Things to do in Phoenix/ Scottsdale

Not sure your music tastes.  But there are two great bands/ one local doing a concert on the 30th

Peacemakers/ Vandoliers  at the Crescent Ballroom

In Scottsdale?  Do a lot of cocaine and be a total aggressive jackass.  
(In my experience, that’s just what all the men do there.)

Hike Camelback. It’s short (maybe a mile?) but pretty steep. Would recommend if you like active stuff

Desert Botanical Garden, see a Suns game, eat at Pete’s fish and chips 

Musical Instrument Museum

Hiking - Camelback has two trail heads, Piestawa Peak has a few, North Mountain has several - depends on your ability and interest

Scottsdale has a bunch of Frank Lloyd Wright houses

Plenty of breweries. Four Peaks is the most famous, I prefer San Tan especially if you like whiskey (Sacred Stave)

Scottsdale has tons of good restaurants, especially in Old Town. Citizens Pub and The Gladly (Phoenix) are very good

The Cardinals Stadium has a memorial to Pat Tillman

Not sure if the Yotes are in town, but hard to pass up the smallest arena in the NHL, especially when it's called Mullett

Phoenix Zoo is close by

Definitely check out Old Town.  Fashion Square Mall is nice for the wife.  Talking Stick Casino is pretty good if you like to gamble.  Butterfly Wonderland, Top Golf, go kart track, and indoor skydiving are also nearby to Talking Stick.  Try breakfast at Butterfield's Pancake House, it is excellent.

Musical Instrument Museum (seriously, one of the best museums I’ve been to). Desert Botanical Garden. Zoo Lights. If you’re into architecture, Taliesin West and the Biltmore are musts. The Heard Museum has neat stuff if you’re interested in indigenous art. 

If you like beer, Wren House, Tombstone, and Wilderness are all great. If you’ve got an adventurous palate, Superstition Meadery is consistently one of the top rated in the country, and their Phoenix taproom has awesome food pairings. While you’re downtown, hit Bitter and Twisted cocktail bar. Pizzeria Bianco is world famous. 

Old Town Scottsdale itself has a bunch of cool galleries, bars, and restaurants, and a high-end shopping mall. A nice day of walking and shopping, if a bit bougie / kitschy (weird combo but you’ll see what I mean). The alumni association is hosting a pep rally at Scottsdale Stadium (spring training park for the Giants) which is a short walk from Old Town Scottsdale. 

Downtown Chandler is out of your way from Scottsdale but it has Peixoto, my favorite coffee shop. Run by a Michigan Aerospace alum and his Brazilian wife (it’s her family name and her family’s coffee estate). 

Hike A Mountain in Tempe. Relatively easy hike with nice views. I'd recommend Postino in Tempe and Snooze next door for food. Also Culinary Dropout. Oregano's has decent Italian, but not fancy. And The Chuckbox has really good burgers.

This'll sound crazy, I did it in November because I'm planning on getting my pilots license, in Mesa with a flight school called Red Rock Flying School they do a intro flight for $379. I got to fly with a trainer and my wife in the back to Sedona to see the red rocks and back. She loved it, I loved it. Cool experience even if you're not wanting to get a license. I landed a plane without assistance, pretty darn cool 

Best pizza in the country is in Phoenix at Pizzeria Bianco. No joke. We waited for four hours (that was 10 years ago, lines aren't as long now) and it was worth it. They've opened another location where you can make reservations. The one on Adams is the original. There's a bar next door to hang out at. So good. 

https://www.pizzeriabianco.com/

 

If you're into cigars there is a decent lounge in Scottsdale.

1) Beat TCU.

If you all are into hikes, camelback mountain is a great one. 

Hit up chompies off Shea blvd. For a lunch. and if you can go to Jerome for a quick day trip up north.

Edit: Also, my comfort food there was a chorizo breakfast burrito from the filobertos restaurant chain. (Basically drive through only)

2 hr. drive to Sedona. It's right up there with any of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world.

I don't know much, but I would certainly do some hiking in the area at this time of year.

Definitely second the recommendations to go hiking, but they are strenuous. I don't think you can go wrong with either Camelback or Piestawa (formerly Squaw Peak.)You should be in reasonably good shape, and bring a pair of hiking boots. I'd also really recommend getting up early to get there early. . . you can get a humongous breakfast burrito at Filibertos, iirc. Bring a good sized water bottle and trekking poles. Leave early enough to get there by 6:45am. This way, you will be on the trails well before they are super busy, can enjoy the summit, and head back down. I'd advise avoiding these hikes if it is rainy or wet. Obviously, layer in a way that you can shed a layer or add a layer if you are hot or cold.

I'd definitely advise going to Taliesin West, the Frank Lloyd Wright active school and location in eastern Scottsdale. Well worth your time.

I'd also suggest early morning hikes in the Botanical gardens and the desert.

There are times when it can be a royal pain to drive far in the Phoenix area, so keep that in mind, and plan accordingly.

It's hard to give recommendations on food without knowing your tastes and your budget. But Phoenix is a major city, and you can find pretty much any cuisine at most any price point if you want to.

Another vote for Pizzeria Blanco.  I think there’s at least one other location besides the one in Phoenix. Blue Adobe Grill in Mesa is quite good (New Mexican food).

As a native NYer living in Scottsdale 20+ years, I have to say a couple of things:

1) Pizzeria Bianco is nothing special, and certainly not worth waiting hours for…been there twice, not impressed.

2) Chompies is a horrible deli, it wouldn’t last 6 weeks in New York. Goldman’s is much better  

In the meantime, the Musical Instrument Museum is absolutely amazing and worth a trip. Shopping is either Fashion Square, or Scottsdale Quarter/Kierland Commons. Restaurants abound in the area, a great place for breakfast is any one of the Butters locations.  I am a bit past the whole singles scene, so I’m not sure “Dirty Scottsdale” and the $30K millionaires are still a thing, but a lot of bars, etc. in Oldtown. The cougars seem to be in residence at Mastro’s Ocean Club. Hikes already mentioned are very strenuous, bring proper boots and poles. Sunrise Trail over by Hidden Hills (past 136th and Via Linda) is a better, longer hike with spectacular views, a lot of shade, and not quite as crowded as Piestawa Peak or Camelback. 

If you want to hike, not just a mile. South Mountain is a 17,000 acre park with tons of trails for hiking and MTB.

https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/south-mountain

Downtown Gilbert is growing and there are a bunch of restaurants and bars there now. 

http://www.downtowngilbert.com

Can you tell we avoid Scottsdale? Downtown Phoenix has turned around and there is a lot of things to do/see there. 

Looking for a place to stay closer to the stadium. We have spent weekends here for staycations. Although it is probably pretty pricey this time of year.

https://www.wigwamarizona.com

Go Blue!