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Major city · United States

ScottsdaleScottsdale, Arizona

Base in Old Town for 2–3 nights: walk the galleries and eat well, drive to Taliesin West and the desert. Skip if you want walkable-everything.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Nov–Apr
avoid Jun–Sep (extreme heat, 40 °C+)
Airports
PHX · SCF · AZA
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Scottsdale is the resort-and-golf half of Greater Phoenix, 15–25 min by car from Phoenix Sky Harbor. Old Town is compact enough to walk for an evening; everything else — Taliesin West, the McDowell desert, the malls — needs a car. Two to three nights covers the core; add nights if you are here for golf, spring training or a resort stay.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Scottsdale, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$5–8
  • Sit-down mealDinner main, mid-range restaurant$20–40
  • Street or quick mealCasual lunch (taco, sandwich)$12–20
  • BeerDraught beer$7–10
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (SMoCA, Museum of the West)$10–15
  • Budget bedHostel or budget motel bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$190
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$340

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$180 · High US$380

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Old Town galleries and ArtWalkTaliesin WestGolf and resortsScottsdale Fashion SquareSpring training (Cactus League)
Airports
PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International (Main gateway; about 15–25 min by car to Old Town, longer in rush hour.) · SCF Scottsdale Airport (General aviation and some JSX scheduled flights; 9 mi north of downtown.) · AZA Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (Budget and regional flights; southeast Mesa, 30–40 min by car.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Scottsdale: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

7°C

4 rd

Feb

21°C

8°C

4 rd

Mar

25°C

11°C

3 rd

Apr

29°C

14°C

2 rd

May

34°C

19°C

1 rd

Jun

39°C

24°C

1 rd

Jul

40°C

27°C

4 rd

Aug

39°C

26°C

5 rd

Sep

37°C

23°C

3 rd

Oct

31°C

17°C

2 rd

Nov

24°C

11°C

2 rd

Dec

19°C

6°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the default: the city is spread out, light rail does not reach Scottsdale, and summer walking is punishing. Downtown has a free trolley on weekdays, every 15–20 min. Valley Metro buses and app-based bikes/scooters fill gaps. Photo-enforced speed and red-light cameras are common — drive the limit.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Phoenixgo

Door to door: 20–40 min

Drive or rideshare on Loop 101/I-10, or Valley Metro bus

Museums, Roosevelt Row and the airport are all here.

Tempe

go

Door to door: 20–30 min

Drive on Loop 101, or bus to the light rail

Mill Avenue and the lake; easiest car-free evening outside Old Town.

Mesacaution

Door to door: 25–35 min

Drive on Loop 101 or US-60

Spread out; go for a specific sight, not to wander.

Cave Creek

go

Door to door: 35–45 min

Drive north on Scottsdale Rd, then Cave Creek Rd

Desert town with saloons; a half-day with a car.

Gilbertcaution

Door to door: 35–45 min

Drive on Loop 101 and US-60

Heritage downtown and food; only worth it if you are already southeast.

Chandler

caution

Door to door: 30–40 min

Drive on Loop 101 and Loop 202

Suburban dining and shopping; skip without a reason.

Avondale

skip

Door to door: 45–55 min

Drive on I-10 west

Far west valley; no reason to cross the metro for it.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old Town Scottsdale

Walkable core: galleries, bars, restaurants, Fashion Square. Best for a short first trip without a car every night.

Scottsdale Road / Kierland–Quarter

North Scottsdale shopping and dining; resort-heavy, car needed for everything.

Resort corridor (Camelback, Lincoln Dr)

Golf and spa resorts at the foot of Camelback Mountain; quiet, drive to dinner.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$80–130 excl. bed
Mid
$150–260 excl. bed
High
$300+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 3 nights × US$190US$570
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × US$180US$1,080
Rideshare PHX airport to Old Town, one way1 × US$35US$35
Rental car, one day, compact1 × US$60US$60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$179
Trip total≈ US$327 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,964

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$5–8
Casual lunch (taco, sandwich)$12–20
Dinner main, mid-range restaurant$20–40
Draught beer$7–10
Rideshare, Old Town to Fashion Square$8–14
Golf green fee, summer / winter high season$10–50 / $100–250+
Museum entry (SMoCA, Museum of the West)$10–15

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low street-crime risk in the tourist core; the real hazards are summer heat, dehydration on desert trails, and photo-enforced driving. Keep water in the car and avoid unlit trailheads after dark.
  • Summer heat: plan outdoor sights before 10:00 and carry water; June–September highs top 40 °C.
  • Photo radar enforces speed and red lights; fines arrive by post.
  • Distances look short on the map but are not walkable in the heat — check sidewalks before setting out.
  • Reservations are required at Taliesin West and SMoCA; walk-ups may be turned away.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ScottsdaleScottsdale, Arizona

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Scottsdale; consulates-general are in Phoenix and Los Angeles (check your country's list).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • PHX airport → Old Town, rideshare: about $30–45, 15–25 min
  • Downtown trolley: free, weekdays, every 15–20 min
  • Rental car, one day: from about $50 plus fuel

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Check, please — Check, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the restroom? — Where is the restroom?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Scottsdale. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Apr · avoid Jun–Sep (extreme heat, 40 °C+) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for PHX: rideshare and taxi bands, last bus, overnight fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Old Town, Fashion Square, the Waterfront, Scottsdale Quarter.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Taliesin West, SMoCA, Museum of the West) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Heat and monsoon fixtures so summer gates can go green or red.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources