15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Scottsdale, AZ

Authors Lana Law and Michael Law have spent many winters in Arizona and always enjoy visiting Scottsdale.

While the name Scottsdale is often associated with warm weather, golfing, and luxury resorts, the city has an assortment of things to do. How you spend your time may depend on the time of year; summers are hot and a great time to visit indoor attractions, while winters are perfect for getting outside.

Scottsdale prides itself on its natural areas and arts scene, both of which are well worth spending some time investigating while you're here. You can also visit Taliesin West, long the winter home of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, now a school of architecture, and capture a glimpse of his legacy.

Art installations, another of the area's attractions, can be found throughout the city and are most evident as you wander through Old Town Scottsdale. You can also stop in at some of the museums and galleries to see incredible art of the West.

Also, be sure to spend some time outdoors wandering the trails in the McDowell Sonoran Desert Preserve and other parks and natural areas around the city, or stop by the Botanical Gardens to learn about the plants and animals of the desert.

Explore the city and find the best places to visit with our list of the top attractions in Scottsdale.

Old Town Scottsdale

Old Town Scottsdale is a lively and fun area of shops, restaurants, and art, perfect for spending an afternoon or evening.

Covered sidewalks line the front of western-themed buildings and interesting stores selling all manner of items, from Mexican blankets, clothing, and trinkets to Native American art, crafts, and jewelry. In addition to this, high-end galleries feature the works of world-famous artists.

The center of Old Town Scottsdale is located at the intersection of East Main Street and North Scottsdale Road. Nearby is the Civic Center Mall and a public square with artwork, including the famous LOVE sculpture, surrounding restaurants, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

On Thursday nights, the Old Town hosts Scottsdale Artwalk, when galleries host an open house for the public. Other events are always taking place in this area. For a look at what's coming up, see the Experience Scottsdale events calendar.

If you work up an appetite while strolling around, Old Town Scottsdale has great dining options, indoors or outdoors. For a casual meal right in the heart of Old Town, Daily Dose is a great lunch spot, or stop by the funky retro-themed Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor. For a more upscale dinner, try Virtu Honest Craft at Bespoke Inn for an intimate evening indoors or outdoors, or head to FnB for a more lively atmosphere and locally sourced seasonal menu.

The mid-century modern Hotel Valley Ho is a landmark building in Old Scottsdale known for attracting countless Hollywood stars in its heyday. It is still a charming and posh hotel but you don't have to be staying here to take a 90-minute guided tour of the building to learn about the history of this icon and all the famous people who stayed here over the years.

Taliesin West

Taliesin West offers a fascinating glimpse into the genius of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. This was Wright's winter home in the desert, and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

Tours are mandatory if you want to see the property, but guides are passionate about telling the story of the site and they provide interesting insights without overwhelming you with details. You can learn about the concepts the architect employed in the buildings and gain a better understanding of what you are seeing on the tour.

In late 2024 the foundation started offering some new tours, so if you haven't been in a while, it might be time to visit again. This includes a two-hour Behind-the-scenes Guided Tour among other new offerings.

The complex is set in a tranquil desert environment and takes advantage of the surroundings. Many of the buildings underwent dramatic changes over the years but have been restored to their former look and feel.

Address: 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, Scottsdale, Arizona

Golf Courses

Golf and Scottsdale are synonymous. Many golfers plan vacations to Scottsdale, particularly in the winter months, specifically to enjoy the great courses. The city has a multitude of spectacular courses to suit all levels of skill and budget.

Two of the best courses are Troon North Golf Club and TPC Scottsdale. Troon North has two golf courses, designed by Tom Weiskopf, beautifully set within the desert landscape and featuring unusual granite boulders, ravines, and rolling hills. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North provides free shuttles and special rates at the Troon North Golf Club for guests staying at their property.

TPC Scottsdale is the only PGA Tour property in the city and offers average players the chance to play where golf's masters have once competed. It has two courses: The Stadium, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish; and The Champions, designed by Randy Heckenkemper.

TPC Scottsdale is located next to the posh Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, one of Scottsdale's premier golf resorts. Guests of the Fairmont get a preferred tee time if available, and the resort's recently renovated Toro Latin Restaurant is located in the Clubhouse of TPC Scottsdale.

