40+ Enjoyable Summer season Actions in Scottsdale, AZ in 2023

What’s there to do in Scottsdale this summer time? Loads! Scottsdale sizzles with enjoyable in June, July, and August. Stunning year-round, this sprawling suburb of Phoenix presents vacationers and locals of all ages a number of nice summer time actions and refreshing methods to chill off. Plus, Scottsdale’s superb resorts present deep reductions for a Scottsdale trip or staycation from morning to midday to nighttime. Whether or not you are visiting my hometown, otherwise you reside within the Valley of the Solar — you may love this checklist of one of the best issues to do in Scottsdale in summer time 2023!

This story is delivered to you in partnership with Expertise Scottsdale and ItsThatHot.com.

Out of doors Scottsdale Summer season Actions

As a longtime resident, I do know it is best to stand up early to take pleasure in outside Scottsdale actions throughout cooler mornings earlier than the warmth peaks in summer time. With the dearth of solar at night time and little water within the air to carry the heat, temperatures within the desert can drop 20 to 30 levels Fahrenheit between the most well liked time of the day to the good temps proper earlier than dawn.

The very best climate for outside play is from daybreak (between 5 and 6 am) till issues get toasty round 10 or 11 am. Irrespective of which outside exercise you select, it is essential to use sunblock, keep hydrated with water or electrolyte drinks, and put on a brimmed hat for solar safety.

Mountaineering within the Sonoran Desert

Even throughout summer time, a hike is worth it to absorb a few of Scottsdale’s desert magnificence. Set your alarm to soak up the dawn earlier than hitting the paths.

McDowell Sonoran Protect Gateway Path

With dozens of mountain climbing paths to select from, you are certain to search out one which meets your loved ones’s mountain climbing ranges and wishes. McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trail is a well-liked start line.

Pinnacle Peak Path

One other fairly choice is Pinnacle Peak Trail. It is excellent for hikers searching for a reasonable hike with views of the granite summit for which it was named.

Quartz Trailhead

For a much less crowded expertise, try Quartz Trailhead as an alternative close to Desert Canyon Elementary Faculty. Preserve your eyes peeled for the path marker right here. It is throughout the road from the car parking zone, simply to the proper of the place the sidewalk begins.

ATV or Hummer Tour

Get your coronary heart pumping by exploring the Sonoran Desert on 4 wheels throughout your Scottsdale trip.

Stellar Adventures

Stellar Adventures leads guided ATV excursions or you possibly can romp by the desert as a passenger in a Hummer or Blazer.

Inexperienced Zebra

Green Zebra presents 1- and 2-hour guided self-driving ATV excursions of Scottsdale’s backcountry.

Discover Scottsdale by Segway

Why stroll when you possibly can discover Scottsdale by Segway?

Segway of Scottsdale

Segway of Scottsdale leads 2-hour morning excursions by historic Outdated City Scottsdale. Mics and earpieces in vivid orange helmets assist maintain riders protected and knowledgeable. Throughout your 6-mile tour, you may zoom previous artwork galleries, the Civic Center Mall, Scottsdale Waterfront and extra. (Contributors have to be aged 12 to 75.)

Scottsdale Segway Excursions

Along with excursions of Outdated City Scottsdale in summer time mornings, Scottsdale Segway Tours presents a Sunsets, Segways and Metropolis Lights choice. It is excellent for exploring town with out the warmth of the solar.

Phoenix Zoo

The most important non-profit, privately owned zoo within the U.S. is house to well-liked residents like giraffes, orangutans, and elephants. Additionally search for indigenous animals like coyotes, mountain lions, and Mexican grey wolves.

Summer season Hours

Throughout hotter months, morning is one of the best time to go to the animals on the Phoenix Zoo. Summer season hours begin and finish early to make the most of comparatively cool mornings. From June 1 by August 31, go to the zoo 7 am – 1 pm. Phoenix Zoo members can get a head begin and enter as early as 6 am.

Household Zoo Actions

Should you’re visiting Scottsdale with children, then you definitely’ll admire the household actions on the Phoenix Zoo. Kids love the Concord Farm petting zoo and playground, Enchanted Forest play space, and the zoo’s Endangered Species Carousel. Make sure to carry alongside swimsuits to chill off on the Leapin’ Lagoon and Yakulla Caverns splash pads, too. The Phoenix Zoo even presents a summer camp program for kids.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

Households with younger youngsters will certainly wish to go to McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It is an amazing place to spend the morning in Scottsdale in summer time.

Paradise Pacific Railroad

The spotlight at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is the Paradise Pacific Railroad. This ride-on miniature prepare chugs by an expansive grassy park.

In the meantime, true prepare lovers take pleasure in exploring indoor mannequin railroad shows and outside full-sized prepare vehicles.

