Scottsdale, AZ Travel and Things to Do Guide
Set in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, Scottsdale pairs "The West's Most Western Town" heritage with design-forward, resort-style hospitality. Backed by more than 300 days of sunshine a year, it's a destination planners keep coming back to, with big-city access from the greater Phoenix metro and a walkable, boutique feel.
The vibe is relaxed luxury with a lot to do, from hiking the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and playing championship desert golf to browsing Old Town's galleries and dining out. Cactus League spring training, art walks, and food and wine festivals give downtime a real sense of place.
Scottsdale is built for meetings. With roughly 75 resorts and hotels and more than 13,500 sleeping rooms, from boutiques to luxury resorts, there's flexible event space in Scottsdale for programs of nearly any size, backed by reliable air access and easy in-town transportation.
Why Scottsdale is Ideal for Event Planning
Scottsdale keeps things simple. Many of the largest resorts combine guest rooms, ballrooms, breakouts, dining, and recreation on one campus, so attendees move from a general session to golf or the spa without leaving the property.
Downtown and Old Town are genuinely walkable, connecting hotels, restaurants, and nightlife in a compact district that makes offsite dinners and free evenings easy to coordinate. Air access is a strength too: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is minutes from Old Town and most major resorts, while Scottsdale Airport handles private and charter aviation.
Major Convention Centers
Scottsdale's large-scale capacity is anchored by a city-owned, multi-use facility rather than a traditional downtown convention center.
WestWorld of Scottsdale
WestWorld is Scottsdale's flagship special-event and exhibition facility, spanning 386 acres at the base of the McDowell Mountains and hosting roughly 100 events a year.
• More than 300,000 square feet of climate-controlled exhibit space in the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center, including a 117,000-square-foot North Hall and 37,000-square-foot South Hall
• The Equidome, a 120,000-square-foot arena with about 3,400 permanent seats
• A 120,000-square-foot Multi-Use Tent, the largest clear-span tent structure in North America, with ceilings up to 89 feet
• Monterra, a full-service on-site banquet venue for up to 1,000 guests, plus turf fields and extensive parking
• Flexible layouts that can run multiple events at once
WestWorld hosts trade shows, expositions, conventions, and concerts, plus signature events like the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Its scale suits large exhibitions and consumer shows that need room to grow.
Accessibility and Connectivity
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the region's main hub, served by nearly 20 major airlines with more than 100 nonstop flights worldwide. Scottsdale Airport rounds things out for private and charter aviation.
• Complimentary Downtown Trolley connecting Old Town's arts, shopping, and entertainment districts
• Rideshare and taxis widely available; many resorts offer airport shuttles
• Pedicabs and local circulators for short hops around downtown
Sky Harbor sits roughly 9 to 11 miles from Old Town, with north Scottsdale resorts a bit farther out, and connects easily via the Loop 101 and Loop 202 freeways.
Unique Event Venues
Beyond the ballroom, Scottsdale offers distinctive settings that give groups a true sense of the desert Southwest.
• Scottsdale Stadium: spring-training ballpark with the Fieldhouse and Banyan Room for meetings and receptions
• Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, a Smithsonian Affiliate with spaces for groups up to 500
• Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA): a sleek Old Town venue for elegant receptions
• Taliesin West: Frank Lloyd Wright's desert home and a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Desert Botanical Garden and Cloth & Flame: outdoor and chef-crafted private dining amid the Sonoran Desert
These settings turn a standard agenda into a memorable, distinctly local experience.
Entertainment and Outdoor Activities
Scottsdale gives attendees plenty to do once sessions wrap, from desert adventures to arts and nightlife.
• Old Town: walkable galleries, boutiques, cocktail bars, and the Thursday night ArtWalk
• Golf: 200-plus courses, including TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Phoenix Open
• Hiking and desert tours: McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Camelback Mountain, and guided Jeep and hot-air-balloon experiences
• Cactus League spring training each February and March
• Signature events like the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and Scottsdale Culinary Festival
Group excursions into the Sonoran Desert or a day trip to Sedona are easy ways to extend the experience beyond downtown.
Event Planning Support Services
Scottsdale's resorts and local partners make execution straightforward, with support available end to end.
• Dedicated conference services and executive meeting specialists at major resorts
• In-house audiovisual, staging, and event technology
• Venue sourcing, room-block management, and hotel coordination
• Group transportation, destination management, and offsite logistics
• Catering built around local, Southwestern-inspired menus
• Curated group experiences, from desert dinners to team building
That range supports everything from small executive retreats to large conventions and multi-day incentive programs.
Climate and Best Time for Events
• Spring (mid-February to April): warm, sunny days ideal for outdoor sessions and desert activities; one of the busiest, most popular seasons.
• Summer (May to mid-September): hot, dry days often topping 100 degrees, with occasional July and August monsoon storms; best for value programs built around poolside and indoor time.
• Autumn (mid-September to November): clear, warm days and cool evenings that make it a prime window for conferences and outdoor events.
