Scottsdale walking tour & city guide
Old West charm, art galleries and desert resorts.
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Scottsdale, next door to Phoenix, calls itself the West's most western town. Its Old Town has wooden boardwalks and cowboy-style storefronts, but it is equally known for its art galleries, golf courses, spas and luxury desert resorts set against the McDowell Mountains.
Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town is the walkable heart of the city. Its Western-themed streets are lined with shops selling turquoise jewelry, cowboy boots and Native American crafts, and the Scottsdale Historical Museum is housed in the town's first schoolhouse, built in 1909.
The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, in a converted cinema, and the Western Spirit museum of the American West are both nearby.
Taliesin West and the desert
Taliesin West was the winter home and architecture school of Frank Lloyd Wright, built from desert rock and sand at the foot of the McDowell Mountains. Guided tours explain how he designed the buildings to fit the landscape. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, on the city's northern edge, has miles of hiking trails through saguaro forests.
A classic walk through Old Town
Begin at the Scottsdale Civic Center, a park of lawns, fountains and public art, and walk west to Old Town's Main Street and the Arts District, where galleries line both sides of the road. On Thursday evenings the galleries stay open late for the weekly ArtWalk.
Continue north across Indian School Road to the Scottsdale Waterfront, a promenade along the Arizona Canal with its Soleri Bridge and sundial. Finish at Fashion Square, one of the largest shopping centers in the Southwest. The loop is about 3 kilometers.
Visiting tips
The season runs from November to April, with perfect weather and the spring training games of Major League Baseball in March. Summers are extremely hot. A free trolley loops around Old Town and the Waterfront.
Top sights in Scottsdale
- 1
Old Town Scottsdale
Western-style streets and shops.
- 2
Taliesin West
Frank Lloyd Wright's desert home.
- 3
Scottsdale Arts District
Dozens of galleries.
- 4
Scottsdale Waterfront
A canal-side promenade.
- 5
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Desert hiking trails.
- 6
Western Spirit museum
Art and history of the West.
Food markets & where to eat in Scottsdale
Old Town Scottsdale
Steakhouses, cafés and bars.
Old Town Farmers Market
A Saturday market from autumn to spring.
Scottsdale Waterfront
Canal-side dining.
Food to try in Scottsdale
Southwestern cuisine
Chiles, corn and desert flavors.
Prickly pear margarita
A pink cactus fruit cocktail.
Green chile stew
A warming Southwest classic.
Date shake
A sweet desert treat.
Opening hours and prices change often. Please check with each place before you visit.
Plan your trip to Scottsdale
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