Playgrounds

A large playground and a smaller Outdated West-themed play space please children of all ages.

Picnics

Purchase hotdogs, hamburgers, and ice cream on the Snackstop. Or pack a picnic to take pleasure in an early lunch at shaded picnic areas.

Scottsdale Charros Carousel

The Scottsdale Charros Carousel at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is a number of enjoyable, too, with its vintage horses and two wheelchair-accessible chariots.

Golf in Scottsdale in Summer season

Golfers ought to plan to hit the hyperlinks very first thing within the morning in Scottsdale in summer time. The Scottsdale area boasts over 200 courses certain to please any golfer.

Summer season Golf Pricing

What’s extra, {golfing} costs plummet when the warmth rises in Scottsdale. At two luxurious programs, Troon North Golf Club and The Boulders, costs drop as a lot as 75 p.c throughout summer time months, permitting golfers on a funds to make the most of these wonderful golf programs.

Scorching Air Ballooning

Rise up very early in summer time to take pleasure in a scorching air balloon journey over the Valley of the Solar. With 300 days of sunshine per 12 months in Scottsdale, the realm presents extra flyable days than wherever else within the nation.

Floating above the desert in a scorching air balloon is an expertise you’ll lengthy bear in mind. Select from shared or personal flights with Hot Air Expeditions and Rainbow Ryders.

Scottsdale Summer season Afternoon Sights

After a morning of taking part in outdoor, your total household might be prepared to chill down. Should you’re up for extra exploring (or you possibly can’t rouse the troops earlier than midday), then sit back with air-conditioned indoor Scottsdale summer time actions. Alternatively, the afternoon is the right time to splash in a swimming pool or water park. And you possibly can at all times beat the dry warmth with an ice cream deal with!

Arizona Boardwalk

The entire household may spend a complete day at Arizona Boardwalk and by no means get bored. It’s house to tasty eating places, a handful of retail shops, and eight main points of interest.

OdySea Aquarium

The first attraction at Arizona Boardwalk is the most important aquarium within the Southwest. The 200,000-square-foot OdySea Aquarium homes intriguing sea creatures like fish, stingrays, otters, and penguins.

Butterfly Wonderland

Additionally positioned throughout the Arizona Boardwalk campus, Butterfly Wonderland impresses vacationers at America’s largest butterfly conservatory. View residing fluttering bugs in a fairly indoor botanical backyard. Tip: Put on fragrance or cologne and vivid colours if you would like the butterflies to land on you!

Ripley’s Imagine It or Not

View a megalodon shark jaw, crawl by a life-sized duplicate of an unlimited prehistoric snake, and pose subsequent to an animatronic model of the tallest man who ever lived at Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

Museum of Illusions

Museum of Illusions is a enjoyable spot for Instagrammers and TikTokers. Take pleasure in all types of interactive trick artwork shows in your photo-taking and videoing pleasure.

Laser + Mirror Mazes

Children love Laser + Mirror Mazes with its difficult laser-filled, walk-through puzzle and colourful reflective labyrinth.

Cyber Quest

Deal with your loved ones to arcade video games at Cyber Quest. Save up your tickets to win prizes like plush toys or perhaps a Snoopy Snow Cone Machine as my household did!

Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs

Dinosaur lovers will roar with delight at Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs. That is an academic attraction that is a number of enjoyable for all ages.

UFO Expertise

The UFO Expertise at Arizona Boardwalk is out of this world. Embark on an entertaining journey of all issues alien from UFO sightings to alien “artifacts.”

Indoor Miniature Golf

With two indoor choices, miniature golf is at all times in season irrespective of the time of 12 months in Scottsdale.

Glow Putt

Children love the glowing, playful shows at Glow Putt. This has lengthy been certainly one of my household’s favourite issues to do for summer time enjoyable in Scottsdale. Sink a hole-in-one on the final gap to win one other spherical on the home!

Puttshack

New to Scottsdale in the summertime of 2023, Puttshack is an upscale mini golf expertise with thrilling tech-infused options at Kierland Commons purchasing space. Buy snacks like pizza or salads plus cocktails and different drinks to take pleasure in earlier than or after a spherical or two.

Scottsdale Museums

Among the best methods to chill off throughout summer time is at a neighborhood museum within the Phoenix space. Along with year-round academic experiences, search for particular summer time applications at these Scottsdale museums.

Musical Instrument Museum

Wander by the world-renowned Musical Instrument Museum with shows that includes songs, movies, musical devices, and conventional costumes from around the globe. Within the evenings, take pleasure in a summer time live performance collection on the MIM (as locals name it).

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Have fun cowboy tradition and examine Amerindian shows at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Children take pleasure in hands-on options like an outsized, Wild West-inspired board sport à la Chutes and Ladders, an optical phantasm portray excellent for posing for photographs, puzzles of southwestern animals, and artwork rubbings.

Scottsdale Museum of Up to date Artwork

Respect fashionable artwork on the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Outdated City Scottsdale. Begin right here after which head to Artwork Stroll on a Thursday night.

Extra Museums within the Phoenix Space

Relying on your loved ones’s pursuits, you may additionally wish to go to museums past Scottsdale. Fascinating choices embody the academic Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, the interactive Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, the Phoenix Artwork Museum with artwork from around the globe, shows of Native American cultures of the Southwest on the Heard Museum in Phoenix, or the playful Kids’s Museum of Phoenix.

Taliesin West

Followers of architectural design will admire a go to to Taliesin West. As soon as the winter house of the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright, at present it’s the headquarters of his basis. It’s open seven days per week for self-guided audio excursions and 90-minute guided strolling excursions.

Out of doors Swimming pools and Water Parks in Scottsdale

Should you’re in search of a splashy scene, then you could have some enjoyable pool and water park choices with lazy rivers and water slides within the Valley of the Solar. Additionally, discover one of the best Scottsdale resort swimming pools.

McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Middle

McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center presents a winding water slide, a nice lazy river, excessive and low diving boards, and a zero-entry splash play space.

El Dorado Aquatic Middle

Additionally, El Dorado Aquatic Center is house to a water playground with a slide for younger youngsters, a zero-entry pool, plus two full-sized waterslides for larger children.

Water Parks within the Phoenix Space

Moreover, water parks in neighboring areas embody Big Surf in Tempe, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Phoenix, and Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa.

Ice Cream

All of us scream for ice cream, significantly in summer time in Scottsdale!

Candy Republic

For one of the best ice cream in Scottsdale, my suggestion is Sweet Republic. Their artisanal ice lotions and sorbets will tempt anybody who visits this ice cream store positioned in the identical strip mall as Glow Putt.

Seasonal flavors like Strawberry Buttermilk rotate all year long. In the meantime, year-round choices like Salted Caramel Swirl and Brownie Fudge Swirl at all times delight. Get your sundae topped with a roasted handmade marshmallow!

I give 12 out of 10 stars to Candy Republic’s Pecan Turtle Sundae. It comes with two scoops of Salted Caramel Swirl, candy and salty Arizona pecans, scorching fudge, salted caramel sauce, and whip cream. YUM!

Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor

In Outdated City Scottsdale you may discover the candy pink Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor. It is the right place for folks to relaxation weary ft whereas children play within the onsite classic arcade.

This old style restaurant has been serving up sandwiches, soups, and, most significantly, ice cream since 1958. Get requirements like a scorching fudge sundae or banana break up. Or, order certainly one of their Tremendous Fancy Sundaes. Mint lovers (like me!) will adore the Blarney Dream Sundae, made with mint syrup, vanilla ice cream, scorching fudge, a scoop of butter pecan, whipped cream, and a cherry.

Scottsdale Summer season Evenings

Because the solar units within the desert, temperatures drop. That is when to hit the city. This is what to do in Scottsdale in summer time through the evenings.

Glad Hour

Kick off your summer time night in with pleased hour. Since my husband and I’m going to pleased hour almost each Friday night time, I like to think about myself a Scottsdale pleased hour aficionado. Beneath are a few my favourite spots.

Wine Woman Scottsdale

For a Scottsdale girlfriend getaway or any night time out together with your gal friends, nothing beats Wine Girl Scottsdale in Outdated City. Count on wine flights, enjoyable merch, female pink and white décor, and swings from which to sip.

For one thing fancy, order a Rosé Petals Winetail made with rosé, rose extract syrup, and glowing water sprinkled with mini rosebuds.

Glad hour takes place all day Monday by Wednesday with half-off choose bottles of wine. Monday by Thursday, pleased hour lasts from opening till 6 pm with $2 off meals, wine on faucet, and beer on faucet.

Picazzo’s Wholesome Italian Kitchen

This Arizona restaurant caters to gluten-sensitive eaters (like moi) and ensures these with meals allergy symptoms or different restrictions (like vegan) really feel comfy eating out.

Picazzo’s “Wholesome Hour” runs from 3 to six pm day by day. Take pleasure in such scrumptious discounted choices as Mama’s Meat-Za Balls made with floor turkey, marinara, and basil or Baked Brie with roasted garlic, Gala apple, fig jam, and house-made gluten-free focaccia.

Glad hour drink specials embody $5 native drafts, $6 home wine by the glass, and $7 house-made sangria. Additionally get $8 signature cocktails like Rick’s Smoked Outdated Long-established, Aperol Spritz, Cucumber Ginger Mule, or Limoncello Margarita. Search for enjoyable mocktails, too!

