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What is there to do in Scottsdale this summer season? Plenty! Scottsdale sizzles with enjoyable in June, July, and August. Beautiful year-round, this sprawling suburb of Phoenix affords vacationers and locals of all ages numerous nice summer season actions and refreshing methods to chill off. Plus, Scottsdale’s superb resorts present deep reductions for a Scottsdale trip or staycation. Whether you are visiting my hometown otherwise you dwell within the Valley of the Sun — you may like this checklist of the most effective issues to do in Scottsdale in summer season 2023, from morning to midday to nighttime!
This story is dropped at you in partnership with Experience Scottsdale and ItsThatHot.com.
Outdoor Scottsdale Summer Activities
As a longtime resident, I do know it is best to rise up early to take pleasure in outside Scottsdale actions throughout cooler mornings earlier than the warmth peaks in summer season. With the shortage of solar at night time and little water within the air to carry the warmth, temperatures within the desert can drop 20 to 30 levels Fahrenheit between the most well liked time of the day to the good temps proper earlier than dawn.
The finest climate for outside play is from daybreak (between 5 and 6 am) till issues get toasty round 10 or 11 am. No matter which outside exercise you select, it is essential to use sunblock, keep hydrated with water or electrolyte drinks, and put on a brimmed hat for solar safety.
Hiking within the Sonoran Desert
Even throughout summer season, it is enjoyable to absorb a few of Scottsdale’s desert magnificence. Set your alarm to soak up the dawn earlier than hitting the paths.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trail
With dozens of mountain climbing paths to select from, you are certain to seek out one which meets your loved ones’s mountain climbing ranges and wishes. McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trail is a well-liked start line.
Pinnacle Peak Trail
Another fairly possibility is Pinnacle Peak Trail. It’s excellent for hikers in search of a reasonable hike with views of the granite summit for which it was named.
Quartz Trailhead
For a much less crowded expertise, take a look at Quartz Trailhead as a substitute close to Desert Canyon Elementary School. Keep your eyes peeled for the path marker right here. It’s throughout the road from the parking zone, simply to the suitable of the place the sidewalk begins.
ATV or Hummer Tour
Get your coronary heart pumping by exploring the Sonoran Desert on 4 wheels throughout your Scottsdale trip.
Stellar Adventures
Stellar Adventures leads guided ATV excursions or you’ll be able to romp by the desert as a passenger in a Hummer or Blazer.
Green Zebra
Green Zebra affords 1- and 2-hour guided self-driving ATV excursions of Scottsdale’s backcountry.
Explore Scottsdale by Segway
Why stroll when you may discover Scottsdale by Segway?
Segway of Scottsdale
Segway of Scottsdale leads 2-hour morning excursions by historic Old Town Scottsdale. Mics and earpieces in vivid orange helmets assist maintain riders secure and knowledgeable. During your 6-mile tour, you may zoom previous artwork galleries, the Civic Center Mall, Scottsdale Waterfront and extra. (Participants should be aged 12 to 75.)
Scottsdale Segway Tours
In addition to Old Town Scottsdale morning excursions, Scottsdale Segway Tours a Sunsets, Segways and City Lights possibility. It’s excellent for exploring the town with out the warmth of the solar.
Phoenix Zoo
The largest non-profit, privately owned zoo within the U.S. is residence to in style residents like giraffes, orangutans, and elephants. Also search for indigenous animals like coyotes, mountain lions, and Mexican grey wolves.
Summer Hours
During hotter months, morning is the most effective time to go to the animals on the Phoenix Zoo. Summer hours begin and finish early to make the most of comparatively cool mornings. From June 1 by August 31, go to the zoo 7 am – 1 pm. Phoenix Zoo members can get a headstart and enter as early as 6 am.
Family Zoo Activities
If you are visiting Scottsdale with children, then you definately’ll recognize the household Scottsdale summer season actions on the Phoenix Zoo. Children love the Harmony Farm petting zoo and playground, Enchanted Forest play space, and the zoo’s Endangered Species Carousel. Be certain to deliver alongside swimsuits to chill off on the Leapin’ Lagoon and Yakulla Caverns splash pads, too. The Phoenix Zoo even affords a summer season camp program for youths.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Families with younger kids will certainly wish to go to McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It’s an incredible place to spend the morning in Scottsdale in summer season.
Paradise Pacific Railroad
The spotlight at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is the Paradise Pacific Railroad. This ride-on miniature practice chugs by the expansive grassy park.
