Discover Scottsdale: Desert, Architecture and Culture

Scottsdale combines impressive desert landscapes with architecture, museums, performing arts and distinctive places to visit. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Scottsdale can shape their stay around their own interests: plan time for activity and nature in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, learn about architectural history at Taliesin West or immerse themselves in the history of the American West at museums and cultural sites.

Sonoran Desert and trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve encompasses more than 30,500 acres of permanently protected urban desert landscape. It preserves Sonoran Desert ecosystems and habitats for wildlife. This makes it a central landscape area in Scottsdale that vividly showcases the city’s distinctive surroundings.

For active days, the preserve offers more than 230 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. You can plan your activities according to whether you want to experience the desert landscape on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The different ways of getting around offer various possibilities for spending a day outdoors without focusing your entire stay exclusively on cultural attractions.

Taliesin West: Architecture in the Desert

Taliesin West was established in 1937 as Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and desert laboratory. The site therefore combines architecture, living and an engagement with the desert landscape. On days when it is open, a self-guided audio tour of the Historic Core and Frank Lloyd Wright’s living and working spaces is available daily.

Another option is the Apprentice Shelter Hike. The 90-minute hike leads through the desert and past shelters built by apprentices and students. Those who want to combine different highlights can view a visit to Taliesin West as both an architectural and landscape experience. The tour’s specific duration also helps you deliberately incorporate this activity into your daily itinerary.

Museums, History and Events

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West presents art, culture and history from 19 states in the American West, Western Canada and Mexico. The Scottsdale Historical Museum is housed in the Little Red Schoolhouse. The two attractions have different focuses: the Museum of the West emphasizes the broad history and culture of the West, while the Little Red Schoolhouse itself is part of the museum experience.

Scottsdale Civic Center serves as a venue in Scottsdale’s historic center and as a place for walking and relaxation. The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts presents traditional and contemporary art through performances and talks. This allows you to add cultural events to your travel plans without every day being shaped by activities in the open landscape.

A Versatile Base for Planning Your Trip

OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale also shows a different side of the destination: there, you can see penguins, sloths and sharks. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore decide whether the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Taliesin West and the museums should be the main focus or whether you would rather combine these different experiences.

Other Destinations for Orientation

For further planning, you can also view New River, Phoenix, Carefree, Chandler, Surprise, Fort Mcdowell, Tempe and Wickenburg.

Return to the overarching travel overview: Maricopa.