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🏜️ the pretty little desert guide🌵 by a scottsdale native
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items All the go-to’s i’d recommend as a local since birth !!!
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🌞🌿🏕️ Outdoor Activities 🌸🌳⛅️
🍽️🌮🍝 Restaurants 🍕🥗🍰
🍩☕️🍓 Other Foods & Drinks 🧋🍪🥤
🛍️👗🎨 Shopping, Arts & Entertainment 🎭💅🎶
🎠🧸 Where I Take My Niece & Nephew 🪩🍦🎡
💅🌸✨ Nail Salons 💖🪞🌷
🌞🌿🏕️ Outdoor Activities 🌸🌳⛅️
as someone with allergies, the reccs below are worth going outside for
Ive been going here since birth and had all my birthday parties in elementary school here. Harleys has great hot dogs and food period. I havent been in a minute though. As of rn i think the tickets are still somewhat cheap but id recommend going to t...
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Super fun when its cool!
Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market - open October through May
Easy hike for people new to hiking all i have to say is take water water and more water
"A" Mountain - Virtual Tours - Arizona State University
I’m not usually big on nature stuff, but the Desert Botanical Garden in Scottsdale honestly surprised me. It’s laid out super nicely, so you don’t feel like you’re just walking through endless desert plants. The paths are easy to follow, and there’s ...
Desert Botanical Garden
🦋Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale is actually really cool, even if you’re not usually into this kind of thing. The main greenhouse is full of butterflies flying all around you, and it’s kind of surreal to just walk through and have them land near ...
Adult general admission: $32.95 Odysea Aquarium Estore +1 Child (ages 2-12): $22.95 Odysea Aquarium Estore Annual pass (adult): $72.45 Butterfly Wonderland They also offer combo tickets / bundle deals with OdySea Aquarium & other attractions in t...
Adult general admission: $32.95 Odysea Aquarium Estore +1 Child (ages 2-12): $22.95 Odysea Aquarium Estore Annual pass (adult): $72.45 Butterfly Wonderland They also offer combo tickets / bundle deals with OdySea Aquarium & other attractions in t...
Butterfly Wonderland
🌿 Japanese Friendship Garden – Phoenix ($14 Adults, $12 Seniors, $11 Students/Military/Youth, Free for Kids 0-6) A peaceful spot right in the middle of the city. It’s not huge, but that’s part of the charm — you can stroll through in under an hour a... it’s like a mini trip to Japan without leaving the city. 🌸
Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix
ONE WORD: GORGEOUS
🔎 The Rose Garden At MCC
very well kept!!!
Chaparral Dog Park
ONLY IN THE COOLER MONTHS_Everyone’s heard of it, and yeah, it’s brutal, but once you make it up you’ll see the whole Valley. Totally worth it but only in. like DECEMBER
Camelback Mountain - Cholla Trail vs. Echo Canyon Trail
this is our backyard. Gateway Loop and Tom’s Thumb are the go-tos if you want those classic desert shots.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve | City of Scottsdale
A modern, stylish place to catch golden hour, with dining steps away.
Scottsdale Waterfront
Iconic, easy to access, and always impressive,especially if you bring out-of-towners.
Hole in the Rock
🦒 Phoenix Zoo – $37.95 Adults, $27.95 Kids (3–13), Free under 2 The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., and it’s much more impressive than you’d expect in the desert. You’ll walk through African savannas, tropical forests,...
Phoenix Zoo
🍽️🌮🍝 Restaurants 🍕🥗🍰
for my fellow picky eaters 👇
best place u can get a full and good meal under $20
Barro's Pizza
I actually really like Fired Pie ,it’s kind of my go-to when I’m at Fashion Square and don’t want a sit-down meal. I love that you can customize everything, kind of like Chipotle but for pizza, and it always comes out quick. The cauliflower crust is ... pizza fills me up, and they’ve got salads if I’m not in the mood for pizza.
Fired Pie
Upscale but approachable American/Mediterranean fusion. The patio is gorgeous, especially at sunset.
