Location: Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona Nearest airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), 15 minutes Best time to visit: October through April for ideal outdoor conditions
Old Town Scottsdale is one of the most walkable, activity-dense neighborhoods in the American Southwest. Art galleries, award-winning restaurants, hiking that starts within minutes of the front door, and a nightlife scene that genuinely punches above its weight, all packed into a compact, navigable grid.
Staying at the Scottsdale Old Town Retreat puts you minutes from all of it. The resort-style backyard and pool give you a reason to stay in on certain evenings. The location gives you every reason to get out in the mornings.
Here is what to do with your days.
1. Explore Old Town Scottsdale on Foot
Distance from the property: Walkable Best for: First-timers, foodies, art lovers, groups looking for a shared evening Season: Year-round; October through April is most comfortable
Old Town itself earns its own entry because most visitors underestimate how much is packed into it. More than 125 art galleries, Western heritage landmarks, independent boutiques, award-winning restaurants, and a nightlife corridor that ranges from country bars with live music to upscale cocktail lounges to rooftop venues with DJ sets, all within walking distance of each other.
The Scottsdale Arts District on Main Street and Marshall Way is the center of the gallery scene. Thursday evenings the area runs the ArtWalk, when galleries stay open late, artists are often present, and the streets fill with locals and visitors moving between openings. It is the best single evening introduction to what makes Scottsdale different from every other desert resort city.
For a structured introduction, Arizona Food Tours runs a Sip and Sample walking tour through Old Town that hits local restaurants and bars while covering the neighborhood's history. Worth booking for the first night to orient the group.
2. Hike Camelback Mountain
Distance from the property: 10 minutes by car Best for: Active guests wanting serious elevation and panoramic views Season: October through April; avoid summer mornings above 85°F Trailheads: Echo Canyon (steeper, more technical) and Cholla (longer, more gradual)
Camelback Mountain sits at 2,704 feet and is the most recognized landmark in the Phoenix valley. The hike to the summit is not easy by any measure, it involves steep scrambles and exposed rock sections, but the 360-degree views from the top are the best available in the area: downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale's resort corridor, the McDowell Mountains, and the Sonoran Desert spreading in every direction.
Echo Canyon trail is shorter and more direct, about 1.2 miles each way, but the steepest and most physically demanding. Cholla trail is longer at about 1.5 miles each way, more gradual in gradient. Both require solid footwear and significantly more water than you think you will need.
Start before 7am to beat both the heat and the crowd. The summit at sunrise is genuinely worth the early alarm.
3. McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Distance from the property: 20 minutes by car to Gateway Trailhead Best for: Hikers, mountain bikers, nature lovers, groups wanting varied difficulty levels Season: Year-round; early mornings essential in summer
With over 30,000 acres and more than 200 miles of trails, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is one of the largest urban wilderness areas in the United States. The Sonoran Desert here is extraordinary: towering saguaro cacti, wildflowers in spring, diverse wildlife, and mountain views that remind you just how far you are from anything resembling ordinary.
The Gateway Trailhead off Thompson Peak Parkway is the most accessible entry point and connects to routes for all skill levels. The Bajada Nature Trail is beginner-friendly with interpretive signage on desert flora and Native American history. Tom's Thumb is a moderately strenuous route to a distinctive rock formation with outstanding views. Guided hiking tours are available and add context that independent hikers miss, particularly around the area's pre-Columbian history.
Mountain bikers will find dedicated singletrack throughout the preserve. Bring significantly more water than seems necessary.
4. Hot Air Balloon Ride Over the Sonoran Desert
Distance from the property: 20 to 30 minutes to launch sites Best for: Anyone; particularly memorable for groups celebrating something Season: Year-round; sunrise flights are the standard format Price range: $165 to $250 per person
Watching the Sonoran Desert from 1,000 feet in the air at sunrise, saguaro cacti casting long shadows across the valley floor, is one of those experiences that consistently appears in people's best-trip-ever conversations years later. Several operators run daily sunrise flights from the Scottsdale area, typically running about an hour in the air followed by a champagne toast on landing.
Book in advance, particularly during peak season (November through March). Flights are occasionally cancelled due to wind or weather with short notice, so operators will offer rebooking options. Sunrise timing shifts through the year, so plan an early departure from the Retreat regardless of season.
5. Taliesin West
Distance from the property: 20 minutes by car Best for: Architecture enthusiasts, design-minded guests, anyone curious about how a building can feel like a landscape Season: Year-round; morning tours avoid afternoon heat Entry: Guided tours from $20 to $40 per person
Taliesin West is Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio, his desert laboratory for what he called organic architecture, where buildings are made of the land they stand on rather than placed upon it. The structures here are built from the rocks, sand, and timber of the Sonoran Desert, and they feel less like constructed things than like formations that grew into shape.
It is the only National Historic Landmark in Scottsdale and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 60-minute guided Insights Tour covers the main structures and the philosophy behind them. A self-guided audio tour is also available. Either way, visit in the morning when the light comes from the east and the desert air is still cool.
