Things To Do
Scottsdale Fashion Square
Scottsdale Fashion Square is an upscale indoor shopping mall near the hotel. The mall offers plenty of options for shopping and dining.
Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town Scottsdale is the downtown district of Scottsdale. The area offers plenty of shopping, dining, entertainment and nightlife options.
Scottsdale Silverado Golf Club
A personal favorite laid-back golf option, located in Central Scottsdale and a short drive from the hotel, this is a fun course with great summer golf deals.
Salt River Tubing
Salt River Tubing is a great way to cool off and relax in the hot Arizona summers. They are located in the East Valley. You rent tubes at their location and they will bus you up the river to the launch site. It's a great way to experience the beauty of Arizona and you can usually spot wild horses along the river banks as well. Pro tip: if you can stop by a Goodwill and buy some old fitted sheets for cheap, that can make the experience much better. The tubes are black and can get hot in the sun, so pulling a fitted sheet over the tube can help keep it cool.
Arizona Diamondbacks games
We love catching D-backs games to beat the summer heat! They host the Seattle Mariners June 9th-11th and the San Diego Padres the 13th-15h. Chase Field is located in Downtown Phoenix and is air conditioned. Pro tip #1: Take advantage of free street parking on E Jackson St east of the stadium. Pro tip #2: Find Doubleheaders concession stands for value items including $3 hot dogs and $5 beers. Chase Field also allows you to bring in outside food!
Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse
Buffalo Chip is a large bar and rodeo in Cave Creek (just north of Scottsdale). It's a great western vibe with a mechanical bull and live rodeo on Wednesday and Friday nights.
G.R. Herberger Park
One of our favorite spots for pickleball in the Valley, located in the upscale Arcadia area near Scottsdale. The courts have a gorgeous backdrop of Camelback Mountain. If you're hungry afterwards, swing by JT's Bar and Grill for some of the best wings in the area (we recommend The Works), or The Stand Arcadia Burger Shoppe for outstanding burgers, fries and shakes.
Camelback Park
Just a few blocks from the hotel you will find Camelback Park. The park is part of the Scottsdale Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt which includes many continuous walking paths and green space. If you're looking to get your steps in, start here and head north to check out Chaparral Park (and beyond).
Arizona Canal Trail
Another option for running, biking, and so on is the Arizona Canal Trail. The trail parallels the canals that run through the city. You can hop on at any point, but the nearest spot to the hotel is at the intersection of Scottsdale and Camelback Roads, near the Scottsdale Waterfront.
Hole in the Rock
Hole in the Rock is a great local spot near Scottsdale to watch the sunset. It is located in Papago Park near the Phoenix Zoo. It requires about a 5-10 minute uphill walk, but provides a great view of the Valley near dusk. It's also a great place to watch planes flying in/out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It can get crowded at sunset, but is worth it!
Fourtillfour Cafe
Fourtillfour Cafe is one of our favorite coffee shops in Old Town. It's a great little outdoor coffee shop in the middle of everything. Go grab a coffee and head a few blocks north or east to check out some of the shops and art galleries in Old Town.
Ingo’s Tasty Food
Ingo's has an Iced Salted Butterscotch Latte that is to die for... but also a great spot for breakfast/brunch/lunch!
Jalapeño Buck's
We found Jalapeño Buck's at the recommendation of anonymous local Twitter/X celebrity Clue Heywood (@ClueHeywood) shortly after moving here. It's a little shack serving up BBQ on an active citrus grove in Mesa (out near the wedding venue). The brisket, egg and cheese burrito will knock your socks off! Get some sweet green salsa to go with it. Check their hours before making the trip, but it's worth it if you have the chance. They also have a little farmers market you can visit to buy fresh produce.
Butters Pancakes & Café
BEST BRUNCH IN AZ! We found Butters on our first trip to Arizona and it was instantly our favorite brunch place. They have three locations in Scottsdale (plus a sister restaurant called Butterfield's Pancake House). Jacob's order: Chorizo Egg Burrito (add bacon), side of cheese grits and and iced vanilla latte (in a to go cup) Liv's order: HMOP skillet (sunny side up eggs), upgrade to Berry Bliss pancakes and fresh-squeezed orange juice (with a couple bites of Jacob's grits)
Culinary Dropout
Culinary Dropout is a great option for food and drinks near the hotel. Their vibes are as good as the cocktails. You have to order the Soft Pretzels & Provolone Fondue appetizer!
Roaring Fork
Roaring Fork is a another favorite date night spot of ours, located just north of Old Town. Jacob's order: Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Liv's order: Rotisserie Chicken To share: Skillet Cornbread, Green Chili Mac & Cheese, Mexican Street Corn
Velvet Taco
Late-night spot for creative taco options ranging from chicken and waffle tacos to smashburger tacos to chicken tikka tacos. Worth a visit!
The Beach House
The Beach House is a favorite for tacos and burritos. Great value and quick service. Their fish tacos are fantastic and Jacob loves the Surf and Turf Burrito. Don't forget to get creative with their flavors on their lemonade slushies (and get a free refill before you leave)!
Moxies
Moxies is located in Fashion Square and serves American food and cocktails with an upscale sports bar vibe. We highly recommend getting the Poutine and Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps to share!
Sushiholic Scottsdale
Sushiholic has two locations in the area, one of them being located in South Scottsdale. They serve up good sushi and other dishes in a relaxed setting. We always order the crab puffs, several rolls of sushi, and a bowl of combo fried rice to share (it's huge). This is a date night favorite of ours!
Dominick's Steakhouse
If you're looking for a nice night out, Dominick's is a solid pick. In addition to the steaks, the corn crème brûlée and the ultimate warm vanilla caramel cake are outstanding!
Novel Ice Cream
If you have a sweet tooth, you have to get out and check out Novel Ice Cream! They are a renowned local small-batch ice cream shop with locations in Mesa and Downtown Phoenix (Mesa is closer, but we always go to the Downtown location). They have a decorated ice cream chef and are known for their Dough Melts - your choice of ice cream sandwiched between a fresh glazed doughnut and warm pressed so it's warm on the outside and cold on the inside... SO GOOD! The downtown location is window service and outdoor seating (although it's a neat little courtyard). They are open late and tend to get busy later in the evening but it's well worth the wait.
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Jeni's is a chain and not local but it's some reallyyy good ice cream. The Gooey Butter Cake flavor is insane!