4 Nights in Scottsdale, AZ.
Scottsdale
The 3 of us headed to Scottsdale for a long weekend for both work and play. It was our 2nd time in Scottsdale, and we’ve grown to really love it. We were there for 4 nights, which was the perfect amount of time IMO! We got to do all the things we wanted, but also had downtime to just CHILL without an agenda for a couple of the afternoons. There’s no doubt that some of the best mems from traveling come from the food, drinks & exploring— but for me it’s the downtime that allows me to slow down and absorb the whole experience before it’s over.
I wanted to do a little recap of our time in AZ to serve as a bit of inspiration and guide of sorts for your next trip. In this post I’ll go over my favorite outfits I wore, our TOP restaurant recs, and a couple fun activities. OH also, where we stayed.
Where We Stayed:
The Scott Resort
This is our 2nd time staying there, and it just gets better every time. GORGEOUS grounds that we walked every morning, a buzzy pool to drink & lounge during the day… and a fun lobby bar that happens to be alllll the aesthetic goals. Great location, good food… & the rooms are shockingly affordable too? I was so confused when I saw the rates under $250. You simply can’t find that value in Nashville.
Where We Ate:
Toca Madera
Toca Modera is a modern Mexican steakhouse with a sexy, fun vibe. This has been consistently a TOP rec from y’all and it’s become our favorite spot in Scottsdale. We actually went 2 nights in a row because we loved it so much! 10/10 recommend booking if you can snag a reservation!
Arcadia Farms
A charming little breakfast/lunch cafe that we just adored! They stole our hearts with a breadbasket of homemade muffins/scones as as soon as we sat down, and everything we ordered was incredible. I arguably had the best salad of my life here… and yes that’s quite the statement and yes I will be recreating it soon to share. They have a neighboring shop next-door with grab & go goodies, as well as a deli counter to order their sandwiches and salads to-go.
The Mission
Mmmm this was good. Modern Latin cuisine that SO many of y’all recommended. It’s very DARK in this restaurant, which would have been my only complaint? Like, really dark. The food and drinks were incredible though. Get the tostadas app to start!
The Henry
“The greatest neighborhood restaurant” is their motto and that’s certainly the vibe we got. This was more of a family crowd than a vibey young vibe— but the food was OUTSTANDING. Like, perhaps some of the best dishes we had our whole trip. We got the Short Rib Potstickers and Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice to start, and we could have ordered 3x more of both and called it a meal. So good. We will be making a reservation for our next trip 100%.
Etta
Lovely spot! They are known for their wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, craft cocktails & farm fresh salads. We dabbled in all of the above— and everything was fantastic. It’s located in the Scottsdale Quarter plaza, with LOTS of great shops. So come early, and walk around for a bit before your res!
Activities:
Besides the eating + obvious exploring around town, a couple ideas for during the day👇🏼
Odysea Aquarium
A great afternoon activity for your babies/toddlers/kids! We had a lazy Sunday and made our way over to Odysea after several recommendations. Butterfly World was conveniently right next door, so we bought a dual pass to do both and Wilder just absolutely loved. He 10/10 recommends.
Poolside Cabana @ The Scott
We rented a cabana one afternoon at our hotel, and it was perfection. To be honest, with the baby & AZ heat, we wouldn’t have lasted longer than 20 minutes without it. With the cabana rental you have a dedicated cushioned, covered area to lounge for the day and a server to bring you all the margs & fish tacos your little heart desires.
Scottsdale Quarter Plaza
A great spot to spend an afternoon! We only got to walk around for about 20 minutes as we waited for our table at Etta, but I wish we spent more time here. They also have a big splash pad for the kiddo’s!
Day trip to Sedona
I WISH we had 1 more spare day to make the drive to Sedona, but our time ran a little short. Next visit we will 100% be making this happen!
My Outfits:
I absolutely adore this dress, found here. It’s seriously stunning in person! It FLOWS like a gown when you walk, but has flirty fun details in the front the makes it perfect for daytime or evening wear. It’s pretty true to size, but if you’re in between, size up!
