREAKFAST Studio. Or get fully immersed by sound and light moving in rhythm to the beats in the exhibit “ Volumen ” by Filip Roca. As you explore, make sure to have your camera ready because there will be seemingly-endless photo opportunities! Portraits in Pink, Blue, and Silver by BREAKFAST Studio at Wonderspaces Arizona Enjoy some wine tasting Did you know Arizona has a winemaking industry? I had no idea either before my first visit, as I just assumed it’d be too hot for grapes to thrive. However, the Verde Valley AVA isn’t that much further south from popular wine regions in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. So the area is able to make some truly great wines. While Arizona’s wine-growing regions are a 2-3-hour drive from Scottsdale, you can try the wine from a lot of the area’s wineries at their tasting rooms scattered around Old Town. Scottsdale has a wine trail map , but here are some of my favorites: Los Milics Vineyards – Latin-owned with hands down my favorite wines using unique varietals Aridus Wine Co – Family-owned with complex and balanced reds LDV Winery – Family-owned with single-varietal, Rhone-style wines Make your own cowboy, ranch, or trucker hat website | area: Old Town ( get directions ) | price: ~$200pp | best for: unique, bespoke souvenir I’ll be honest, I thought making my own cowboy hat was going to be cheesy and result in something I’d never wear. But Mavericks of Scottsdale completely changed my mind after taking me through their custom hat bar experience. Here’s how it works: You pick a hat from the hat wall, which has a range of cowboy, ranch, and trucker hats. Then you pick accessories and watch them customize your hat. You can even have them brand your hat! There are a ton of finished hats for inspiration, including some they’re actively making for celebrities. For example, the staff pointed out one they were about to ship to Machine Gun Kelly! I’m not really a glitzy person and so I thought I’d barely use any accessories, but they have so many options. I ended up choosing a really cool belt trim, minimalist ribbon, and the most adorable dried flowers. Of course I couldn’t resist branding my hat, so I put a pine tree flanked by two mountains on the back as a nod to the Pacific Northwest and my brand. The best part of the experience was how patient the staff was with my indecisiveness. 😂 I knew I wouldn’t wear a traditional cowboy hat, so they kept ironing the brim to make it less and less upturned as I tried it on repeatedly. The final brim ended up being completely flat like a ranch hat, which is more my style. I’ve already worn it multiple times since my Arizona trip, so this is one of the best things to do in Scottsdale! If you don’t have time to make your own hat, Mavericks has a big store in front with pre-made options alongside other western goods. Go on a bike tour website | price: ~$125pp | best for: covering more sightseeing Scottsdale has ~105 miles of pave