My first trip to the state of Arizona was in February of this year (2021), and my second trip followed just 2.5 months later in May. Both trips brought me to Scottsdale for two completely different reasons. My first weekend in Scottsdale was with my husband, Andrew, and we focused mainly on hiking and eating. My second trip was a bachelorette weekend for my friend that focused mainly on drinking and fun, so I feel like I’ve really experienced all sides of this fun desert town.
For me, the perfect long weekend in Scottsdale involves a lot of hiking, drinking, and eating delicious food. This post will focus on all of those but I will also give some other ideas as well, as this town has so much to offer.
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Table of Contents
Where to Eat & Drink
Because Scottsdale is primarily a vacation town, there are no shortage of amazing restaurants, bars, breweries, and coffee shops to empty your wallets and delight your senses! I really enjoyed all the spots listed below but there are so many more excellent choices to explore.
Mexican Food
Scottsdale is only a few hours north of the Mexico border so you’ll find a wide array of traditional, Southwestern, modern and Tex-Mex style Mexican restaurants here. For me, tacos and mezcal cocktails are key ingredients to creating the perfect long weekend, and the below three spots did not disappoint.
Barrio Queen
Barrio Queen has several locations throughout the Phoenix area with one right in Old Town Scottsdale. I would consider it “traditional-ish” (is that a word?). It is always really busy but they have a big menu of food and cocktails and is definitely worth a try!
Alma Scottsdale
Another one of my favorite Mexican spots is Alma Scottsdale. They consider themselves a “Southwestern” restaurant, but their menu is mainly tacos. The restaurant is a few miles north of the downtown area, but between their fabulous cocktail menu and cute patio area, it’s worth a short drive or Uber ride.
The Mission
The Mission describes itself as “Modern Latin Cuisine” and has two locations in Scottsdale. We had the Roasted Pork Shoulder tacos for two, and I highly recommend ordering that! The pork shoulder was served separately from the hand made tortillas and toppings, and making your own tacos was part of what made it great. Unfortunately the restaurant was really dark inside and I don’t have any pictures.
Non-Mexican
Olive & Ivy
If you’ve eaten tacos for every meal (no shame) and want a different cuisine, Olive and Ivy is perfect! It’s close to the Fashion Square mall and right across the canal from Old Town Scottsdale. They serve American and Mediterranean food and have a gorgeous patio.
Maple & Ash
Maple & Ash is a must if you’re celebrating a special occasion or just love amazing steaks and seafood. Be prepared for one of the best (but maybe also the most expensive) meal of your life! Maple & Ash has two locations, and I have only been to the other location in Chicago, however I’m sure the Scottsdale location is just as delicious. Be sure to try the fire roasted seafood tower and add the “Maple & Ash Beefed Up Butter” to your steak.
Pubblico Italian Eatery
Pubblico is located in the same plaza as Alma, a few miles north of Old Town. They have a large patio and a big selection of pizzas and pastas. I was feeling bougie so I ordered their cioppino served with a lobster tail on top. Andrew ordered one of their wood fired pizzas and both were delicious!
Craft Beer
Most of my beer recommendations come from my friend Mike who runs The Beer Spectrum. I always hit him up for beer recs before I visit a new city and his Scottsdale list did not disappoint! I loved Goldwater Brewing Co, which was right in Old Town Scottsdale, but he also recommends Wren House Brewing (in Phoenix), Fate Brewing Company, O.H.S.O Brewery, and The Shop Beer Co. (in Tempe.)
Coffee
I really enjoyed both Sip Coffee & Beer and Press Coffee Roasters. Sip has a location in Old Town Scottsdale and one in Phoenix. Both the coffee and food was delicious, and I can’t wait to come back and try their brunch cocktails. Press has a location near the Fashion Square Mall, and in the Phoenix Airport.
Where to Hike
Arizona has some of the best hiking trails in the country. The scenery is so unique, and taking a day or two to hike when in Scottsdale is definitely a must do in my books! I had debated whether or not to pack my hiking boots on my trip, as they take up so much room, but I’m really glad I did. Most of the trails are pretty rocky and it could be easy to turn an ankle if you’re just wearing sneakers. I love my waterproof Merrells is the “mid” ankle length but Andrew prefers his low top Merrells.
