In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Scottsdale
Scottsdale, 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.
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.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (extreme heat, 40 °C (104 °F)+)Jun–Sep (extreme heat, 104 °F (40 °C)+)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–130 excl. bed · Mid $150–260 excl. bed · High $300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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.
Typical fares
- 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
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Old Town galleries and ArtWalk
- Taliesin West
- Golf and resorts
- Scottsdale Fashion Square
- Spring training (Cactus League)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | Drive or rideshare on Loop 101/I-10, or Valley Metro bus | 20–40 min |
| Tempe | Drive on Loop 101, or bus to the light rail | 20–30 min |
| Mesa | Drive on Loop 101 or US-60 | 25–35 min |
| Cave Creek | Drive north on Scottsdale Rd, then Cave Creek Rd | 35–45 min |
| Gilbert | Drive on Loop 101 and US-60 | 35–45 min |
| Chandler | Drive on Loop 101 and Loop 202 | 30–40 min |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | 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? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Scottsdale yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Town galleries and ArtWalk
- Taliesin West
- Golf and resorts
- Scottsdale Fashion Square
- Spring training (Cactus League)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Scottsdale: www.scottsdaleaz.gov/
- Experience Scottsdale visitor services: www.experiencescottsdale.com/visitor-services/
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: www.skyharbor.com/
- Taliesin West (Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation): franklloydwright.org/
- Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art: smoca.org/
- Valley Metro: www.valleymetro.org/
- Wikivoyage: Scottsdale (Arizona), revision 5331886 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331886
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ScottsdaleScottsdale, Arizona
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Scottsdale; consulates-general are in Phoenix and Los Angeles (check your country's list).
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/scottsdale-arizona). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.