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
