Spring Journey to Enjoy Great Things to See in Scottsdale

Spring is a wonderful time to visit Scottsdale. And, with temperatures hovering between 50° and 80°, the weather is perfect for outdoor activities. Make the most of your trip to the Sonoran Desert and Scottsdale by getting outside while the weather is so perfect, and enjoy these great things to see in Scottsdale.

Day 1 – Spring Training

If you’re in town in February or March, you’ll be able to watch spring training. Baseball fans have been coming to the area since the 1940s to get a head start on the season. The San Francisco Giants play at Scottsdale Stadium in the heart of Old Town, and the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks play at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. This is baseball at its best. The crowds are smaller and spring training gives you a chance to see teams as they work out the kinks before the regular season starts.

Day 2 – Guided Desert Tour

Hike or bike through the desert before the weather turns too hot. Arizona Outback Adventures can organize half-day, full-day, and multi-day desert adventures for your group. They offer hiking, biking, and backpacking tours. Imagine hiking up rugged, rocky mountain trails, or cycling along a desert trail between towering cacti. AOA will arrange a guided adventure that will be the highlight of your trip to the Sonoran Desert.

Arizona Outback Adventures
17465 N. 93rd Street
Scottsdale, AZ
866-455-1601

Day 3 – Desert Botanical Gardens

The Desert Botanical Garden should be on your list of things to see in Scottsdale no matter what time of year you visit the area. Minutes away in nearby Phoenix, with over 140 acres in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, the gardens have five different loop trails, each with a different focus and feel. Hike to the top of the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail for an amazing view of the surrounding mountains and walk through the Center for Desert Living Trail to surround yourself in the colors and fragrances that only the Sonoran desert can produce. And, if the season is right, you can watch hummingbirds visiting the vibrant desert wildflowers and blooming cactus as you stroll along the wildflower loop trail.

Desert Botanical Garden
1201 North Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ
1-480-941-1225

Day 4 – McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve has over 120 miles of desert trails, with accessible trails and designated rock climbing areas. There are five trailheads to choose from, and you can hike, run, bike, or ride horseback through cacti forests, rocky desert terrain, and mountains. The trails vary in length, difficulty, and terrain so there is a trail to fit every visitor’s taste and fitness level. The preserve is packed with desert wildlife including roadrunners, snakes and lizards, mule deer and javelina. A trip to the preserve is a great way to get some exercise while the weather is perfect.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Scottsdale, AZ
480-998-7971
lori@mcdowellsonoran.org

Day 5 – Rock Climbing

Spring is a good time for rock climbing since the weather (and the rocks) aren’t too hot yet. If you are looking for an adventure to test your strength, balance, and endurance, and great things to see in Scottsdale, then go rock climbing. While there are numerous climbing spots around the Scottsdale area, a favorite climb of locals is Tom’s Thumb, a 200-foot tall granite dome. Or, take a guided tour that is tailored to your abilities and preferences.

360-Adventure Tours
480-418-7816
tours@360-adventures.com

Day 6 – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale is a National Historic Landmark. Set in a Sonoran Desert Preserve, Taliesin West is a perfect example of Wright’s later architectural style. His buildings rise up and out of the desert rocks as if they are a part of them and his design style of intermingling indoor and outdoor spaces is on full display here. There are several tours you can take, including the Panorama Tour, the Night Lights Tour, and Desert “Shelter” Tour. Taliesin West in the spring is a wondrous place, whether you are an architecture buff or not.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West
12345 North Taliesin Drive
Scottsdale, AZ
480-860-2700

Day 7 – Sonoran Desert Stargazing

At night, a desert is a magical place. And the stars look so close and so bright! Plan a stargazing tour as an end to a day of hiking, biking or rock climbing. This stargazing adventure includes a one-hour presentation by a professional Astronomer on the wonders of the universe as seen from the beautiful Sonoran desert. Use professional grade telescopes for an up close and personal look at the stars.

360-Adventure Tours
480-418-7816
tours@360-adventures.com

Day 8 – Wildflower Hikes

Spring is when the desert explodes in color! Purple lupine, yellow brittlebush, golden poppies and other vibrant wildflowers begin to bloom in mid-February and reach their peak in March and April. We suggest the following trails for wildflower viewing: The Bajada Nature Trail, Taliesin Overlook, Granite Mountain Loop Trail in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, and the Pinnacle Peak summit trail. The Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Loop Trail in the Desert Botanical Gardens is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll through the flowering desert plants –and the hummingbirds love it too!

Day 9 – Scottsdale Arts Festival

The Scottsdale ArtsFestival is a three-day celebration “of all things creative.” More than 175 vendors come together to show off their creative efforts. The Festival takes place every March at the Scottsdale Civic Center Park(where you’ll find the famous LOVE sculpture), complete with booths featuring artists from around the world, local food trucks, adult beverages, live music and lots of family-friendly fun.

Scottsdale Civic Center Park
7343 East Scottsdale Mall
Scottsdale, AZ
480-946-0674

Day 10 – Arizona Bike Week

In the beginning of April, the bikers arrive in Scottsdale’s WestWorld for Arizona Bike Week. To say this is a Bike Rally doesn’t do it justice. This is a bike rally on steroids. Bike Week has developed into two parts: the Motorcycle Rally in the Poweryard outdoor exhibit space, and the Music Fest with concerts in the Rockyard. The Poweryard is the spot to find vendors, daily stunt shows, exhibitions, contests and games, bike shows, local bands, demos, the HandleBar Saloon, and the Rally Girls. And when you’re in town for Biker Week, a few “biker-friendly” bars are the Dirty Dogg Saloon, Moe’s Roadhouse, Boondock’s and Chopper John’s.

Arizona Bike Week
WestWorld of Scottsdale
16601 North Pima Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Day 11 – Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market

The Heard Museum Guild’s Indian Art Fair & Market has been an annual event every March since 1959. A venue for Native American artists to display and sell their work, the Fair & Market now features more than 600 Native American artists. This is your chance to talk to the Native American artists as you consider purchasing their wares. Authentic handmade works include jewelry, pottery, doll carvers, bead workers, weavers and more. You can also enjoy artist demonstrations, cultural performances and traditional Native American foods.

Heard Museum
2301 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-252-8840

The Final Thing to See in Scottsdale: Parsons Villas

The beautiful villas of Parsons Villas are the last thing you need to see in Scottsdale and the best place to stay in Scottsdale! Browse our selection of rentals today, and contact us to book your stay!