Experience Scottsdale, AZ

Photo courtesy of: Lonna Tucker for Experience Scottsdale

From candlelit dinners crafted by recognized chefs to hand-in-hand strolls through dozens of downtown art galleries, Scottsdale is a getaway for lovers. Couples have fallen in love with this Sonoran Desert destination and choose it for proposals, honeymoons, babymoons, weddings, anniversaries or weekends to reconnect.

The restaurant scene is an ever increasing array of tastes and smells, from classic dishes to the new and adventurous, your taste buds will scream for more. While farm-to-table is all the rage in the culinary world, Scottsdale has taken the concept one step further – from vine-to-table – by introducing five Arizona wine tasting rooms in Downtown. These tasting rooms tell the story of the state’s nearly 100 award-winning wineries.

Photo courtesy of: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess provided by Experience Scottsdale

Overflowing with outdoor adventure, fun in the sun, and thrilling Western-style escapades, Scottsdale is the ultimate destination for a family-sized vacation. Families can relish in resorts with year-round programming, rough-and-tumble Sonoran Desert romps, and hands-on experiential art exhibits.

The art scene in Scottsdale is a very innovative, talented and unapologetic community. While strolling along Main Street and Marshall Way, couples may encounter special cocktail receptions, artist appearances, or live music in the galleries.

Photo courtesy of: Experience Scottsdale

Scottsdale may be smack in the middle of one of America’s largest deserts, but families are never left high and dry. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is home to six pools, 830 tons of white sandy beach and two of Arizona’s longest resort waterslides. At Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, a sprawling aquatic playground is decked with a “beachside” putting green, 28-foot rock climbing wall and Fun Zone where guests can play giant Jenga, Chess or Connect Four.

The Phoenician’s Oasis Pool Complex has water volleyball, a splash pad and 165-foot slide that morphs into an “electric waterslide” with fog, lasers and pulsating music on summer holidays. And then there’s Westin Kierland’s Adventure Water Park that includes a lazy river, water slide, pop-jet fountains and FlowRider surfing simulator.

Photo courtesy of: Scott McGinty for Experience Scottsdale

Scottsdale has been long been touted as a spa mecca. Its reputation as a place of health and wellness dates back hundreds of years to the Native Americans, who took into account the body and spirit when assessing overall health. Today, Scottsdale’s spas are drawing upon lessons learned by native ancestors and offering programming that seeks to not only heal the body, but also the heart and mind. And while Scottsdale has more resort-spas per capita than any other city in the United States, no two spas mirror each other. Pair that with the Sonoran Desert’s timeless landscape, spirit-stirring sunsets and crisp desert air, and Scottsdale is a spa destination unlike any other.

Outdoor enthusiasts can join one of the conservancy’s stewards on private guided interpretive hikes throughout the year. Try the three-hour Geology Story hike to examine the area’s geological history, from the mountains’ bedrock to the scenic skyline. Or embark on the three-hour, 4-mile Nature’s Pharmacy hike to gain insight into how American Indians used plants for food, shelter, rituals and medicines. No matter what time of the year you go – there is always something for everyone.