Summary
I visited Scottsdale for a weeklong getaway during the Spring of 2021 with my family – myself, my wife and our two children (ages 6 and 3) – and our close friends with two small children (also ages 6 and 3). Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, our family was in need of a break from the dasily grind and an escape to somewhere warm. Scottsdale was a reasonable choice for this trip given its warm weather, decentralized setup (not being a dense city), manageable direct flight from NYC (only 4 hours) and it not being a targeted spring break destination (i.e. Florida). The weather was perfect during this period (80s every day) and we had the opportunity to spend time outside, socially distanced and in a private home.
Accommodations
We stayed in a private home in Northern Scottsdale (Cholla House) around Paradise Valley – marking our second trip in an Airbnb home. When we travel on vacation, we typically love staying in hotels – the convenience, the amenities, the activities, the community etc. It allows for the true break. This time we chose a house because many of the typical hotel amenities were unavailable (kids club, kids activities etc) or very limited (pool access, restaurants) and the kids would need to wear masks everywhere. It was nice for everyone to feel free from the typical constraints of the Coronavirus time by being in a house. Next time, after this period ends, we will try our original plan and go with the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale @ Troon North.
Select Favorites
• Dining:
The options in Scottsdale are plentiful and we found the service to be wonderful. Over the course of our six days, we went to dinner at Barrio Queen (Traditional Mexican), Olive and Ivy (Mediterranean), Maple and Ash (American), Spiga Cucina (Italian) and Toca Madera (Modern Mexican). It as nice to visit Maple and Ash and Toca Madera as adults only evenings. For dessert/ice cream, we loved Sugarbowl, Sweet Republic, Sweet Provisions and The Screamery. On our last night, we tried a wonderful local private chef from Privato (amongst a great set of options that included Chef Michael, Take a Chef, Table Side Gourmet). On a future visit we would likely try some of the local pizza places (Oregano’s, Pizzeria Bianco, Craft 64 and The Parlor), along with various Italian (Marcellino’s, Fat Ox), Mexican (Los Sombreros, The Mission) and Brunch (Chelsea’s Kitchen, The Windsor, Breakfast Club Scottsdale, Culinary Dropout) favorites.
• Activities:
There is certainly lots to do in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas. We loved going on a Hummer ride in the desert and next time we’ll probably try doing ATV rides or Hot Air Balloons. Golf in Scottsdale is amazing – we played the wonderful courses at Troon North Golf and Grayhawk Golf; we took the kids to the driving range and putting greens at the Orange Tree Golf Course; next time we will plan to play the WeKoPa Golf Club.
Recommendation
We will certainly consider a future visit to Arizona given the wonderful experience – we have done Sedona and now Scottsdale in the recent past. The springtime tends to be among the busiest times in Arizona but the beauty of renting a house and knowing where to go and what to do can make the experience as unique and relaxing as one would like. As always, for any of the recommendations above, make sure to make reservations and hope you enjoy!
