Scottsdale Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Scottsdale

Scottsdale is located in the southern American state of Arizona. Scottsdale's relaxed lifestyle, rustic steakhouses and passion for rodeos have given the city the affectionate nickname "The West's most Western Town". Its frequent equestrian events and "Rawhide", a replica cowboy town, certainly offer a truly "Old Western" experience but Scottsdale also has a thriving commercial and business district.

Situated in the 'Valley of the Sun', it is not surprising that Scottsdale has about 300 days of sunshine every year. Temperatures vary between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 32 degrees Celsius) in the summer and 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 16 degrees Celsius) in the winter. Visitors should pack a light wrap or jacket because it can turn cooler in the evenings, even during the hot days of a Scottsdale summer.

This area is Predominantly upmarket, appealing to couples of all ages, mostly Americans, British and Japanese. Some of the larger resort hotels offer good summer/holiday programmes for children. Sports/recreation enthusiasts are well served, particularly golfers

There are over 50 hotels, ranging from award-winning 5-stars to more modest motels. Summer visitors willing to brave the three-digit heat can enjoy rates reduced by as much as 60%.

Locality:

Scottsdale is located in the SW United States, in the S-central part of Arizona State. It is 12 mls E of central Phoenix, 117 mls NW of Tucson, 297 mls SE of Las Vegas, 10 mls NE of Sky Harbor international airport. Seattle is a long, narrow city (31 by 11.5 mls) sited on flat ground in the Sonoran Desert, at an altitude of 1,259 ft. Surrounded by mountain ranges, foothills and man-made lakes.

Scottsdale is predominantly upmarket, appealing to couples of all ages, mostly Americans, British and Japanese.

Scottsdale shopping is abundant and varied with something on offer for everyone. Over a dozen impressive malls and hundreds of shops ranging from the modern stores and cafes of Fashion Square and 5th Avenue to the small, quaint streets of Old Town. Western clothing and Native American jewellery are popular buys. Prices are somewhat high, although no different from any of the other tourist areas.

Daytime activities consist of golfing (with 174 golf courses within reach); tennis; river floats; horse riding; jeep desert trips; gold-panning; boating; gaming; rodeos; and hot-air ballooning. Taliesin West, the home and workshop of the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Two-storey aquarium at the Scottsdale Galleria.

Nightlife provides over 900 annual events at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, including ballet, plays, concerts, film screenings and art exhibitions. Jazz and cowboy/Western concerts as well as comedy and cabaret revues. Handful of nightclubs and live band venues. Major-league baseball spring training at Scottsdale Stadium. Visitors also have the option of riding historic trails with real cowboys or attending an authentic Native American pow-wow.

Eating out offers scores of fine restaurants with a wide variety, making dining on a modest budget fairly easy. Choices range from haute cuisine to dining out in the middle of the desert cowboy-style (complete with chuckwagon). You'll also find Japanese, Chinese, European and the usual fast-food chains. Regional specialities include Mexican selections and Southwestern dishes with indigenous ingredients such as cactus, rattlesnake and buffalo meat! Good local wines and beers.

Popular attractions include:

Heard Museum North - Scottsdale, Arizona's acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the myriad cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest. The museum's 50,000-square-foot exhibit galleries and beautiful outdoor courtyards feature outstanding traditional and contemporary Native American art.

Scottsdale Center for the Arts - A cultural must-see when visiting Scottsdale, the center for the Arts plays host to a plethora of exhibitions, festivals and other events in one of Arizona's finest cultural hotspots.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art - Both local and international artists are represented here in this fine institurion of modern art. As well as the large number of resident works, the museum plays host to a variety of toring exhibitions and shows throughout the year.

Buffalo Museum of America - This informative and impressive museum guides visitors through the colorful history of the American buffalo. The many exhibits include buffalo art, collectables and sculptures.

Half day excursions consist of Phoenix and Valley of the Sun.

Full day and 2 day excursions consist of: Apache Trail/Hoover Dam, cowboy activities, Grand Canyon (by car, train and/or air), Native American venues, Mexico shopping trip, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon.

Suggest a change to the Scottsdale Things to do section (click to dropdown)

Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why a significant proportion of Americans have never bothered getting a passport.

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Scottsdale Travel Guide

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