Anna Maria Richards
Scottsdale is a Maricopa County city founded in 1894 by Winfield Scott, a retired US Army Chaplain. It was officially incorporated as a town in 1951 under Mayor Malcolm White. By the time of incorporation, its population was 2000 residents living in less than a square-mile land.
Fast forward to 2002, Scottsdale had a population of 202,000 residents living on over 185 square-mile lands. The population growth trajectory went slightly down from 2000 since its 2021 population was 243,953 residents. Scottsdale has a rich history of being the epitome of natural and artificial beauties.
The desert city has an extensive span of family attractions, niche museums, and upscale restaurants. There are more than enough eccentric things explorers can do and see in Scottsdale.
Fun Things to Do in Scottsdale
One exhilarating activity you can’t miss when exploring Scottsdale is a moment at Spring Training. The annual ritual involves 15 baseball teams playing over 200 games in 10 stadiums for a month. It’s the perfect outdoor activity for families and friends who cherish baseball.
Immerse yourself into a moment of leisure watching as multiple teams play. Stop by the Scottsdale Stadium to watch as baseball teams such as Francisco Giants and Salt River Fields play. Scottsdale sits close to 200 golf courses, making it among America’s best destinations for golf travel destinations.
Scottsdale is a renowned golf course destination thanks to its sunny days and comfortable desert climate. Common golf courses you can explore include Greyhawk, Troon North, Quintero, We-Ko-Pa, and Wickenburg Ranch. Families and friends exploring Scottsdale need to stop by the Cracker Jax amusement park.
This family-centered attraction offers dozens of exciting activities, including arcades, mini-golf, and go-karts. The sports and family park boasts 28 acres of driving range, volleyball courts, go-karts, bumper boats, and more.
Those looking for a quiet moment to enjoy indoor activities can never go wrong with the state-of-the-art arcade. After moments of relaxation, you can quench your thirst or hunger by stopping by one of the nearby family-friendly restaurants.
Located in Scottsdale’s downtown at the Old Town, the Museum of Contemporary Art is a multi-gallery museum. It features an amazing collection of modern architecture and art displays. The audience-centered modern museum brings people from all over the world together. It offers a variety of educational programs, innovative exhibitions, and performances by renowned artists.
Amazing Restaurants
As you explore this amicable Arizona city, you’ll discover various local restaurants. Whether exploring Old Town Scottsdale or North Scottsdale, you’ll find restaurants specializing in modern Latin American cuisine.
If you’re looking for a restaurant offering natural menus with farm-fresh ingredients, stop by the artfully decorated FnB restaurant. As a branch of the renowned James Beard restaurants by Charlene Badman, the restaurant offers you a moment like no other.
You can also stop by the Café Monarch for a customized occasion dinner. This restaurant offers world-class seasonal tasting menus in an ultra-romantic Old Town Scottsdale setting.
They also offer casual and creative fine dining menus with high-class drinks. The Citizen Public House restaurant is another fantastic restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale. It’s known for its variety of comfort food menus.
Hush Public House is a locally operated small restaurant in Scottsdale’s northern parts. It’s widely reputed for its impressive selection of freewheeling menus. Stop by the restaurant locations to grab your favorite local meal. You can grab world-class meals, including chicken liver mousse, grilled slab bacon, beef heart carpaccio, and more.
Fantastic Shopping
Scottsdale has some of the world’s best shopping destinations. These destinations have retail and whole stores selling virtually everything you need. Here are the top three Scottsdale shopping centers you can’t afford to miss.
Kierland Commons
Kierland Commons is a state-of-the-art lifestyle center located on upscale Main Street. The multipurpose urban sanctuary is home to a variety of top-rated lifestyle brands. It houses some of the best and most enticing nightlife and restaurants in the region.
You’ll find more than 70 high-end specialty stores in this one-of-a-kind development. Here you can shop from dozens of retail and wholesale stores, offering a premium selection of lifestyle products. The shopping center has a lovely setting and nearby parking along its proximity.
It’s also home to varied modern-style restaurants offering high-quality dinners and lunch meals. In addition, you’ll discover a large selection of boutiques and shops. It’s a well-maintained shopping center with a stylish outdoor mall setting and shaded court areas.
The 600,000-square-foot street-style development got credited among the best ten stories in 2009. It also won the 2010 Crescordia award for environmental excellence and the 2004 Landscape Architects excellence.
Scottsdale Waterfront
Scottsdale Waterfront is a high-end and fashionable community located at the center of Downtown Scottsdale. The shopping center sits on a 1.1 million square foot land, making it a prominent lifestyle destination. This Scottsdale shopping center has a massive selection of lifestyle malls, shops, and attractive scenes.
Hundreds of high-rise eateries, retail stores, offices, and wholesale outlets can be found in Scottsdale Waterfront. The all-inclusive restaurants in this shopping destination include Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy Restaurant, Creamistry, and China Bistro.
As for retail stores, they include Urban Outfitters, High Point, Verizon Wireless, Primp & Blow, etc. This development sits close to the Fiesta museum and the Fiesta Bowl headquarters. The beautiful scenes in the shopping malls include dramatic flowers, festive palm trees, and beautiful artistic sculptures. It sits near Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Scottsdale Fashion Square
Scottsdale Fashion Square is a high-end and luxurious shopping mall in Scottsdale’s downtown. Scottsdale Fashion Square has 2 million square feet of retail space, making it the biggest shopping mall in Arizona. It ranks among the 30 largest shopping malls in the United States.
Over the years, it has ranked top among the most profitable shopping malls in the US. In 2016, Scottsdale Fashion Square got ranked second among the malls with the highest sales per square foot. The same year, it got ranked 25th most visited mall in the Country.
This great shopping mall has over 240 specialty restaurants and stores. These top stores include OCEAN 44, Neiman Marcus, Francine, Toca Madera, and Nordstrom. It’s a kid-friendly mall with dozens of amenities and meeting facilities.
Conclusion
When exploring Arizona’s amazing attractions and happen to stop by Scottsdale, you can’t miss these amazing attractions. You can go shopping if you’re not getting outdoors to have a moment with Mother Nature.
There are enough malls with an adequate supply of everything you need to enjoy your tour. You’ll find countless restaurants offering the best menus around. There are also family-friendly and kid-friendly activities to suit everyone. The accommodation and nightlife in this city are exceptionally recommendable. Choose your destination and make the most of every single moment.
