Unlock Desert Magic with these Scottsdale Itineraries
Whether it’s laid-back leisure or active adventures you’re after, Scottsdale delivers delight at every turn. Set against the backdrop of Camelback and Mummy Mountains and the spectacular beauty of Paradise Valley, Kimpton Miralina Resort & Villas serves as a refined home base for exploring the best things to do in Scottsdale and beyond. This chic desert enclave blends sun-drenched stillness with effortless access to the Valley of the Sun’s most iconic activities - from art-filled strolls through Old Town to sunrise hikes, world-class golf, and architectural landmarks. The Sonoran Desert shines for an array of occasions: desert wellness escapes, golf trips, family vacations, and romantic getaways under star-filled skies. Here, cultural vibrancy and easy living are perfectly balanced. Below, we’ve designed six expert itineraries for all kinds of trips to Scottsdale.
An Elevated Couples Escape
- Begin your first full morning with a sunrise hike on Camelback Mountain, choosing either Echo Canyon or Cholla Trail for sweeping views that instantly ground you in the landscape. For a more leisurely al fresco adventure, the Desert Botanical Garden is home to gorgeous desert blooms and intimate, winding paths to explore.
- Return to the hotel for a romantic spa experience at Spa Miralina, where advanced treatments, sauna, and cold plunge serve as a restorative, energizing, and totally bonding couple’s experience.
- Date night out at the Scottsdale Waterfront calls for pre-dinner drinks at Outrider Rooftop Lounge, AZ88, or a curated wine experience on the patio at a tasting room like The Wine Collective.
- Make reservations for an upscale dinner at The Americano or Maple & Ash, where the biggest crowd favorites are the 45-day dry-aged steaks and tomahawks and the wood-fired Ceasar and wedge salads.
- End the night starry-eyed, back at Miralina Resort, where stargazing at the Infinity Oculus or a quiet moment poolside captures the dreamy magic of the desert after dark.
- The next morning welcomes a slower pace: settling in with a cocktail at the boulder-surrounded Canyon Ridge Pool at Kimpton Miralina Resort alongside fresh, light fare from CIMA Pool Bar.
- As afternoon unfolds, a sunset helicopter tour from Treasure Coast Helicopters takes things to the next level with unbelievable aerial views of the Sonoran landscape.
- Spend the evening exploring more of Old Town Scottsdale Browse art galleries, Native American jewelry shops, wine tasting rooms, and local boutiques.
- For your last dinner, Hecho Libre, helmed by two-time James Beard Award finalist Wes Avila, honors the traditions of Baja with warm, flame-kissed meats and agave-forward cocktails.
The Perfect Scottsdale Wellness Retreat
- The moment you’re feeling road weary and sluggish, arrive a Kimpton Miralina Resort and head for a reinvigorating moment under the waterfall at Canyon Vista Pool. Make your way through living art installations across the property, called Desert Reveries, designed to inspire mindfulness throughout your stay with elements like wind chimes and cooling mists.
- Dinner with shareable plates like Yellowtail Aguachile and the Arizona Citrus Salad at Hecho Libre, at the resort provides a nourishing entry point into your wellness retreat.
- Before bed, cultivate your sense of awe by stargazing on-site at the resort's Infinity Oculus and Serenity Oculus, unique structures that frame the desert sky for moments of out-of-this-world contemplation and perspective.
- The next morning, exploration and grounding are on the agenda at Papago Park or the Desert Botanical Garden, where sculptural trails and desert blooms showcase the Sonoran landscape in vivid detail.
- Afternoons are best spent balancing activity with relaxation. Return to Kimpton Miralina for a signature ritual at Spa Miralina, often incorporating ancient bodywork and purifying, mineral-rich muds and finely milled sands. Beyond the treatment room, a contrast hydrotherapy circuit will awaken the nervous system and release endorphins, enhancing focus, mood, and cognitive function.
- A short drive from the resort takes you to Phoenix Mountain Preserve where scenic overlooks provide natural moments for reflection. If you’re here more than a few days, consider a scenic drive to Sedona’s red rock canyons, where towering formations and spiritual stillness create one of Arizona’s most unforgettable spiritual experiences.
- The morning of your departure, begin your day loosening up before your journey home with a Miralina Movement class, ranging from revitalizing morning yoga flows and sunrise hikes to dance-based strength and cardio.
Family-Friendly Scottsdale With Kids
- Bringing the fam? Excellent. We know just what they’ll love. Before the afternoon heat sets in, a morning stroll on Papago Park’s easy walking trails offers outdoor exploration without overexertion. Don’t miss the iconic rock formations like Hole-in-the-Rock. If your crew includes older, more adventurous kids, Stellar Adventures’ UTV tours in the Sonoran Desert or the challenging 2.7-mile round-trip hike at Camelback Mountain are great options that they’ll always remember., called Desert Reveries, designed to inspire mindfulness throughout your stay with elements like wind chimes and cooling mists.
- Return to Kimpton Miralina Resort for a relaxed poolside lunch at CIMA Pool Bar and splashing around in the Canyon Pools.
- In the late afternoon heat, a visit to indoor OdySea Aquarium, one of the top family-friendly Scottsdale activities for a million good reasons, is just the ticket. Interactive exhibits and marine life encounters keep kids engaged from the start. Nearby, Butterfly Wonderland offers a magical, slower-paced experience as colorful butterflies fill the conservatory.
- Be sure to plan several evening hours, including dinner, in Old Town Scottsdale, where wide, walkable streets, casual dining, and sweet treat stops make it easy for families to explore at their own pace. Citizen Public House is a family favorite upscale gastropub with options for everyone. The circa-1958, family-owned Sugar Bowl is a nostalgic ice cream parlor experience everyone will love.
