Scottsdale runs from a walkable Old Town core out to one of the largest urban desert preserves in the world, so the city splits neatly between galleries and trailheads. This guide ranks fourteen picks, from the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Taliesin West to the Old Town museums and the eleven mile Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, with what each one costs and when to go in the heat.
The top 14, ranked
Ranked from official sources: the City of Scottsdale, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale Arts and each venue's own admission page. Opening shapes and fees were read from the operator's own site, and picks whose operator publishes no rate are marked as ticketed rather than given an invented price.
- Top pick
1Best for hiking · #1 of 14
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Nature PreserveNorth Scottsdaleopen daily from roughly half an hour before sunrise to sunset, with times shifting through the yearFreeAt more than 30,500 acres this is one of the largest permanently protected urban desert preserves anywhere, running along the city's eastern edge. More than 230 miles of shared use trails leave from nine trailheads, and entry costs nothing.
Local tipIn the warm months start before 10 in the morning or after 5 in the evening, and carry your own water because several trailheads have none.
- Top pick
#2Best for architecture · #2 of 14Taliesin West
Historic SiteNorth Scottsdaleopen daily from November through April, and Thursday through Monday in the hotter monthsVariesFrank Lloyd Wright began building his winter home and desert laboratory here in 1937, and it is now a National Historic Landmark. Every visit is a guided walking tour, and the routes cross gravel and uneven ground.
Local tipTours are priced by length and sell out, so book ahead, and expect steps and uneven surfaces throughout.
- Top pick
3Best for art · #3 of 14
Old Town Scottsdale Arts District
Arts DistrictOld Town Scottsdalemuseum open Wednesday through Sunday with one extended evening, closed Mondays and Tuesdays$10 to $25Old Town holds a gallery dense pocket with more than fifty galleries and cultural venues mixed among the restaurants. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art anchors it from the Civic Center, with five galleries of contemporary art, architecture and design.
Local tipThe contemporary art museum runs pay what you wish admission on Thursdays and every second Saturday.
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4Best for history · #4 of 14
Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West
MuseumOld Town Scottsdaleopen most days with extended evening hours in the cooler monthsTicketedThis museum at Marshall Way and 1st Street covers the history and culture of the American West through art, artifacts and rotating exhibitions. Most visitors give it between an hour and a half and three hours.
Local tipEvening hours run later in the cooler months, which is the easier time to add it to an Old Town evening.
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5Best for hiking · #5 of 14
Pinnacle Peak Park
City Park and TrailNorth Scottsdaledaytime trail access, with hours shifting through the yearFreeA two mile one way desert trail climbs about 1,300 feet through saguaro country with interpretive displays and designated climbing areas along the way. The city describes it as moderate and easier than Camelback Mountain or Piestewa Peak.
Local tipIt is still a desert climb, so bring water, a hat and sunscreen even though it is the gentler of the big Phoenix area summit hikes.
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6Best for families · #6 of 14
Butterfly Wonderland
ConservatoryNorth Scottsdaleopen daily on the same hours pattern, with final entry an hour before closing$25 to $50The operator bills this as North America's largest butterfly conservatory, with more than sixty species flying free inside a glasshouse. A film about monarch migration and a rainforest reptile section round out the visit.
Local tipFinal entry is an hour before closing, so do not leave it to the end of the day.
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7Best for families · #7 of 14
OdySea Aquarium
AquariumNorth Scottsdaleopen seven days a week, with closing time varying by dayTicketedThe operator describes this as the largest aquarium in the Southwest, holding more than 30,000 animals on the Arizona Boardwalk beside the 101. Penguin encounters and stingray touch tanks are the draws for younger visitors.
Local tipTwilight tickets after half past four in the afternoon cost less than daytime entry.
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8Best for young children · #8 of 14
McCormick Stillman Railroad Park
City ParkSouth Scottsdalepark open nearly year round, with individual attraction hours varying by seasonFree with paid optionsEntry to this railway themed city park costs nothing, and it opens 363 days a year, closing only for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A miniature train, a carousel, a splash pad and the Scottsdale Railroad Museum sit inside it.
Local tipTrain and carousel rides are three dollars each, children two and under ride free, and under thirteens get into the railroad museum free.
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9Best for walking and cycling · #9 of 14
Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt
TrailAlong Indian Bend Washopen access public path along the corridorFreeAn eleven mile chain of parks, lakes, paths and golf courses runs the length of the city, doubling as its flood control system. More than twenty four grade separated crossings mean you can ride or walk most of it without meeting traffic.
Local tipUse the city's interactive greenbelt map to pick a stretch rather than trying to take on the whole corridor.
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10Best for hard hiking · #10 of 14
Tom's Thumb Trailhead
TrailheadNorth Scottsdalesunrise to sunset, as part of the preserve systemFreeThe preserve's hardest well known route climbs about 1,200 feet of steep gravel to the Tom's Thumb rock formation. The same trailhead reaches Windgate Overlook, Gardener's Wall and the Marcus Landslide, the second largest landslide in Arizona.
Local tipThere is no drinking water at this trailhead, so carry more than you think the climb needs.
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11Best for public art · #11 of 14
Soleri Bridge and Plaza
Public ArtScottsdale Waterfrontoutdoor public plaza and bridge, open accessFreePaolo Soleri designed this pedestrian bridge and plaza across the Arizona Canal at the Waterfront, and it works as a sundial with markers tied to the solstices. It is a short stop that connects Old Town to the canal path.
