Things to do in  Scottsdale

The wide streets of Old Town Scottsdale bustle, lined with seemingly endless bars, restaurants, and boutiques. Scottsdale might be known for its luxurious resorts and quiet golf courses, but Old Town offers a different side to the city—pick up colorful produce at the farmers market, discover new artists at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, or dance the night away under the bright lights at Wasted Grain nightclub.

Featuring some of the area’s top boutiques and shops, Scottsdale Fashion Square is Arizona’s largest shopping destination with more than 200 stores, some of which cannot be found elsewhere in the state. In addition to a range of different retailers, including luxury brands such as Tiffany & Co., Prada, Neiman Marcus, Jimmy Choo, and Burberry, there are plenty of dining options and a movie theater.

Originally built as a copper trade route, the Apache Trail now guides travelers past steep desert mountains, cliff dwellings, lake shores, eroded canyons, and old mining towns. This scenic road winds 120 miles (193 kilometers) through Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, from the outskirts of Phoenix to the vast Theodore Roosevelt Lake.

Named after the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine from Old West lore, Lost Dutchman State Park is a scenic public park in the Sonoran Desert about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Phoenix. Situated on the Apache Trail—a former stagecoach route officially known as Arizona State Route 99—the park is popular for hiking, mountain biking, camping, and periodic ranger-led moonlight hikes.

In Scottsdale's Old Town, this small but mighty museum is best known for the Knight Rise skyspace by acclaimed artist James Turrell—an outdoor enclosure with a concrete bench and open ceiling that lets you observe the sky. The minimalist museum also boasts four galleries dedicated to contemporary art, architecture, and design.

If there’s a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts near Phoenix, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve might be it. Just beyond the city limits to the northeast, the preserve comprises more than 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares) of protected Sonoran Desert habitat around the McDowell Mountains, with trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

With red-rock cliffs in all directions, Canyon Lake is quite the watery jewel—and it’s just 45 minutes east of Phoenix, in Tonto National Forest. Ten miles (16 kilometers) long with 28 miles of shoreline, this little oasis in the desert attracts water skiers, boaters, swimmers, anglers, hikers, and those simply looking for an accessible slice of Mother Nature.

On the northern edge of Scottsdale, Pinnacle Peak Park offers a quick escape from city life. Its 150 acres (60 hectares) are most beloved for the Pinnacle Peak Trail, which leads trekkers through the Sonoran Desert to a scenic overlook at roughly 3,000 feet (915 meters). The park also offers climbing routes, picnic tables, and interpretive tours.