Meanwhile, true practice lovers take pleasure in exploring indoor mannequin railroad shows and outside full-sized practice vehicles.
Playgrounds
A large playground and a smaller Old West-themed play space please children of all ages.
Picnics
Buy hotdogs, hamburgers, and ice cream on the Snackstop. Or pack a picnic to take pleasure in an early lunch at shaded picnic areas.
Scottsdale Charros Carousel
The Scottsdale Charros Carousel at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is numerous enjoyable, too, with its vintage horses and two wheelchair-accessible chariots.
Golf in Scottsdale in Summer
Golfers ought to plan to hit the hyperlinks very first thing within the morning in Scottsdale in summer season. The Scottsdale space boasts over 200 programs certain to please any golfer.
Summer Golf Pricing
What’s extra, {golfing} costs plummet when the warmth rises in Scottsdale. At two luxurious programs, Troon North Golf Club and The Boulders, costs drop as a lot as 75 % throughout summer season months, permitting golfers on a funds to make the most of these wonderful golf programs.
Hot Air Ballooning
Get up very early in summer season to take pleasure in a sizzling air balloon journey over the Valley of the Sun. With 300 days of sunshine per 12 months in Scottsdale, the world affords extra flyable days than wherever else within the nation.
Floating above the desert in a sizzling air balloon is an expertise you’ll lengthy bear in mind. Choose from shared or non-public flights with Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders.
Scottsdale Summer Afternoon Attractions
After a morning of taking part in outdoor, your whole household might be prepared to chill down. If you are still up for extra exploring (or you’ll be able to’t rouse the troops earlier than midday), then sit back with air-conditioned indoor Scottsdale summer season actions. Alternatively, the afternoon is the proper time to splash in a swimming pool or water park. And you may all the time beat the dry warmth with an ice cream deal with!
Arizona Boardwalk
The entire household may spend a whole day at Arizona Boardwalk and by no means get bored. It is residence to tasty eating places, a handful of retail shops, and eight main sights.
OdySea Aquarium
The main attraction at Arizona Boardwalk is the most important aquarium within the Southwest, the 200,000-square-foot OdySea Aquarium. This attraction homes intriguing sea creatures like fish, stingrays, otters, and penguins.
Butterfly Wonderland
Also positioned throughout the Arizona Boardwalk campus, Butterfly Wonderland impresses vacationers in America’s largest butterfly conservatory. View dwelling fluttering bugs in a fairly indoor botanical backyard. Tip: Wear fragrance or cologne and vivid colours if you would like the butterflies to land on you!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
View a megalodon shark jaw, crawl by a life-sized duplicate of an unlimited prehistoric snake, and pose subsequent to an animatronic model of the tallest man who ever lived at Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Museum of Illusions
Museum of Illusions is a enjoyable spot for Instagrammers and TikTokers. Enjoy all kinds of interactive trick artwork shows to your photo-taking and videoing pleasure.
Laser + Mirror Mazes
Kids love Laser + Mirror Mazes with its difficult laser-filled walk-through puzzle and colourful reflective labyrinth.
Cyber Quest
Treat your loved ones to arcade video games at Cyber Quest. Save up your tickets to win prizes like plush toys or a Snoopy Snow Cone Machine.
Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs
Dinosaur lovers will roar with delight at Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs.
UFO Experience
The UFO Experience at Arizona Boardwalk is out of this world. Embark on an entertaining and academic journey of all issues alien from UFO sightings to alien “artifacts.”
Indoor Miniature Golf
With two indoor choices, miniature golf is all the time in season irrespective of the time of 12 months in Scottsdale.
Glow Putt
Kids love the glowing, playful shows at Glow Putt. This has lengthy been one in every of my household’s favourite issues to do for summer season enjoyable in Scottsdale. Sink a hole-in-one on the final gap to win one other spherical on the home!
Puttshack
New to Scottsdale in summer season 2023, Puttshack is an upscale mini golf expertise with thrilling tech-infused options at Kierland Commons buying space. Purchase snacks like pizza or salads plus cocktails and different drinks to take pleasure in earlier than or after a spherical or two.
Scottsdale Museums
One of the most effective methods to chill off throughout summer season is at an area museum within the Phoenix space. In addition to year-round academic experiences, search for particular summer season applications at these Scottsdale museums.
Musical Instrument Museum
Wander by the world-renowned Musical Instrument Museum with shows that includes songs, movies, musical devices, and conventional costumes from around the globe.
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Celebrate cowboy tradition and think about Amerindian shows at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.
