Scottsdale itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Scottsdale, day by day: Camelback Mountain, Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale's Museum of the West and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art first, then Taliesin West and the McDowell Sonoran Preserve with a second day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Scottsdale in 1 day
Day 1
Camelback Mountain
Landmark mountain on the Phoenix side of the city line, with two steep, rocky summit trails and wide views over the valley.
Old Town Scottsdale
Walkable historic downtown of Scottsdale with Western shops, art galleries, restaurants and bars, and the Thursday evening ArtWalk.
Scottsdale's Museum of the West
Smithsonian-affiliated museum in Old Town on the art and history of the American West, including Native American and cowboy art.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
SMoCA, a museum of contemporary art, architecture and design in a converted cinema in Old Town, with a James Turrell skyspace.
Scottsdale in 2 days
Day 1
Camelback Mountain
Landmark mountain on the Phoenix side of the city line, with two steep, rocky summit trails and wide views over the valley.
Old Town Scottsdale
Walkable historic downtown of Scottsdale with Western shops, art galleries, restaurants and bars, and the Thursday evening ArtWalk.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
SMoCA, a museum of contemporary art, architecture and design in a converted cinema in Old Town, with a James Turrell skyspace.
Scottsdale's Museum of the West
Smithsonian-affiliated museum in Old Town on the art and history of the American West, including Native American and cowboy art.
Day 2
Taliesin West
Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and architecture school in the desert foothills, a World Heritage Site shown on guided tours.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Large city-owned desert preserve in north Scottsdale, with a wide network of trails through the Sonoran Desert and McDowell Mountains.
Watch: Scottsdale
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Scottsdale
October to April is the best season, with warm, sunny days and cool nights. January to March is the busiest and priciest time, with spring training, the Barrett-Jackson car auction in January and the Phoenix Open golf tournament in early February. Summers are extremely hot, with monsoon storms from July to September.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Scottsdale on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Scottsdale on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Scottsdale on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Scottsdale with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Scottsdale
- Summer heat is extreme; hike Camelback at sunrise, carry plenty of water, and note that Phoenix closes Camelback's trails in the hottest hours on extreme heat days.
- The Echo Canyon trailhead car park at Camelback is small and fills early, especially at weekends.
- Taliesin West is seen only on guided tours; book ahead, particularly in the winter and spring season.
- The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is free to enter from trailheads such as Gateway; there is little shade, so carry water and start early.
- Old Town Scottsdale's galleries open late for the ArtWalk on Thursday evenings.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Camelback Mountain: Dru Bloomfield from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, CC BY 2.0
- McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Wiwad, CC BY 4.0
- Old Town Scottsdale: Tony the Marine ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art: Dru Bloomfield from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Scottsdale's Museum of the West: Oqsayers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Taliesin West: Lar (primary) User:Lar (secondary), Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
