How to Spend a 24-Hour Staycation in Old Town Scottsdale

Labeled “The West’s Most Western Town” decades ago, Scottsdale has evolved from a dusty cow town to a must-see destination, famous for its ritzy resorts, golf courses, and excellent restaurants. The city’s beating heart and original tiny footprint is Old Town, a charming, walkable area where the Old West lives on by way of rustic Western facades, Western-themed public artwork, galleries, and shops, many of them selling Western and Native American arts, crafts, clothing, and jewelry. It’s a great place to get away — even for just a staycation — slipping one foot into the past while leaving the other firmly planted in a surprisingly sophisticated present. Here’s the best way to spend a quick 24 hours in Old Town Scottsdale.

7:30 a.m. — Get up close and personal with the Sonoran Desert

Before heading out, fuel up with coffee and a baked good at the Marketplace by Arcadia Farms, then grab an Uber or driverless Waymo and head for an early morning stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden (aka DBG). Nestled alongside the red rocks of Papago Buttes, this 85-year-old oasis features 50,000 desert plants spread across 140 acres in five short, looping trails, each differently themed. It’s an easy walk and a pleasant way to get a sense of place. Stop in the gift shop for desert-themed mugs, hats, and T-shirts, as well as local honey, wildflower seeds, and prickly pear drink mixer.

Other ideas: Skip the DBG and have a leisurely, elegant breakfast/brunch at wildly popular Arcadia Farms Cafe, where the tasteful decor is almost good enough to eat; be sure to make reservations because this place stays packed. For something more casual but no less delicious, slip into tiny, sunlit Berdena’s for lemony avocado toast or a layered parfait, and a cardamom rose latte.

Desert Botanical Garden/Facebook

9:00 a.m. — Explore Western art at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Back in Old Town, spend an hour or two wandering through Western Spirit, Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, which celebrates the art, culture, and history of the American West. Besides its permanent displays of works by Frederic Remington, Thomas Moran, and Charles M. Russell, the museum rotates special exhibits by artists such as Edward S. Curtis, Maynard Dixon, and former U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, a photographer. Look for cool rodeo artifacts and saloon memorabilia to boot.

10:30 a.m. — Cruise the galleries on Main Street

Now that you’ve enjoyed a fantastic collection of classic Western art, stroll up and down Main Street and browse Old Town’s arts district, where many galleries feature Western art but don’t limit themselves to that genre. Amery Bohling Fine Art specializes in stunning depictions of the Grand Canyon, while Open Range Gallery devotes itself exclusively to Western art, featuring award-winning (and pricey) Western artists. For a range of contemporary works, wander into the Marshall Gallery and Bonner David Galleries.

Noon — Breakfast, lunch or brunch at Beginner’s Luck

Good luck is a foregone conclusion at Beginner’s Luck, thanks to its all-day menu built upon family recipes of comfort food given fancy touches. Try savory kolache (like hot pockets but 10 times better), five-spice-sparked French toast, a slow-roasted pork sandwich, the city’s most famous chopped salad, and fabulous mesquite date nut bread smeared with cream cheese. Amp it up with premium coffee drinks or clever cocktails such as the sorbet mimosa, Martini for Breakfast (with orange marmalade), and Chai-rish (a play on “chai” and “Irish”) iced coffee.

Other ideas: Opt for smoked wings or a deliciously elaborate Bootlegger Burger at vaguely saloon-ish Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse. Or head to family-owned Los Olivos (combining cool architecture with a cozy vibe), which has been dishing out old-school Mexican food for over 70 years.

1:00 p.m. — Shop the Brown/Stetson District

Cruise this end of Main Street, as well as the surrounding blocks, for cowboy boots and hats, Western wear, touristy T-shirts and knickknacks, Mexican imports, Southwestern furniture, and so much more. Be sure to find the Native Art Market, which is indigenous-owned and -operated and features over 400 Native American vendors. The Merchantile of Scottsdale, a boutique marketplace with over 700 local artists and craftsmen, is also outstanding, as is Bischoff’s Gallery, showcasing an excellent collection of Native American art, jewelry, and crafts.

Another idea: Walk, catch the free trolley, or take a Waymo to the nearby Fifth Avenue Shopping District, which brims with designer boutiques, vintage clothing stores, high-end home decor shops, and more retailers selling Native American jewelry.

2:30 p.m. — Take an ice cream break

Made in small batches, the soft serve ice cream sold at friendly, family-run Shakes & Cones — basically a walk-up window with a few tables and chairs out front — is gluten-free, egg-free, and organic. More importantly, it’s just plain delicious, offered in five basic flavors but jazzed up in many ways. Choose your vehicle of choice: cone, cup, sundae, or milkshake. For an extra helping of nostalgia, head to the Sugar Bowl, a pink-and-white soda fountain and ice cream shop operating since 1958. Frozen in time, yes, but a good place for shakes, malts, floats, sundaes, and even sandwiches.

3:00 p.m. — Cruise through Civic Center Park

Set smack in the middle of downtown Scottsdale, the recently refurbished Civic Center Park — 21 acres of green grass, shade trees, eye-popping flowers, and the iconic LOVE sculpture — is a great place to relax and take a little break. If you’re not burned out on art, hit up SMoCA (Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art), dedicated to contemporary art, architecture, and design. If nothing else, check out the optical illusion of Knight Rise, located in the museum’s sculpture garden.

Another idea: Skip the art and head straight to AZ88, a beloved Scottsdale bar that’s a perfect spot to chill over martinis, a specialty here prepared eight different ways — one being the vanilla-scented, Champagne-fizzy Pornstar.

4 :30 p.m. — Happy hour at Uchi

It’s easy to spend a small fortune at upscale yet strangely cozy Uchi, the seventh iteration of this Japanese restaurant from Austin-based James Beard award winner Tyson Cole, but there’s no need, given the range of excellent small bites offered during happy hour. Choose among hand rolls, nigiri, and sashimi, as well as cold and hot “tastings,” often combined with ingredients ranging from nopales cactus to Argentinian chimichurri to Vietnamese nuoc cham. Good prices on cocktails, sake, and wine too.

Another idea: Sample Arizona wines (and see how far this burgeoning local industry has come) at four of Old Town’s best tasting rooms, where wines by the glass, flights and (in most instances) light bites are offered: Los Milics Vineyards, Arizona Stronghold, Carlson Creek, and LDV Winery.

Uchi/Facebook

7:00 p.m. — Dinner at FnB

FnB acolytes call its James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner (whose given name is Charleen Badman) “Veggie Whisperer” for a reason: She’s a wizard at turning local produce into enticing dishes that even the vegetable-averse could love. Her modern American menu also features delectable pastas, meat and fish dishes, and a monumental bread course from Tucson bread guru and James Beard award winner Don Guerra. Don’t skip the legendary butterscotch pudding.

Other ideas: Experience modern Latin cuisine at the Mission, where flickering candles and a backlit Himalayan salt wall lend an intimate glow. Start with memorable guacamole or duck carnitas empanadas before heading for fancy tacos and chorizo porchetta. Hoping to go less expensive? Consider classic VPN-style pizza at Pizzeria Virtù or imaginatively topped wood-fired pies at Craft 64.

9 :00 p.m. — A digestif at Virtu Honest Craft

Grab a bar stool at Mediterranean-influenced Virtù, where chef-owner Gio Osso stocks over 100 amari, which the bar crew are well-versed in describing.

10:00 p.m. — Party on

When the night seems young, and you’re still honoring your inner cowboy, head for Porter’s Western Saloon a classy bi-level hangout (originally the post office circa 1929), which now turns out beer, wine, and cocktails. If it’s a honky-tonk you crave, consider the Rusty Spur Saloon (a bank back in the day), where it’s loud and crowded, and there’s live country music and dancing seven nights a week. For a shot of local color (and cheap drinks), check out two of Old Town’s best dive bars — the Coach House (going strong since 1959) and Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge (7220 E. First Avenue; (480) 990-0103), a laid-back dance club that doesn’t feel clubby.

Where to Stay: Hotel Valley Ho, Bespoke Inn, and Canopy by Hilton are three of the coolest places to stay in Old Town, but Scottsdale is chock-full of great hotels and resorts at every price point. Check out this listing.