Heard Museum
Explore extra Native American cultures of the Southwest on the Heard Museum in Phoenix.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Appreciate trendy artwork on the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Old Town Scottsdale. Start right here after which head to Art Walk on a Thursday night.
Additional Museums
Depending on your loved ones’s pursuits, you may additionally wish to go to museums past Scottsdale. Interesting choices embody the tutorial Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, the interactive Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, the Phoenix Art Museum with artwork from around the globe, or the playful Children’s Museum of Phoenix.
Taliesin West
Fans of architectural design will recognize a go to to Taliesin West. Once the winter residence of the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright, at this time it’s the headquarters of his basis. It is open seven days per week for self-guided audio excursions and 90-minute guided strolling excursions.
Outdoor Pools and Water Parks in Scottsdale and Beyond
Although practically all inns in Scottsdale characteristic swimming swimming pools, when you’re on the lookout for a distinct splashy scene, then you might have some enjoyable choices with lazy rivers and water slides within the Valley of the Sun.
McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center
McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center affords a winding water slide, a nice lazy river, excessive and low diving boards, and a zero-entry splash play space.
El Dorado Aquatic Center
Also, El Dorado Aquatic Center is residence to a water playground with a slide for younger kids, a zero-entry pool, plus two full-sized waterslides for larger children.
Water Parks within the Phoenix Area
Additionally, water parks in neighboring areas embody Big Surf in Tempe, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Phoenix, and Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa.
Ice Cream
We all scream for ice cream, significantly in summer season in Scottsdale!
Sweet Republic
For the most effective ice cream in Scottsdale, my suggestion is Sweet Republic. Their artisanal ice lotions and sorbets will tempt anybody who visits this ice cream store positioned in the identical strip mall as Glow Putt.
Seasonal flavors like Strawberry Buttermilk rotate all year long. Meanwhile, year-round choices like Salted Caramel Swirl and Brownie Fudge Swirl all the time delight. Get your sundae topped with a roasted handmade marshmallow!
I give 12 out of 10 stars to Sweet Republic’s Pecan Turtle Sundae. It comes with two scoops Salted Caramel Swirl, candy and salty Arizona pecans, sizzling fudge, salted caramel sauce, and whip cream. YUM!
Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor
In Old Town Scottsdale you may discover the candy pink Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor. It’s the proper place for folks to relaxation weary toes whereas children play within the onsite classic arcade.
This old style restaurant has been serving up sandwiches, soups, and, most significantly, ice cream since 1958. Get requirements like a sizzling fudge sundae or banana break up. Or, order one in every of their Super Fancy Sundaes. Mint lovers (like me!) will adore the Blarney Dream Sundae, made with mint syrup, vanilla ice cream, sizzling fudge, a scoop of butter pecan, whipped cream, and a cherry.
Scottsdale Summer Evenings
As the solar units within the desert, temperatures drop. That’s when to hit the city. Here’s what to do in Scottsdale in summer season in the course of the evenings.
Happy Hour
Kick off your summer season night in Scottsdale with pleased hour. Since my husband and I’m going to pleased hour practically each Friday night time, I like to think about myself a Scottsdale pleased hour aficionado. Below are a few my favourite spots.
Wine Girl Scottsdale
For a Scottsdale girlfriend getaway or any night time out together with your gal friends, nothing beats Wine Girl Scottsdale in Old Town. Expect wine flights, enjoyable merch, female pink and white décor, and swings from which to sip. For one thing fancy, order a Rosé Petals Winetail made with rosé, rose extract syrup, and glowing water sprinkled with mini rosebuds.
Happy hour takes place all day Monday by Wednesday with half-off choose bottles of wine. Monday by Thursday, pleased hour final from opening till 6 pm with $2 off meals, wine on faucet, and beer on faucet.
Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen
This Arizona restaurant caters to gluten-sensitive eaters (like moi) and ensures these with meals allergic reactions or different restrictions (like vegan) really feel comfy eating out.
Picazzo’s “Healthy Hour” runs 3 to six pm day by day. Enjoy such scrumptious discounted choices as Mama’s Meat-Za Balls made with floor turkey, marinara, and basil or Baked Brie with roasted garlic, Gala apple, fig jam, and house-made gluten-free focaccia.
Happy hour drink specials embody $5 native drafts, $6 home wine by the glass, and $7 house-made sangria. You may also get $8 signature cocktails like Rick’s Smoked Old Fashioned, Aperol Spritz, Cucumber Ginger Mule, or Limoncello Margarita. Look for enjoyable mocktails, too.