Lost Dutchman State Park
Lost Dutchman State Park is a 30 minute drive east of Scottsdale. The main hike to focus on here is Siphon Draw Trail, which leads out of the State Park and into the Tonto National Forest. We only made it about 2.25 miles before turning back, but the trail goes on for 3 miles to the summit (6 miles round trip.) Only the first 2 miles are a maintained trail, and the last mile is a nearly vertical rock scramble. I’m not normally scared of heights, but I was nervous and wanted to turn around. There is 1,000 feet of elevation gain in the first 2 miles and another 1.000 in the last mile.
Day Trip to Saguaro National Park
Most people think of the Grand Canyon when they think of National Parks in Arizona, but Saguaro National Park should not be missed! If you have an extra day in Scottsdale I highly recommend making the 90 minute drive from Scottsdale to explore this unique park. Read my Saguaro National Park Day Trip blog for more information on how to plan your trip.
Camelback Mountain
If you aren’t renting a car for your trip, then this is the hike for you! Camelback Mountain is located between Scottsdale and Phoenix, right in the middle of town. This does make it an extremely packed and busy hike, but I think it’s still worth it. Be sure to arrive very early, even on week days, to find a parking spot. If you plan to arrive later, I would recommend taking an Uber.
There are two trails to the top, Echo Canyon and Cholla. When I visited in February 2021, the Cholla trail was temporarily closed, and according to Google it still is as of November 2021. The Echo Canyon Trail is 2.5 miles round trip and took us an hour and 45 minutes to hike. There is a 1,420 ft elevation gain, which means you gain 1.420 of elevation in just 1.25 miles! It was definitely the hardest short hike I’ve ever done. Bring plenty of water and take your time; you will feel very accomplished when you reach the top!
Golfing, Drinking & More!
Scottsdale has much more to offer than hiking and eating, but those are definitely my favorite. Golfing is popular, with more than 200 courses in the area. I can’t offer much more info than that, as I’m not a golfer, but if you are be sure to carve out part of your visit for a round or two.
Another popular activity is riding a peddle pub around Old Town. It’s kind of silly and gimmicky, but it’s a lot of fun, especially if you’re with a group! You can bring your own drinks for riding the peddle bar, but they also stop at a few bars around town. Old Town Scottsdale also has a big nightlife scene, with a large concentration of clubs and bars. I have also heard that Maya Dayclub throws fun daytime pool parties.
The last activity I recommend is shopping! The Fashion Square is a huge beautiful mall, and right across the canal in Old Town there are many boutiques and art galleries.
Logistics and Where to Stay
The main airport near Scottsdale is the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is about a 20-30 minute drive depending on where you’re staying in Scottsdale. On my first trip we rented a car, which was necessary to drive to our different hiking locations. However on the second trip we relied on Uber to get everywhere and didn’t have a problem.
Scottsdale is very long (north to south) and narrow (east to west). Most of the restaurants and shops and nearly all of the nightlife are located in the southern portion of the city which many people refer to as “Old Town Scottsdale.” I say this to caution you that even if an address says Scottsdale, it might be 10 miles away from the downtown area.
There are many resorts and hotels in Scottsdale, as well as some beautiful Airbnbs. I would recommend finding a hotel or Airbnb a mile or two north of Old Town. You don’t want to be too far away from everything but staying in Old Town is too rowdy and loud for me personally.
Hopefully you can use this post to mix and match your ideal hikes, meals, and activities to create the perfect itinerary for long weekend in Scottsdale! Let me know your favorite restaurant or hike in the comments below!
6 Comments
I loved reading about your experience in Scottsdale, AZ. Your descriptions really made it come alive for me. Happy travels!
Lost Dutchman State Park looks so beautiful! And Saguaro National Park is so high on my bucket list, I’m dying to go there. Great hiking suggestions here. So much beauty to see in Arizona!
I remember we were there at the same time for your first trip! I really want to go back and get to Scottsdale as we were further south the whole time. I can eat tacos for days, but olive and ivy looks amazing!
I guess I’ve always associated Scottsdale with golfing – I never realized it had such a great food and drink scene. Those hikes look amazing. I do think it’s funny how trips end up clumping up around the same location. Thanks for all the recommendations!
Arizona is one of the few states that really intrigues me in the USA. Scottsdale National Park definitely seems like a place to go when in Arizona.
I love the way that you travel, we’re much the same – we love the food, the drink and seeing the sites. The parks look stunning, and surely you deserved that cocktail at the Alma at the end of the days hike! I’d certainly know where to head to in and around Scottsdale now thanks to this.