Scottsdale: Where Something is Always Happening

As Phoenix’s largest suburb, Scottsdale is a city unto itself. America’s most livable city always has something going on. Residents have outstanding boutique and high-end shopping, plenty of festivals, fun museums and indoor attractions for when the weather is too hot, multiple hiking trails when the weather is perfect, and some of the best schools in Arizona. In Scottsdale, you’ll never lack something to do.

Festival City

Take a break from your daily routine at one of these events. In addition to these major events, many of Scottsdale’s planned communities also hold special events throughout the year.

Scottsdale Arts Festival—March

You’ll find fun for the entire family at this week-long event that features art, music, fun, and culture. Get your art n at the Community Art Studio, explore Marble Mountain, and play in the Giant Games Garden.

Scottsdale International Film Festival—November

For eight days, movie buffs can see more than 50 films from around the world at two locations—the Harkins Camelview at Scottsdale Square and the Harkins Shea 14 theaters.

Salt River Fields Balloon Spectacular—October

Spend a spooky evening right before Halloween at this two-day event that lights up the evening sky with over 20 hot-air balloons. The Spectacular features trick-or-treat candy stations, tethered balloon rides, a haunted trail, live music, and a fireworks finale.

Scottsdale Fall Festival—September

Stop by at this popular three-day event that features stalls with handmade crafts, local and ethnic foods, live entertainment, a children’s play area, and a parade.

Local Adventures

Whether a new resident or a seasoned one, Scottsdale has a wealth of outdoor experiences you won’t want to miss.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

This vast urban preserve is the largest of its kind in the nation, at more than 30,500 acres. You’ll find over 225 miles of shared-used trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding in the McDowell Mountain foothills. The preserve has 11 trailheads with paths for all skill levels, including the ADA-accessible Bajada Nature Trail.

Desert Botanical Garden

Five paved thematic trails introduce visitors to thousands of arid plants from around the world. The garden also has an ever-changing exhibit of large-scale art. Annual events are a significant part of the garden’s schedule, including Las Noches de las Luminarias and the Music in the Garden concert series.

Great Museums

Sometimes you need to find indoor or a combination of indoor/outdoor fun to beat the heat. Consider visiting these.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

A different kind of adventure awaits at this outdoor museum that helps you earn about the history of early transportation that changed the west. You’ll enjoy riding miniature trains, model railroads, and more.

Musical Instrument Museum

This North Scottsdale destination features historical, primitive, and modern musical instruments from around the world.

Taliesin West

Visitors can partake in various daily tours at Frank Lloyd Wright’sWrights’s winter home and architectural school that’s now a UNESCO Heritage Site. The tours look into Wright’s design and his ability to blend indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly.

Butterfly Wonderland

For a fun day out with the kids, enjoy the beauty of Butterfly Wonderland. This state-of-the-art facility features hundreds of butterflies from around the world in a glass atrium and tropical rainforest habitat.