Scottsdale ArtWalk

Outdated City Scottsdale is house to greater than 100 artwork galleries, lots of which specialise in items by native Arizona artists and Southwestern American artwork. For greater than 45 years, this space of city has been welcoming guests to the Scottsdale ArtWalk on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 pm. Many galleries supply refreshments, reside music, and particular reveals throughout this time.

Purchasing in Scottsdale

Along with the paintings and Arizona-themed presents present in Outdated City, Scottsdale presents a plethora of purchasing alternatives.

Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter

Neighboring Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter outside purchasing districts function misters within the summertime that minimize the warmth. Bonus: The Quarter presents a fountain the place youngsters splash and play to chill off.

Scottsdale Trend Sq.

In the meantime, the indoor Scottsdale Trend Sq. presents 240 air-conditioned retail shops certain to please severe buyers. Trend Sq. makes a speciality of high-end choices like Neiman Marcus, Burberry, and Gucci. In the meantime, cut price buyers might be happy to search out favorites like H&M, Claire’s, and Windsor. Sit back and watch a movie on certainly one of 14 screens on the mall’s Harkins movie show whilst you’re there.

High Scottsdale Resorts with Swimming pools and Water Parks

Because the temperatures soar in Scottsdale, room charges on the metropolis’s swanky resorts drop drastically. Search for one of the best offers of the 12 months on resort spa providers as effectively.

Many accommodations additionally supply issues to do outdoor like tennis, golf, and guided hikes. With unbelievable hotel pools in Scottsdale and summer time choices like dive-in motion pictures, it’s possible you’ll by no means wish to go away your resort!

4 Seasons Resort Scottsdale

Company of all ages searching for pampering, scrumptious eating places, outside actions, and lovely desert surroundings will adore Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North. This resort options three swimming pools — a shallow youngsters’s pool, a household pool, and a pool only for grown-ups.

Tucked away in North Scottsdale subsequent to Pinnacle Peak Park, 4 Seasons is the place to go to flee all of it. Learn my complete assessment of 4 Seasons Scottsdale.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Need to go to the seaside in Scottsdale? Head to the Fairmont! You will discover a white sand seaside, six swimming swimming pools, and two twisting waterslides. On the weekends, children will go gaga for Let’s Glo Pool Events and Dive-In Motion pictures. In the meantime, dad and mom will admire their swish world-class spa and championship golf course.

New for 2023, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is throwing the most important summer time bash in Scottsdale. The 80s and 90s-themed Retro Recess includes a shaded outside curler rink, a classic arcade and themed laser tag journey, and a glowing mini golf course. There are even fireworks each Saturday night time. Let’s hope this turns into an annual occasion, just like their Scottsdale Christmas soirée.

The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa

Pool lovers flock to the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa for his or her Journey Water Park. This resort presents the long-lasting Kierland FlowRider flow-board simulator for browsing within the desert, a lazy river, a 110-foot-long waterslide, and an adult-only pool with a scorching tub.

If you wish to keep away from crowds, then lease a family-friendly poolside cabana to chill out in shaded luxurious. Higher but, take pleasure in your very personal Tommy Bahama Leisure Reef personal “island”.

Nice Wolf Lodge Arizona

The Great Wolf Lodge Arizona is house to the state’s first indoor water park. Count on a number of waterslides, a splash-loaded treehouse with a large tipping bucket, play swimming pools, and a lazy river. In summer time, households additionally benefit from the outside Raccoon Lagoon’s water play space with fountains galore.

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch

Calm down at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale’s 2.5-acre water playground full with a sand seaside, 10 swimming swimming pools, 20 fountains, and 45 waterfalls. Daredevils will particularly like their three-story, high-speed waterslide.

Even for those who’re not staying on the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, you possibly can nonetheless cruise by the resort’s 7-acre lake aboard a handcrafted Italian Gondola boat whereas being serenaded by an expert gondolier!

After a $110-million renovation, this resort will reopen because the Grand Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa in late 2024, making it the primary Grand Hyatt resort in Arizona.

 

Discover Extra of Arizona

Check out my complete checklist of issues to do in Scottsdale with children for much more enjoyable within the Valley of the Solar.

Headed to Northern Arizona? You will positively wish to learn my Grand Canyon suggestions!

Go to a quaint school city and gateway to the Grand Canyon with this checklist of one of the best issues to do in Flagstaff, AZ.

To expertise America’s greatest ghost city, try my suggestions for visiting Jerome, Arizona.

Uncover the charms of Arizona’s territorial capital in my information to Prescott.

Save these Scottsdale Summer season Actions

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