Local tipCome near solar noon to see the light gap between the pylons line up the way Soleri intended.
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12Best for families · #12 of 14
Chaparral Park
City ParkOld Town Scottsdalegeneral park hours are shorter than the dog park's hoursFreeA lake, sports fields and playgrounds sit close to the Waterfront, along with what the city calls Scottsdale's most popular dog park, three acres of grass with benches and water fountains. The inclusive playground has adaptive swings and sensory equipment.
Local tipThe dog park keeps longer hours than the rest of the park, so check both if you are bringing a dog.
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13Best for evenings · #13 of 14
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Performing Arts VenueOld Town Scottsdaleoffice hours differ from performance and box office hours, closed MondaysTicketedThe city's main performance venue sits in the Civic Center arts district and programs theater, dance, classical music, comedy and popular music through the year. Free public parking is available in the Civic Center Garage and the lots around it.
Local tipBuilding office hours are posted separately from performance times and the venue closes on Mondays, so check both before turning up.
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14Best for baseball · #14 of 14
Scottsdale Stadium
BallparkOld Town Scottsdaleseasonal, tied to the Cactus League spring training schedule rather than year round operationVariesThe San Francisco Giants hold spring training at this city owned ballpark on East Osborn Road, a short walk from Old Town. Outside the Cactus League season it hosts other sporting and community events.
Local tipSpring training pricing is not posted on the city page, so go through the team's ticket line for rates and dates.
Where things cluster
Scottsdale is long and narrow, running north to south. Old Town and the Waterfront sit at the southern end, the greenbelt threads the middle, and north Scottsdale climbs toward the McDowell Mountains and the preserve.
- Old Town ScottsdaleA walkable historic downtown core of nine small neighborhoods packed with galleries, restaurants, museums and shops, and the base most visitors work from.
- Scottsdale WaterfrontA district along the Arizona Canal in the heart of downtown between Scottsdale Road and Goldwater Boulevard, holding the Soleri Bridge and the canal path.
- North Scottsdale and the preserve edgeThe northern half of the city at the base of the McDowell Mountains, where the preserve trailheads, Taliesin West, Pinnacle Peak and the Arizona Boardwalk attractions all sit.
- South ScottsdaleThe older southern end of the city along the greenbelt corridor, quieter than Old Town and home to the Railroad Park.
Make it a day
Desert first, Old Town after
Start at a McDowell Sonoran Preserve trailhead or Pinnacle Peak Park at first light, which is the only comfortable window for desert hiking through much of the year. Move indoors for the middle of the day, either to Taliesin West on a booked tour or to the Old Town museums around the Civic Center. Finish on foot in Old Town, walking out to the Soleri Bridge at the Waterfront as the heat drops.
Trails, architecture, and the family day
Give the first morning to the preserve, choosing Tom's Thumb if you want the hard climb or Pinnacle Peak if you want the gentler one, then spend the afternoon at Taliesin West. On the second day take the greenbelt by bike or work through the Old Town galleries and Western Spirit. With children, swap in the Railroad Park and the Arizona Boardwalk attractions, which are indoors and cool through the middle of the day.
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Best time to visit
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November through April is the comfortable season, and it is when Taliesin West opens daily, the Cactus League runs at Scottsdale Stadium and the Old Town evening hours run latest. From late spring into September the desert heat is the constraint rather than the crowds, so hiking moves to before 10 in the morning or after 5 in the evening and the indoor attractions carry the middle of the day. Several outdoor venues cut back their hours through the hottest months.
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Scottsdale things to do FAQ
Heat, timing, cost and access answers for a smoother visit.
What is Scottsdale known for?
Scottsdale is known for a walkable Old Town with a dense gallery and restaurant scene, for Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, and for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve on its eastern edge. It is also a long standing spring training base, with the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.
How many days do you need in Scottsdale?
One full day covers a morning hike in the preserve, an afternoon at Taliesin West or the Old Town museums and an evening in Old Town. A second day is worth it if you want the greenbelt, the Arizona Boardwalk attractions or a longer climb such as Tom's Thumb.
When is the best time to visit Scottsdale?
November through April is the comfortable season and the one the city is built around, with daily Taliesin West tours and spring training in February and March. Summer is very hot, so outdoor time moves to early morning and evening, and several outdoor venues shorten their hours.
What are the best free things to do in Scottsdale?
The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Pinnacle Peak Park, Tom's Thumb Trailhead, the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, Chaparral Park and the Soleri Bridge and Plaza are all free. The Railroad Park is free to enter, with the train and carousel charged separately.
Is hiking in Scottsdale safe in summer?
It needs planning. The city advises hiking before 10 in the morning or after 5 in the evening during the warm months and carrying your own water, since several preserve trailheads have no drinking water. Save the steep routes such as Tom's Thumb for the cooler half of the year.
What is there to do in Scottsdale with kids?
The McCormick Stillman Railroad Park is free to enter and built around young children, with cheap train and carousel rides. OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland sit together on the Arizona Boardwalk and are both indoors, which matters through the hot months.
Keep planning
Use these nearby guides to extend a Scottsdale trip with a different pace and a clear next stop.
Image credits. Hero: Visitor7 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. 2 Taliesin West: AndrewHorne / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.