Desert Botanical Garden

Just a short drive from Old Town Scottsdale, the Desert Botanical Garden offers an amazing look at desert life. The gardens do an especially good job of blending artistic elements with unique works of artwork spread around the grounds.

Beyond the plants, you can also expect to see butterflies flitting about, hummingbirds whizzing past, woodpeckers landing on the saguaros, and an assortment of other birds running and flying about.

The gardens represent the various deserts of the southwestern USA: Sonoran Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Mojave Desert, and the Great Basin Desert. Individual areas are laid out according to themes and offer informative plaques in each area to help you identify important elements and point out what to look for.

Address: 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West celebrates the history and culture of 19 western states along with the bordering Canadian provinces and several Mexican states. This museum is housed in a very modern and beautiful building right in downtown Scottsdale, not far from Old Town.

Inside, you'll find two floors of art, memorabilia, cultural items, and interesting themed displays all focused on the history of the West. The museum is especially noted for its collection of Hopi pottery and cowboy movie posters. Don't miss the outdoor central courtyard and its unusual assortment of sculptures.

Address: 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, Arizona

Pinnacle Peak Park

The boulder-strewn, cone-shaped Pinnacle Peak is a popular hiking area in Scottsdale. A moderate, 1.75-mile one-way trail with 1,300 feet of elevation will take you up to the top of Pinnacle Peak, where you'll be treated to amazing views out over northern Scottsdale, including the green fairways of Troon North Golf Club.

For those not quite up to the full hike, the views start at about one-third of the way up, and you can turn around when you've had enough. At the base of the trail, you'll find a great visitors center with helpful staff, displays, picnic tables, ramadas, and washrooms.

Throughout the park and along the trail, informational plaques provide background on the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. The 90-space parking lot fills up quickly each morning, but street parking is readily available.

Read More: Top-Rated Hiking Trails in Arizona

Hot Air Balloon Rides

To fully appreciate the beauty and immensity of the Sonoran desert, you have to get a bird's eye view, and there's no better way than in a hot air balloon. The feeling of gently rising above the desert beneath a multicolored balloon as the sun peeks beyond the mountains is sublime and surreal. I had expected to be a bit scared and nervous but the gentle rise of the balloon and soft winds lulled me into a calm state of mind.

Down below you, the desert colors morph as the shadows shorten with the rising sun and the seemingly barren desert is surprisingly alive with coyotes, rabbits, birds of prey, and other wildlife.

It's an awe-inspiring experience that you can only find in a small number of destinations and Scottsdale is the perfect place to give it a try with multiple operators and reasonable pricing. I went with Hot Air Expeditions, Inc., which offers year-round morning flights and afternoon flights during the cooler winter months.

For those concerned about safety, the calm wind conditions in the Scottsdale area make for smooth flying. You'll be in the air for about an hour and then served a light breakfast at your landing spot. Morning flights start early; count on a 5am pick-up at your hotel and a four to five-hour outing.

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

For animal lovers, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is a must-visit. This is not a zoo but it is a great place to learn about local wildlife and support a facility dedicated to helping animals.

Most animals that come to this facility are cared for, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. That is the goal of the center but the few who are unable to be released, are residents at the facility.

You can book a two-hour guided tour to see some of the animals that live here permanently. Tours are led by volunteers who discuss the problems that wildlife face and what Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center does for them.

This is not a hands-on or interactive facility, but you can usually get a very good close-up look at mountain lions, bobcats, grey foxes, red foxes, coyotes, coatimundi, Mexican grey wolves, javelina, deer, and black bears, among others.

This is primarily a learning tour and it is all outdoors. It's not a strenuous tour by any stretch and the distance covered is fairly small. Staff do a good job of trying to keep visitors in the shade but if you are visiting on a hot day be prepared and bring water.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Scottsdale prides itself on its natural areas, and McDowell Sonoran Preserve is one of the best. The preserve, which actually takes up a third of the city's landmass, has recently expanded and now covers 36,000 acres. It is the largest urban preserve in North America and is well known for its 225 miles of user-friendly trails suitable for hiking, walking, biking, or horseback riding.

Some of the top hikes are Tom's Thumb, which provides stunning views out over the surrounding area, and trails leaving from the Lost Dog Wash Trailhead, where you'll find easier hikes that provide views out to the south.

The trails are well-marked, and at many of the trailheads, you'll find washrooms, detailed maps, and volunteers available to answer your questions.