Scottsdale ArtWalk
Old Town Scottsdale is residence to greater than 100 artwork galleries, a lot of which specialise in items by native Arizona artists and Southwestern American artwork. For greater than 45 years, this space of city has been welcoming guests to the Scottsdale ArtWalk on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 pm. Often galleries provide refreshments, dwell music, and particular displays.
Shopping in Scottsdale
In addition to the art work and Arizona-theme items present in Old Town, Scottsdale affords a plethora of buying alternatives.
Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter
Neighboring Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter outside buying districts characteristic misters in summertime that lower the warmth. Bonus: The Quarter affords a fountain the place kids splash and play to chill off.
Scottsdale Fashion Square
Meanwhile, the indoor Scottsdale Fashion Square affords 240 air-conditioned retail shops certain to please severe buyers. Fashion Square makes a speciality of high-end choices like Neiman Marcus, Burberry, and Gucci. Bargain buyers might be happy to seek out favorites like H&M and Windsor, too. Chill out and watch a movie on one in every of 14 screens on the mall’s Harkins movie show whilst you’re there.
Scottsdale Hotels with Great Pools and Water Parks
As the temperatures soar in Scottsdale, room charges on the metropolis’s swanky resorts drop drastically. Look for the most effective offers of the 12 months on resort spa providers as effectively.
Many inns additionally provide issues to do outdoor like tennis, golf, and guided hikes. With unimaginable resort swimming pools in Scottsdale and summer season choices like dive-in motion pictures, you might by no means wish to go away your resort!
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
Guests of all ages in search of pampering, scrumptious eating places, outside actions, and lovely desert surroundings will adore Four Seasons Scottsdale. This resort options three swimming pools — a shallow kids’s pool, a household pool, and a pool only for grown-ups.
Tucked away in North Scottsdale subsequent to Pinnacle Peak Park, Four Seasons is the place to go to flee all of it. Read my complete overview of Four Seasons Scottsdale.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Want to go to the seashore in Scottsdale? Head to the Fairmont! You’ll discover a white sand seashore, six swimming swimming pools, and two twisting waterslides. On the weekends, children will go gaga for Let’s Glo Pool Parties and Dive-In Movies. Meanwhile, dad and mom will recognize their swish world-class spa and championship golf course.
New for 2023, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is throwing the largest summer season bash in Scottsdale. The 80s and 90s-themed Retro Recess contains a shaded outside curler rink, a classic arcade and themed laser tag journey, and a glowing mini golf course. There are even fireworks each Saturday night time. Let’s hope this turns into an annual occasion, just like their Scottsdale Christmas soirée.
The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa
Pool lovers flock to the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa for his or her Adventure Water Park. This resort affords the long-lasting Kierland FlowRider flow-board simulator for browsing within the desert, a lazy river, a 110-foot-long waterslide, and an adult-only pool with a sizzling tub.
If you wish to avoid crowds, then lease a family-friendly poolside cabana to calm down in shaded luxurious. Better but, take pleasure in your very personal Tommy Bahama Relaxation Reef non-public “island”.
Great Wolf Lodge Arizona
The Great Wolf Lodge Arizona is residence to the state’s first indoor water park. Expect a number of waterslides, a splash-loaded treehouse with an enormous tipping bucket, play swimming pools, and a lazy river. In summer season, households additionally benefit from the outside Raccoon Lagoon’s water play space with fountains galore.
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch
Cool down at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale’s 2.5-acre water playground full with a sand seashore, 10 swimming swimming pools, 20 fountains, and 45 waterfalls. Daredevils will particularly like their three-story, high-speed waterslide.
Even when you’re not staying on the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, you’ll be able to nonetheless cruise by the resort’s seven-acre lake aboard a handcrafted Italian Gondola boat whereas being serenaded by an expert gondolier!
After a $110-million renovation, this resort will reopen because the Grand Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa in late 2024, making it the primary Grand Hyatt resort in Arizona.
Explore More of Arizona
Take a have a look at my complete checklist of issues to do in Scottsdale with children for much more enjoyable within the Valley of the Sun.
Headed to Northern Arizona? You’ll positively wish to learn my Grand Canyon ideas!
Visit a quaint school city and gateway to the Grand Canyon with this checklist of the finest issues to do in Flagstaff, AZ.
To expertise America’s largest ghost city, take a look at my ideas for visiting Jerome, Arizona.
Discover the charms of Arizona’s territorial capital in my information to Prescott.
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