Travel guide: What to see and do in Scottsdale, Arizona
December 23, 2024
Escape the winter chill, schedule some spa time and immerse yourself in the great outdoors with a visit to Scottsdale, Arizona.
by Vanessa Infanzon
Cacti rising from the ground, like desert sentries, give Scottsdale, Arizona, an otherworldly appearance. Mountains in the distance beg to be climbed — there are rugged trails for visitors to bike or hike for panoramic views from atop.
Founded in 1894 and named for Winfield Scott, a former United States Army chaplain, Scottsdale, boasts more than 300 days of sunshine each year and an average high of 68 to 78 degrees during the winter months. Although the city’s slogan is “The West’s Most Western Town,” visitors also are drawn to the area for its restorative environment.
Wellness options abound
Scottsdale’s lodging includes resorts and boutique hotels with spas, casitas (small cottages) and luxury amenities. Many, like Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, The Hermosa Inn and Hotel Valley Ho, showcase midcentury-modern designs and historic ties to the area.
Poolside seating and a casita patio at The Phoenician, photos courtesy The Phoenician
The Phoenician’s three-story spa approaches relaxation, fitness and beauty through bodywork therapies, facials and massages, earning the Forbes Travel Guide’s Five Star Award for five consecutive years. The Hungarian Moor Mud Detox, an 80-minute full body exfoliation and mask, is the spa’s newest offering. A Wellness Weekend, Jan. 17-19, provides meditation and yoga sessions, a farm-to-oven cooking class, and a wellness-themed market. For Galentine’s Weekend in February, BOGO treatments will be available.
The Scottsdale Resort & Spa, a Hilton property, features body services, facials, and massages at the Luna Spa. Winter specials running through Feb. 28 include a spearmint stone escape massage, caramel brûlée café body scrub and merry berries facial. Each month, the resort highlights mini spa treatments, sunset yoga, art classes and live music.
For an immersive experience, guests at the CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa enjoy healthy cuisine and classes such as Chakra yoga, walking meditation and myofascial release, a therapy technique centered around identifying trigger points to reduce pain. The spa offers energy healings, facials, massages and Watsu water massage, a combination of stretching and twisting in a private pool.
Luna Spa Zen Garden and a guestroom at The Scottsdale Resort & Spa, photos by Jeff Zaruba
The Spa at The Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale celebrates the region’s Native American influences with a tipi cleansing ritual and a labyrinth walk. Guests can personalize their experiences with therapeutic wellness treatments that promote restoration, emotional healing and renewed energy. The Desert Zen package includes a Swedish massage, an organic signature facial and a chef-curated lunch in the spa café.
If a spa stay isn’t a requisite, Caesars Republic Scottsdale, a Hilton hotel, opened in 2024 with two restaurants including Luna by Giada, a concept developed by chef and cookbook author Giada De Laurentis. Indulge at Sunday brunch with made-to-order frittatas, waffles, a carving station, roasted salmon and bottomless mimosas. The 11-story hotel overlooks Camelback Mountain and is close to golf courses and hiking and horseback-riding trails.
Wander the desert
A sketch of the Guggenheim Museum sits on a drafting table inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, the iconic architect’s winter home. At one time, architecture students worked in the on-site design studio under Wright’s direction. Now, the estate is operated by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and offers guided and self-guided audio tours, photography workshops and sunset events on the 500-acre property.
Hot Air Expeditions, photographs courtesy Experience Scottsdale
Visitors can choose from a variety of outdoor adventures, from hot air balloon rides and kayaking to biking to hiking. Hot Air Expeditions’ early-morning ride launches just after sunrise; baskets accommodate groups of 10 to 20 passengers. The excursion includes breakfast and a Champagne toast and one hour of flight time over the Sonoran Desert.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a more than 30,000-acre desert habitat, grants access to hiking trails with varying lengths and levels of difficulty. The Bajada Nature Trail loop is under a mile, ADA accessible and includes interpretive exhibits. The 4.5-mile Gateway Loop presents a moderate challenge and expansive desert views.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, photograph by Tanveer Badal, courtesy Experience Scottsdale. Tom’s Thumb Trail, and Desert Botanical Garden, photos courtesy Experience Scottsdale.
Cycle on the greenway through the Sonoran Desert with REI Co-op Adventure Center, or sign up for half-day or daylong kayaking or standup paddleboard excursions. Guides share history and point out the local flora and fauna.
At the Desert Botanical Garden in nearby Phoenix, historic plants including the oldest cactus in the world can be viewed from accessible paths across the park’s 140 acres. Gertude’s, the garden’s on-site restaurant, boasts a “farm and pasture-to-plate” menu for respite and refueling between the garden’s six trails. Reservations are highly recommended.
GETTING THERE: American Airlines offers daily nonstop flights from CLT to Phoenix, with a flight time of under five hours. Scottsdale is 15 minutes from the airport by car. SP
Featured image: Photograph by Joel Hazelton courtesy Experience Scottsdale