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset every day and is located on the northeastern side of Scottsdale.

Butterfly Wonderland

For more family fun, swing by Butterfly Wonderland in northern Scottsdale. This is one of the best places to visit on cool winter days or for an escape from the summer heat.

Inside, you'll find a colorful assortment of butterflies flitting about, as well as displays on honey bees hard at work, edible insects, rainforest reptiles, and arthropods. A 3D theater shows a fun film on insects, which almost seem to jump off the screen.

Butterfly Wonderland is located in the Arizona Boardwalk entertainment complex.

Address: 9500 Via De Ventura, Scottsdale, Arizona

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park makes a fun place for a family outing, particularly for those with young children.

The main attraction is the open-air mini train, which runs on a track around the park on a regular schedule, but there is much more to enjoy. Another highlight is the colorful 1950s carousel built by Allan Herschell, playing music from that era.

Nearby, a massive 10,000-square-foot model railway building showcases several different gauge miniature railways. This free attraction allows you to actually make the trains move along the tracks by pushing buttons.

Also in the park is the Railway Museum, with displays and an old steam engine and rail cars that you can walk through.

This park has several playgrounds, grassy areas, picnic tables, and large trees providing shade. Admission to the park is free, however, there is a modest fee to ride the train, carousel, and to enter the Railway Museum.

Address: 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, Arizona

OdySea Aquarium

The concept of visiting a huge aquarium in the middle of the desert may strike you as odd, but set preconceived notions aside and give the OdySea Aquarium a try. This fascinating attraction is well worth the price of admission for the way it showcases the wonders of the deep.

Follow the path through the 200,000-square-foot building, past 70 exhibits and over 6,000 animals. The concept of the aquarium is that you are a raindrop that has fallen from the sky and this is your journey to the ocean.

Many of the displays are interactive, and one of the highlights is a trip in one of the five simulated submarines that take you on a 20-minute ride past four of the largest exhibits.

If you want to get up close and personal, for an additional fee, you can experience helmet diving. This is where you descend into a pool filled with fish in a special diving suit.

Address: 9500 Via De Ventura, Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) always delivers a thought-provoking experience for visitors. The four galleries showcase an ever-changing array of art that may even change your ideas about what constitutes art.

Staff at the museum go out of their way to help you appreciate the exhibits and concepts, and explain how to engage with interactive pieces.

One feature everyone can enjoy free of charge is one of James Turrell's Skyspaces. Located just inside the entrance to the building in an outdoor area all on its own is his Knight Rise creation, which is essentially a circular frame in a circular room that captures a portion of the sky. This is one of Scottsdale's free public art installations.

The museum has an active calendar of interesting events, including one that even allows you to bring your dog.

The SMoCA is located just a short stroll from Old Town in the Civic Center Mall area.

Address: 7374 E 2nd Street, Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Civic Center

In the heart of downtown and connected to Old Town Scottsdale, is the Scottsdale Civic Center. Here, you'll find a wonderful open-air green space, water features with ducks, sitting areas, and spectacular rose gardens.

You will also find the iconic LOVE sculpture by the late artist Robert Indiana, along with other pieces of interesting public art. Key cultural institutions are also located in this area, including the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

Throughout the year, performances take place in the Scottsdale Mall Amphitheater, a pleasant grassy area just to the north of the main square.

Address: 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, Arizona

Cosanti Originals

Cosanti Originals is a truly unique place. The architecture is mind-bending and the windbells and sculptures made here are one-of-a-kind works of art. You can even see the bell-making process if you stick around to see the demonstrations.

The property, which consists of a group of organic-shaped "experimental earth-formed concrete structures," is listed on the State Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. The flowing, caving-like structures are the perfect backdrop for displaying the art and for listening to the chime of the bells. On hot days, they also provide a surprisingly cool retreat from the hot sun.

Cosanti was originally the studio and residence of the late Paolo Soleri and today is the home of Paolo Soleri Bronze and Ceramic Wildbells & Sculptures. Soleri studied at Taliesen West and is well-known for Arcosanti, the community he founded in the 1970s in the high desert.

Admission is free, but you can buy pieces, take a guided tour, or just enjoy wandering around the property.

Official Site: https://cosanti.com/

Map of Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Scottsdale, AZ

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