Scottsdale is a desert city in eastern Maricopa County, Arizona, part of the Phoenix metropolitan area in the northern Sonoran Desert. It stretches about 31 miles (50 kilometres) from the Salt River in the south to the edge of the Tonto National Forest in the north, with the McDowell Mountains on its eastern side, and had 241,361 residents at the 2020 census.
Visitors come in the mild winter and spring months for sunshine, golf and hiking, for the galleries, museums and nightlife of Old Town, for Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West and for Major League Baseball spring training. In the north of the city, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve protects a vast area of saguaro desert laced with trails. Vacation rentals range from condos and casitas near Old Town to family homes with pools in central neighbourhoods and houses with mountain views in North Scottsdale. Summers are extremely hot, so the busy season runs roughly from January to April.
Old Town, the historic heart of downtown Scottsdale, suits visitors who want to walk to galleries, restaurants, bars and the spring training ballpark. Condos and townhouses here put most of the city's nightlife, concentrated between Camelback and Osborn roads, within walking distance, which also means livelier evenings.
South Scottsdale is older and more modest, with mid-century homes close to Old Town, Tempe and the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt. Central Scottsdale, along the Shea Boulevard corridor, includes master-planned neighbourhoods such as McCormick Ranch and Gainey Ranch, and many resorts line Scottsdale Road here; family homes with pools make it a good base for groups.
North Scottsdale is newer and more spread out, with desert landscaping, golf communities such as DC Ranch and Desert Mountain, and quick access to McDowell Sonoran Preserve trailheads. It suits travellers who want space, quiet and views and plan to drive everywhere.
The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, created with a sales tax approved by Scottsdale voters in 1995, covers some 30,500 acres (about 12,300 hectares) of protected desert in the north of the city. More than 180 miles (290 kilometres) of trails cross it for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and climbing, through stands of saguaro cactus and granite boulder fields, with access and parking free of charge.
Closer to the centre, the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt is a 12-mile (19-kilometre) chain of parks and lakes built to carry floodwater, with a long paved path popular with cyclists and runners. Golf is a major draw, with dozens of courses across the city and on neighbouring tribal land.
Desert hiking needs care: start at dawn in warm months, carry far more water than you expect to drink, wear sun protection, and watch for rattlesnakes and cactus spines. Many trailheads open only from sunrise to sunset.
Old Town has a large concentration of galleries, especially along Main Street and Marshall Way, known for western and Native American art alongside contemporary work. The Scottsdale Civic Center area holds the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Historical Museum, and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West opened in 2015.
Taliesin West, at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, was Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio from 1937 until his death in 1959. Built by Wright and his apprentices with desert stone, it is a National Historic Landmark and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering Wright's 20th-century architecture.
Each February and March, Major League Baseball teams hold spring training in the Phoenix area. The San Francisco Giants play at Scottsdale Stadium in Old Town, and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies share Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on the city's eastern edge.
Long before the city existed, the Akimel O'odham lived along the Salt River, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community still borders Scottsdale to the south and east. In 1888 Winfield Scott, a retired US Army chaplain, bought 640 acres where Old Town now stands, and the farming settlement was named Scottsdale in 1894. Canals and dams brought water for citrus and cotton.
Artists and writers arrived in the early 1900s, and in 1937 Frank Lloyd Wright bought land in the desert for Taliesin West. Scottsdale was incorporated in 1951 with about 2,000 residents and adopted the motto 'The West's Most Western Town'. It then grew rapidly northward, absorbing ranch land into planned communities. Western traditions remain part of city life, including the Arabian Horse Show, held since 1955, and the Parada del Sol parade and rodeo, held since the 1950s.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), just east of downtown Phoenix, is the gateway for nearly all visitors; the drive to Old Town Scottsdale takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes, longer to the far north of the city. Scottsdale Airport (SCF), about 9 miles (14 kilometres) north of downtown, handles general aviation and private flights.
The city is laid out on a broad grid of arterial roads, with the Loop 101 freeway curving around its eastern and northern sides. A car is the practical choice for most stays, because neighbourhoods, trailheads and golf courses are far apart. Old Town itself is compact and walkable, and ride-hailing is widely used for evenings out.
Arizona does not observe daylight saving time and stays on Mountain Standard Time all year. The currency is the US dollar. Sedona and the red rock country are a day trip to the north.
Scottsdale has a hot desert climate with short, mild winters and long, extremely hot summers. In the Phoenix area, highs reach at least 100°F (38°C) on about 111 days a year, including most days from late May to late September, and frost is rare in winter.
The main season runs from about January to April, when days are warm and sunny, spring training fills the ballparks and the desert can bloom after winter rain; book rentals early for February and March. October to December is pleasant and quieter. Summer brings lower demand and intense heat, and from about July to September the monsoon can bring dust storms, thunderstorms and sudden flooding in washes. In summer, plan outdoor activities for early morning, keep pools and shade close, and never leave people or pets in parked cars.
Old Town suits visitors who want to walk to galleries, restaurants, nightlife and Scottsdale Stadium. Central Scottsdale, around McCormick Ranch and Gainey Ranch, offers family homes with pools near resorts. North Scottsdale is quieter and closer to McDowell Sonoran Preserve trails, but a car is essential there.
January to April is the main season, with warm, sunny days and spring training in February and March. October to December is also pleasant and quieter. Summer is extremely hot, with highs often above 100°F (38°C), but brings fewer visitors.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is roughly a 20- to 30-minute drive from Old Town Scottsdale, and longer to North Scottsdale, depending on traffic. Scottsdale Airport (SCF) serves only general aviation and private flights.
For most stays, yes. Scottsdale is large and spread out, and trailheads, golf courses and neighbourhoods are far apart. If you stay in Old Town you can walk to many restaurants and galleries and use ride-hailing for other trips.
Scottsdale is known for its Old Town galleries and nightlife, resorts and golf, desert trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West and spring training baseball. It also keeps western traditions alive with horse shows and its long-running Parada del Sol.
The San Francisco Giants train at Scottsdale Stadium in Old Town, and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies share Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on the city's eastern edge. Games are played in February and March, and many other teams train elsewhere in the Phoenix area.
Yes. Rental homes with private pools are common, the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt has parks and paths, and short desert walks suit children in the cooler months. In summer, plan outings for early morning and keep everyone well hydrated.
Yes. Since January 2023 the City of Scottsdale has required an annual city license for each property rented for less than 30 days, along with other conditions such as notifying neighbours and carrying liability insurance. Rules can change, so check the city's current short-term rental pages.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .