According to financial website WalletHub, Scottsdale is one of the best places in the nation to have a staycation. The site compared the 150 largest US cities across three key dimensions—recreation, food and entertainment, and rest and relaxation—to determine which offered the most enjoyable and wallet-friendly staycation in the nation.
Scottsdale came in at No. 5 behind Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Salt Lake City (in that order). Rounding out the top 10 were Atlanta, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, St. Petersburg (Florida), and Honolulu.
WalletHub gave Scottsdale high marks for its golf courses, beer gardens, and spas. Other criteria included the number of museums per capita, parks per capita, hiking trails per capita, movie costs, diversity of restaurants, and summer weather. In total, WalletHub number crunchers used 28 metrics to make their determinations.
If you live in Scottsdale, though, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Scottsdale has family-friendly resorts like the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, and Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch. There are nearly 200 golf courses in the area, according to the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, and spas galore.
Shoppers can indulge their passion at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale Quarter, The Shops at Gainey Village, Kierland Commons, The Pavilions at Talking Stick Shopping Center, or the Scottsdale Waterfront. For boutiques and art galleries, head to Old Town Scottsdale and the 5th Avenue area.
You’ll find plenty of places for family fun. Although it’s technically in Phoenix, the Musical Instrument Museum is one of the Valley’s best museums and has an area where kids can try their hand at instruments from around the world. Kids will also enjoy Butterfly Wonderland, the largest butterfly pavilion in the United States. When it opens next door, OdySea Aquarium will be the largest aquarium in the Southwest and feature the latest in theme park technology.
Other family-friendly activities include Topgolf Scottsdale at Riverwalk, Octane Raceway, and CrackerJax Family Fun & Sports Park. There’s also bowling, arcades, and other indoor activities.
When it’s cool enough, you can add hiking the McDowell Sonoran Preserve to the list as well as horseback riding, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
That’s not to mention the more adult activities. You can tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and architectural school Taliesin West, visit Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, or catch a performance at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
Scottsdale has countless restaurants specializing in everything from Southwestern cuisine to burgers, Thai, Italian, and more. Plus, many of the Valley’s best cocktail bars and breweries are located in the city.
Need some help planning your Scottsdale staycation? Check out the extensive guide designed by the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
