Things to Do in Scottsdale, Arizona

Nestled in the heart of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Butterfly Wonderland is a state-of-the-art facility that houses a tropical rainforest, which is home to thousands of butterflies from around the world. The facility also features several galleries with interactive insect exhibits, a modern theater that screens educational movies such as Flight of the Butterflies, and educational laboratories for community-based workshops and nature programs. Butterfly Wonderland is one of the top Scottsdale attractions. A family-friendly gift shop is the perfect place to find a memento, while a cozy café serves light meals, snacks, and beverages throughout the day.

9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ, Phone: 480-800-3000

Get a taste of what Scottsdale has to offer with a visit to Downtown Scottsdale. This historic corner of the city is packed with an array of souvenir shops, fashion boutiques, award-winning restaurants, vibrant bars, and other forms of entertainment, all within easy walking distance of one another.

Explore great art galleries on fun-filled and informative Art Walks held every Thursday evening, visit Scottsdale’s most celebrated public artworks by taking an easy hour’s walk through downtown, or learn about the history of the region on a self-guided walking tour, taking in the Little Red Schoolhouse, and the Rusty Spur Saloon. If you are wondering what to do in Scottsdale today, this is a great place to start exploring.

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents an outstanding collection of contemporary art, architecture, and examples of design from around the world. Situated on a beautifully landscaped park in the middle of downtown Scottsdale, the museum offers nine to twelve rotating exhibitions per year that keep visitors on trend with what is happening in the world of art, architecture, and design.

The museum also provides exciting programming in the genres of music, dance, performance, literature, and film, as well as educational opportunities and learning experiences in the form of workshops, classes and lectures, arts activities, guided tours, and slide presentations for all ages.

7374 East Second Street, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-874-4666

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is the gateway to the Sonoran Desert and features one of the most diverse environments on earth. Spanning over 30,000 acres and unfurling along the eastern edge of the city, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve has more than 100 miles of trails and no less than six trailheads to explore and enjoy.

Visitors to the Preserve can enjoy an array of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, wildlife and bird watching, and guided rock climbing and off-roading tours. Each of the six trailheads provides expansive views of Pinnacle Peak and the Valley, and the Bajada Nature Trail offers a variety of games and activities en route for children of all ages.

18333 N. Thompson Peak Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-998-7971

The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is one of the premier performing-arts halls in the country that showcases a diverse range of theater, music, dance, comedy, and film from around the globe.

Designed by Arizona architect Bennie Gonzales, the 1975 adobe-inspired building is the base for hundreds of events that entertain and inspire audiences on an annual basis, from live performances and educational programs to major festivals and community celebrations. The center also features artistic displays, including a radiant glass sculpture by Kana Tanaka entitled Spirit of Camelback, and it is the setting for the award-winning Scottsdale Arts Festival.

Located in the heart of the city’s artistic district, the center is a short walk from Scottsdale’s Old Town and vibrant gallery areas.

7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-499-8587

The Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden at Chaparral Park is a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat that features over 7,000 plants and 200 species. Fed by a vast underwater reservoir, the expansive 5.5-acre garden was established to protect and preserve regional plant species and provide an educational resource to raise awareness about local plant species and sustainable landscaping using reduced water usage.

Visitors to the garden can move around easily, following clear signage and an interactive plant guide that highlights the facts about the low-water-use plants and trees and water harvesting. The guide also gives excellent tips for caring for desert landscapes.

SE corner of Hayden & McDonald Road, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-312-3111

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center rescues and rehabilitates injured wildlife and releases them back into the wild, and it provides a sanctuary for orphaned animals native to Arizona. The center also provides education on the importance of nature and wildlife, as well as the role they play in our world.

The center is home to a range of animals, including black bears, bobcats, coyotes, jaguars, mountain lions, Mexican grey wolves, and porcupines, among others. Visitors to the center can enjoy Walk with Wildlife tours through the facility and learn more about these fascinating animals. The center hosts a number of onsite educational programs, including Walk with Wildlife, Sunrise Nature Tour, Full Moon Tour, and Discovery Day, as well as several community-based outreach programs like PAWS.

27026 N. 156th Street, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-471-9109

Located in the historic 1909 Little Red Schoolhouse, the Scottsdale Historical Museum chronicles the history and cultural heritage of Scottsdale and the Southwest through a fantastic collection of photographs, artifacts, exhibits, and displays.

Permanent exhibits in the museum include The One Room Schoolhouse, which shows how a one-room school might for eight grade levels have looked in the 1800s through the 1900s and the Winfield Scott Exhibit, as well as a variety of changing exhibits related to the history of the region.

The Scottsdale Historical Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, and group tours and guest speakers are available and can be booked in advance.

7333 East Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-945-4499

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West celebrates and showcases the history of the West and everything related to it, including its heritage, cultures, and varying environments. The museum was established to explore the challenges of the modern world through looking back at history and learning from past achievements.

It accomplishes this goal by providing a range of interpretive artworks, interactive experiences, and exciting events. Located in Downtown Scottsdale, the Museum of the West features galleries housing permanent and traveling exhibitions; a one-of-a-kind, multi-sensory, and multimedia theater/auditorium that showcases the work of Western artists through a variety of performances and shows; and an intimate Sculpture Courtyard where visitors can relax, refresh, and reflect on an ever-changing array of sculptural exhibits amongst exotic desert surroundings.

3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, Arizona, Phone: 480-686-9539, (website link)