• Winter (December to mid-February): mild, sunny days near 70 degrees and cool nights; peak season for golf, patio dining, and groups escaping the cold.
Conclusion: Scottsdale as an Event Destination
Scottsdale delivers a rare mix of scale and setting: large exhibition capacity at WestWorld, deep resort inventory with substantial on-site meeting space, easy air access through Sky Harbor, and a walkable Old Town full of dining and arts. Add reliable sunshine and a striking desert backdrop, and downtime becomes part of the draw.
For planners weighing their next program, flexible event space in Scottsdale, strong hospitality, and a genuine sense of place make it an easy destination to build a memorable event around.
The vibe is relaxed luxury with a lot to do, from hiking the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and playing championship desert golf to browsing Old Town's galleries and dining out. Cactus League spring training, art walks, and food and wine festivals give downtime a real sense of place.
Scottsdale is built for meetings. With roughly 75 resorts and hotels and more than 13,500 sleeping rooms, from boutiques to luxury resorts, there's flexible event space in Scottsdale for programs of nearly any size, backed by reliable air access and easy in-town transportation.
Why Scottsdale is Ideal for Event Planning
Scottsdale keeps things simple. Many of the largest resorts combine guest rooms, ballrooms, breakouts, dining, and recreation on one campus, so attendees move from a general session to golf or the spa without leaving the property.
Downtown and Old Town are genuinely walkable, connecting hotels, restaurants, and nightlife in a compact district that makes offsite dinners and free evenings easy to coordinate. Air access is a strength too: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is minutes from Old Town and most major resorts, while Scottsdale Airport handles private and charter aviation.
Major Convention Centers
Scottsdale's large-scale capacity is anchored by a city-owned, multi-use facility rather than a traditional downtown convention center.
WestWorld of Scottsdale
WestWorld is Scottsdale's flagship special-event and exhibition facility, spanning 386 acres at the base of the McDowell Mountains and hosting roughly 100 events a year.
• More than 300,000 square feet of climate-controlled exhibit space in the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center, including a 117,000-square-foot North Hall and 37,000-square-foot South Hall
• The Equidome, a 120,000-square-foot arena with about 3,400 permanent seats
• A 120,000-square-foot Multi-Use Tent, the largest clear-span tent structure in North America, with ceilings up to 89 feet
• Monterra, a full-service on-site banquet venue for up to 1,000 guests, plus turf fields and extensive parking
• Flexible layouts that can run multiple events at once
WestWorld hosts trade shows, expositions, conventions, and concerts, plus signature events like the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Its scale suits large exhibitions and consumer shows that need room to grow.
Accessibility and Connectivity
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the region's main hub, served by nearly 20 major airlines with more than 100 nonstop flights worldwide. Scottsdale Airport rounds things out for private and charter aviation.
• Complimentary Downtown Trolley connecting Old Town's arts, shopping, and entertainment districts
• Rideshare and taxis widely available; many resorts offer airport shuttles
• Pedicabs and local circulators for short hops around downtown
Sky Harbor sits roughly 9 to 11 miles from Old Town, with north Scottsdale resorts a bit farther out, and connects easily via the Loop 101 and Loop 202 freeways.
Unique Event Venues
Beyond the ballroom, Scottsdale offers distinctive settings that give groups a true sense of the desert Southwest.
• Scottsdale Stadium: spring-training ballpark with the Fieldhouse and Banyan Room for meetings and receptions
• Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, a Smithsonian Affiliate with spaces for groups up to 500
• Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA): a sleek Old Town venue for elegant receptions
• Taliesin West: Frank Lloyd Wright's desert home and a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Desert Botanical Garden and Cloth & Flame: outdoor and chef-crafted private dining amid the Sonoran Desert
These settings turn a standard agenda into a memorable, distinctly local experience.
Entertainment and Outdoor Activities
Scottsdale gives attendees plenty to do once sessions wrap, from desert adventures to arts and nightlife.
• Old Town: walkable galleries, boutiques, cocktail bars, and the Thursday night ArtWalk
• Golf: 200-plus courses, including TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Phoenix Open
• Hiking and desert tours: McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Camelback Mountain, and guided Jeep and hot-air-balloon experiences
• Cactus League spring training each February and March
• Signature events like the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and Scottsdale Culinary Festival
Group excursions into the Sonoran Desert or a day trip to Sedona are easy ways to extend the experience beyond downtown.
Event Planning Support Services
Scottsdale's resorts and local partners make execution straightforward, with support available end to end.
• Dedicated conference services and executive meeting specialists at major resorts
• In-house audiovisual, staging, and event technology
• Venue sourcing, room-block management, and hotel coordination
• Group transportation, destination management, and offsite logistics
• Catering built around local, Southwestern-inspired menus
• Curated group experiences, from desert dinners to team building
That range supports everything from small executive retreats to large conventions and multi-day incentive programs.
Climate and Best Time for Events
• Spring (mid-February to April): warm, sunny days ideal for outdoor sessions and desert activities; one of the busiest, most popular seasons.
• Summer (May to mid-September): hot, dry days often topping 100 degrees, with occasional July and August monsoon storms; best for value programs built around poolside and indoor time.
• Autumn (mid-September to November): clear, warm days and cool evenings that make it a prime window for conferences and outdoor events.
• Winter (December to mid-February): mild, sunny days near 70 degrees and cool nights; peak season for golf, patio dining, and groups escaping the cold.
Conclusion: Scottsdale as an Event Destination
Scottsdale delivers a rare mix of scale and setting: large exhibition capacity at WestWorld, deep resort inventory with substantial on-site meeting space, easy air access through Sky Harbor, and a walkable Old Town full of dining and arts. Add reliable sunshine and a striking desert backdrop, and downtime becomes part of the draw.
For planners weighing their next program, flexible event space in Scottsdale, strong hospitality, and a genuine sense of place make it an easy destination to build a memorable event around.
Weather and Seasonality
Scottsdale’s arid climate consists of warm winters and hot, extended summers that start out dry and end with mild precipitation. You’ll find the sun shines approximately 330 days a year here with very minimal rainfall in isolated months throughout the year.
Dry Summer (May 1 – June 30)
Average High/Low: 99°F (37°C)/ 68°F (20°C)
The first of the desert’s two distinct summer seasons brings an abundance of daytime sunshine, balmy evenings, very low humidity and little to no precipitation. The high stays right around 100 degrees throughout the day with just a slight dip in temperature when the sun goes down.
Wet Summer (July 1 – Sept. 15)
Average High/Low: 103°F (39°C) / 78°F (26°C)
Weather: Daily temperatures during the summer typically exceed 100 degrees. The desert’s wet summer contrasts high daytime temperatures and mild to moderate humidity with a chance of cooling afternoon thunderstorms drawn up from the Gulf of Mexico by monsoon winds.
Fall (Sept. 16 – Nov. 30)
Average High/Low: 87°F (31°C)/ 61°F (16°C)
Weather: Fall brings an end to the monsoon-driven thunderstorms and boasts clear warm days followed by refreshingly cool evenings. Temperatures can still be warm this time of year, but they drop about 10 degrees each month as fall in Scottsdale progresses.
Winter (Dec. 1 – Feb. 15)
Average High/Low: 68°F (20°C) / 43°F (6°C)
Weather: Sunny mild days and clear brisk nights are the hallmarks of winter in Scottsdale. The average temperature during Scottsdale’s winter months hovers right around 70 degrees. Temperatures can get chilly at night with an average low of 43 degrees.
Spring (Feb. 16 – April 30)
Average High/Low: 77°F (25°C) / 50°F (10°C)
Weather: Spring’s warm, sunny days are perfect for outdoor activities, from desert adventures to al fresco dining.
Dry Summer (May 1 – June 30)
Average High/Low: 99°F (37°C)/ 68°F (20°C)
The first of the desert’s two distinct summer seasons brings an abundance of daytime sunshine, balmy evenings, very low humidity and little to no precipitation. The high stays right around 100 degrees throughout the day with just a slight dip in temperature when the sun goes down.
Wet Summer (July 1 – Sept. 15)
Average High/Low: 103°F (39°C) / 78°F (26°C)
Weather: Daily temperatures during the summer typically exceed 100 degrees. The desert’s wet summer contrasts high daytime temperatures and mild to moderate humidity with a chance of cooling afternoon thunderstorms drawn up from the Gulf of Mexico by monsoon winds.
Fall (Sept. 16 – Nov. 30)
Average High/Low: 87°F (31°C)/ 61°F (16°C)
Weather: Fall brings an end to the monsoon-driven thunderstorms and boasts clear warm days followed by refreshingly cool evenings. Temperatures can still be warm this time of year, but they drop about 10 degrees each month as fall in Scottsdale progresses.
Winter (Dec. 1 – Feb. 15)
Average High/Low: 68°F (20°C) / 43°F (6°C)
Weather: Sunny mild days and clear brisk nights are the hallmarks of winter in Scottsdale. The average temperature during Scottsdale’s winter months hovers right around 70 degrees. Temperatures can get chilly at night with an average low of 43 degrees.
Spring (Feb. 16 – April 30)
Average High/Low: 77°F (25°C) / 50°F (10°C)
Weather: Spring’s warm, sunny days are perfect for outdoor activities, from desert adventures to al fresco dining.
| Month | High/Low °F | Seasonality |
|---|---|---|
| January | 67°/37° | - |
| February | 72°/40° | - |
| March | 77°/44° | - |
| April | 84°/49° | - |
| May | 93°/57° | - |
| June | 103°/66° | - |
| July | 105°/75° | - |
| August | 103°/74° | - |
| September | 99°/66° | - |
| October | 87°/54° | - |
| November | 72°/41° | - |
| December | 67°/36° | - |
