A short visit to ScottsdaleSometimes you just need a few days where the single biggest decision comes to you as to whether you want the prickly pear margarita before or after you nap in the pool. That is the kind of holiday Scottsdale, Arizona, delivers. It’s not an expanse that needs a two week itinerary, and not a passport loaded with stamps. It’s a long weekend kind of town, the sort of place where you come in with a carry on, sunglasses and absolutely zero intention of looking at your work email. Scottsdale lies in the Sonoran Desert just east of Phoenix, and the first thing you encounter is the light. Here it's sharper and warmer, bouncing off the camel-coloured mountains and making whatever happens to you seem a run of the mill magazine spread. But this is not just a pretty city. It has a personality that’s equal parts cowboy boots and boutique spa, and that contradiction is exactly what makes a short break here so refreshing. The vast majority of people start in Old Town Scottsdale, and rightly so. It is the busy centre of the place, with wooden sidewalks, western facades and art galleries crammed into every available corner. You can drop in for a morning stroll on the streets, poke your nose into shops selling everything from hand-tooled leather belts to contemporary pottery, and realise at that point it is already lunchtime, and you didn’t even see half of it. There’s the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, right there as well, if you prefer your strolls to be a little air conditioned in style. And Thursday evenings the ArtWalk makes alive the entire district with people, tourists and artists chatting on the pavement, wine in hand. Sure, it is touristy, but it does never come off as fake. There’s a Western undertone, and you feel it in the architecture, in the public art, in the way locals still reminisce about the old cattle drives. When the crowds feel a little crowded, the Desert Botanical Garden is a short drive away. While walking among the gigantic saguaro cacti and desert wildflowers, you enter into this kind of sudden, quiet, yet impressive impression of how rough and beautiful this landscape really is. The garden has the way to slow your pulse down. Even on a busy day, you can locate a bench by the agave collection and just sit there, and look and watch with wonder the light on the red rocks. It's as subtle a reminder that even in a city that is constantly in town entertaining mood it may not be, there's still silence in there. Another reason it makes for a nicely fast getaway is that staying in Scottsdale is up for grabs, with accommodations of any kind too. If you’re celebrating or just want to be treated to a puddle, the luxury resorts here are legendary. If you want a splashy experience in places like The Phoenician or the Fairmont Princess, they’ll rub desert botanical oils into your skin until you forget your own postcode. You pay for the privilege, of course, but for a few days of pure unvarnished indulgence it’s tough to beat. And at the other end of the scale, Scottsdale is surprisingly wallet-friendly as well. Then there are cheap, nice chain hotels and motels along Scottsdale Road and around Old Town that take you straight into the action without sapping your savings. Here, Airbnb also has a commanding presence, from desert-themed casitas to modern condos with shared pools. You don’t need such a great year on the five star budget to have days of sunny days and tacos. The city is small enough that even a small premise makes it easy for you to find the good things. Now, the food. Scottsdale's dining scene is indeed a reflection of its cultural layers. From blue corn tacos at a roadside cantina where you can find the Native American influences and Mexican cuisine, to elegant plates such as those at Barrio Queen, where the mole alone is worth the journey. But also at this same time, steakhouses that bear the stamp of cowboy heritage, modern American bistros, which serve vegetables in a farm-to-table fashion; craft cocktail bars can serve as a place to sample prickly pear and mezcal combinations that last throughout the weekend for you. The cuisine, here is the story of the place: the intersection of desert ingenuity, borderland tradition and contemporary American creativity. I’ll never forget the last time I visited that city. I was just sitting outside a coffee shop on the edge of Old Town, right where the pedestrian area just begins to wane. On a guitar, a street musician played something slow, and that afternoon heat had mellowed to that ideal golden hour temperature. A family laughing over their ice cream across the street and a hiking couple compared notes on Camelback Mountain. It was a busy street full of sounds and people, but sitting there with my cold brew I felt completely still inside. That’s the strange magic of a short Scottsdale holiday. It is social and energetic and thriving all around you, but the peace nestled in between desert air and laid-back tempo feels entirely your own. You don’t have to go far away in a cabin to find tranquillity. In some places, you just need a few days in a city that knows what to do with excitement and ease, that balances history with modern comfort, and that has a really excellent sunset view. Scottsdale does just that. Pack light, bring your appetite, and get ready to lose time. It is just a few days, but you will return home already having been away for weeks. |