- For more adventures, mix in quintessential Scottsdale activities like visiting the Arizona Science Center, catching a spring training game, or a Sonoran Desert sunset jeep tour.
- Fun-for-everyone Baja-inspired dinner is as simple as returning to lively Hecho Libre, for fresh, flavorful dishes, followed by epic stargazing on your last night at the Infinity Oculus at Kimpton Miralina Resort.
Scottsdale for Work Groups and Meetings
- If you’re part of a group visiting Scottsdale or planning activities around your Phoenix area meeting, you’re in luck: there’s quite an array of activities perfect for your crew, ranging from adventurous and bonding to relaxed and rewarding.
- Start with welcome cocktails & colorful aguas frescas in one of the gorgeous gathering spaces at Kimpton Miralina Resort: the Canyon Pool Deck, Horizon Pavilion, Kiva Terrace, or the bar area. Passed bites and Baja-Sonoran tasting stations will have the group’s post-journey spirits up in no time.
- At the resort on night one, make your way to a group dinner at Hecho Libre, helmed by James Beard Award finalist Wes Aliva. After dessert? Epic stargazing at the resort’s Infinity Oculus, or a guided introduction to the deep meaning behind the giant loom, a sweeping textile installation that runs through the resort.
- On day two, indulge the individuals in your group with a moment designed for self-reflection and intention-setting: a guided Desert Reveries tour. A Kimpton Miralina Resort team member will lead your group through each bespoke space, explaining the design and encouraging attendees to use the spaces as they wish throughout their stay. Conclude the tour with breakfast from Café Libre and coffee under the loom together.
- In between other planned meetings and events on property, incorporating wellness breaks will give your guests a truly grounding desert experience. Hydrotherapy rotations at the resort’s Spa Miralina, self-guided Desert Reveries visits, sound healing, agave mixology experiences, and yoga are all great options.
- Other off-site bonding activities include guided hikes at Camelback Mountain’s Cholla Trailhead (3.1 mile loop) or Echo Canyon Trailhead (2.7 mile loop), desert Jeep tours, e-bike experiences, golf, shopping, or an excursion to Taliesin West, a UNIESCO World Heritage Site and the former winter estate of Frank Lloyd Wright.
- In the evening, foray into Old Town for dinner at great-for-groups Scottsdale restaurants like FnB, Citizen Public House, EVO Old Town, and The Herb Box.
- Back at the resort, cap off the day with a wellness-focused nightcap (teas or other beverages) around the Kiva fireplace. Add in a huge dose of awe with a Celestial Meditation under the stars at Miralina’s Infinity Oculus.
Scottsdale for Golf Lovers
- Secure an early tee time at TPC Scottsdale Champions Course, home to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, or Troon North, known for its two courses stretching through the natural ravines of the Sonoran Desert.
- In the afternoon, level up your club attire at the upscale shops at Scottsdale Fashion Square and the Waterfront District. TravisMathew, PXG Apparel, and BYLT Basics are favorites. A patio lunch in the Waterfront District at Olive & Ivy includes the likes of fresh bruschetta and lamb meatballs.
- Afternoon back at Kimpton Miralina Resort includes a choose-your-own-adventure: refreshing poolside cocktails from CIMA Pool Bar or sauna and cold plunge therapies at Spa Miralina.
- For a memorable dinner beyond the resort, FnB offers farm-driven cuisine with a refined yet relaxed feel, while Citizen Public House delivers an upscale yet approachable gastropub experience, with a great selection of local beers on tap alongside barrel-aged spirit-based cocktails.
- If leaving the resort feels like the last thing you want to do (and, fair warning, it might), dine at Hecho Libre and enjoy an agave tasting at the bar followed by a fiery desert sunset at the Infinity Oculus.
Epic Adult Friend Trips to Scottsdale
- Whether it’s a girls’ getaway, a bachelor or bachelorette party, or a couple’s trip, make sure to give the people what they want, when they want it. That means, just off the plane, the sparkling zero-entry Canyon Oasis Pool at Kimpton Miralina Resort is your first stop. Cabanas, cocktails from Cima Pool Bar, and sun-soaked relaxation set the tone for the entire trip.
- After freshening up, head to Old Town Scottsdale for art gallery and tasting room hopping and boutique shopping at places like Mavericks, Rancher Hat Bar, and The Mercantile of Scottsdale, where you can shop local designers, makers, and artists under one roof.
- Kick off the next morning with a visit to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic winter home and a UNESCO World Heritage site offering insight into desert architecture and Wright’s creative vision.
- After your AM explorations, Spa Miralina offers world-class signature rituals and a curated hydrotherapy circuit designed to reset your body and mind. Meet back up at one of the resort’s Canyon Pool cabanas, where agave-forward cocktails and refreshing light bites from Cima Pool Bar are in order.
- As golden hour arrives aglow, opt for an agave tasting at the bar at Hecho Libre, then make your way through the resort's Desert Reveries, ending at the Infinity Oculus for panoramic views and a front-row seat to Scottsdale’s iconic sunsets.
- A breezy after-dark patio dinner in Scottsdale’s Waterfront District under string lights at Olive & Ivy might include bacon-wrapped dates, artichoke flatbread, and perfect pours of sangria.
- Cap off the trip with the awe-inspiring and totally connecting experience of stargazing together at the Infinity Oculus at Kimpton Miralina Resort – the ultimate way to conclude your trip to Paradise Valley.