6. Day Trip to Sedona
Distance from the property: 1 hour 45 minutes by car Best for: Everyone; strong case for the best day trip in the American Southwest Season: Year-round; spring and fall are peak; summer mornings work if you start early
Sedona is where people go when they want to understand what the word "red rock" actually means. The formations here, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, the Courthouse Butte, the Chapel of the Holy Cross perched in a canyon wall, are so visually arresting that photographs fail to convey the scale.
From Scottsdale, a full day in Sedona works like this: drive up through the Verde Valley, hike one of the accessible red rock trails (Cathedral Rock and Devil's Bridge are both spectacular and achievable without technical climbing), have lunch at one of the creek-side restaurants in the village, browse the galleries and jewelry shops on the main strip in the afternoon, and drive back before the sun sets.
If the group wants a more structured experience, Jeep tours run into the backcountry and reach formations and viewpoints that are not accessible on foot. These are legitimately excellent and one of the better ways to cover more terrain in less time.
7. Salt River Kayaking and Wild Horses
Distance from the property: 45 minutes east on the Bush Highway Best for: Nature lovers, active groups, anyone who wants desert scenery from the water Season: Spring and fall are ideal; summer is possible with early starts
The Lower Salt River east of Scottsdale runs through the Tonto National Forest, and kayaking it means paddling between canyon walls, saguaro-covered hillsides, and cottonwood groves with almost no development visible in any direction. The river is Class 1 and 2 in most sections, suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike.
The specific draw here is the wild horses. A herd of Salt River wild horses roams the river corridor and is regularly spotted from the water, wading across the shallows or grazing on the banks. Early mornings and late afternoons give the best chance of sightings when the horses are most active. Multiple outfitters near the Bush Highway launch site offer kayak and tube rentals with shuttle service.
8. Old Town Scottsdale Nightlife
Distance from the property: Walkable Best for: Groups out for a night, bachelorette parties, anyone who wants to understand why Scottsdale has a nightlife reputation Season: Year-round; weekends busiest Scottsdale's nightlife corridor is one of the most concentrated in the Southwest. The Old Town area runs from casual bar-hops to high-energy clubs to live-music venues to tiki bars, all within a stretch walkable in under 20 minutes.
Some anchors worth knowing: Bottled Blonde draws a younger, high-energy crowd. The Rusty Spur Saloon is a genuine old-school country bar in a building that has been operating since the 1920s. OdySea Aquarium bar events are a Scottsdale novelty. The bike bar crawls that depart from Old Town on weekend evenings are consistently reviewed as one of the more entertaining group experiences in the area, cover multiple bars in one circuit, and require no coordination on your part.
For dinner before a night out, The Mission on Brown Avenue serves outstanding modern Latin cuisine with a mezcal and tequila program that sets the tone correctly for the evening ahead.
9. Desert Jeep Tour or ATV Adventure
Distance from the property: 20 to 30 minutes to departure points Best for: Groups wanting something active and distinctive; good for mixed skill levels Season: Year-round; mornings essential in summer Price range: $90 to $150 per person
Off-road desert tours in the Scottsdale area run through terrain that is genuinely remote-feeling despite being less than an hour from the city. Guided Jeep tours access formations, ancient petroglyphs, and desert viewpoints that require 4WD to reach. ATV and UTV rentals are available for those who want to drive themselves through the sand dunes north and east of the city.
Fort McDowell Segway and Jeep tours operate out of the Fort McDowell area and are consistently well-reviewed. For larger groups, private Jeep charters can accommodate everyone together. Book morning departures during warmer months.
10. Scottsdale Golf
Distance from the property: 10 to 25 minutes to courses Best for: Golfers; Scottsdale has more courses per capita than nearly any city in the US Season: October through May; summer is playable early morning only
Scottsdale calls itself the Golf Capital of the World and has the courses to back it up. Over 200 courses within a 45-minute drive, ranging from municipal layouts to some of the most acclaimed resort tracks in the country. TPC Scottsdale hosts the WM Phoenix Open each February, the most attended PGA Tour event on the calendar. Troon North and We-Ko-Pa are two of the most celebrated courses in the state for guests who want the best available experience.
For guests staying at the Old Town Retreat, golf works well as a full morning activity followed by an afternoon by the pool. Tee times are readily available outside of peak tournament weeks, and most courses offer late-afternoon twilight rates.
Practical Travel Notes
Getting around: A car is the most practical option for anything beyond walking distance in Old Town. Uber and Lyft are widely available and reliable for evenings when parking is not worth the effort.
Weather: October through April is prime. Highs in the 70s and 80s, low humidity, clear skies. Summer brings extreme heat (110°F+ in July and August) but remains manageable with early starts and afternoon pool time. The property's saltwater pool earns its keep in summer.
Spring Training: Every March, MLB teams hold spring training across the Phoenix and Scottsdale metro area. Up to eight games in a day are accessible within 30 minutes of Old Town. Tickets are affordable and the atmosphere is excellent. Plan around it if you are visiting in March.
Phoenix: 20 minutes west, Phoenix offers the Musical Instrument Museum (genuinely world-class), Desert Botanical Garden, and Papago Park for guests who want day variety.