Olive & Ivy
gastrub vibe American comfort food — fried chicken, burgers, and their pretzel & provolone fondue (must-order). Great for groups or brunch.
Culinary Dropout
Polished but simple menu with rotisserie chicken, burgers, and salads. It feels upscale but has options that aren’t overwhelming
Houston's
The menu is huge, so there’s everything from plain pasta to chicken tenders to burgers. Great when everyone wants something different
The Cheesecake Factory
Zipps Sports Grill – Casual, easy, and universally safe for even the pickiest eater. Wings, burgers, fries, nothing complicated.
Zipps Sports Grill Camelback
Fully vegetarian/vegan comfort food — think vegan Big Macs, buffalo wings, and burritos. Even non-vegans like it because the flavors are big.
Green New American Vegetarian
Not fully vegan, but tons of plant-based options. Their bowls, pizzas, and salads can all be customized vegetarian or vegan.
True Food Kitchen
Fast-casual, healthy spot with a big mix of vegetarian and vegan bowls, wraps, and salads. Super fresh and easy for group dining.
Flower Child
they have really good pizza! but a reservation is the best way to have a relaxing evening here, it is very loud Friday-Saturday night other than that it's cute and quaint and the service is amazing
North Italia
🍩☕️🍓 Other Foods & Drinks 🧋🍪🥤
cute places and desserts
10000/10000 service majority of the time and yes their food is good and so is there coffee but the line can be long at times
Renegade Coffee Company
Sprinkles is such a Scottsdale classic 🍰✨their cupcakes are always super fresh, rich, and just the right amount of sweet. The red velvet is the star of the show (iconic for a reason), but I also love that they rotate seasonal flavors so it never get...
Sprinkles Scottsdale
(tiffs desserts)Smallcakes is such a hidden gem in Scottsdale 🧁💕. The cupcakes are huge, super moist, and come in so many fun flavors (the frosting alone is worth the trip). It feels a little more cozy and creative than the bigger cupcake spots, so...
Tiffy's Desserts
Handel’s is hands down one of the best ice cream spots in Scottsdale 🍦✨. The scoops are massive, the flavors are super creamy and rich, and they have so many unique ones you can’t get anywhere else.
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream- Hilton Village (Scottsdale)
Panera is my go-to when I want something quick but still feels a little fresh 🥗🥖.
Panera Bread
🛍️👗🎨 Shopping, Arts & Entertainment 🎭💅🎶
some of my weekend rotationsss
super cute and quaint, it’s a tad expensive but it depends on the pottery piece
As You Wish Pottery Painting Place at Tempe Marketplace
MY DAY ONE 🎬 I’ve been coming to this Harkins since I could walk and it never misses. Their pepperoni pizza?? literally the best you could imagine 🍕 The staff is always so nice — 18 years and I’ve never had a rude experience. Seats are decent, but ...
Harkins Theatres Shea 14
my harkins since it opened, it is nice and everything if you really are tired and wanna lay down and relax or if you are trying to be in a theater with excitment over a new movie
Harkins Theatres Camelview at Fashion Square 14
When you don't feel like going to Harkins, go here! They are super friendly and kind no matter what and work really hard actually! and my mom and i have very high standards and they are met everytime. ALSO next to a Target and a Ross
RoadHouse Cinemas | Scottsdale
locals know fs isn’t what it used to be but it’s good for people watching 🙂 and if u know what u need to buy for sure, it’s still good just pick good times to go like a weekday afternoon or morning
Scottsdale Fashion Square
it’s cute! it’s half outside also ngl sometimes i like it more than fs but they have a great store selection too
Chandler Fashion Center
i loveeeee tempe marketplace 8/10 would recommend and easier to shop at
Tempe Marketplace
🎠🧸 Where I Take My Niece & Nephew 🪩🍦🎡
it’s a great place to tire the kids out so they sleep on the ride home the only thing is the wifi can be spotty and they don’t have real food so plan to eat before or after but they do have a concession stand
Kids Empire Chandler - Chandler, AZ
great food and perfect wifi i go here to do work and eat all the time while my niece and nephew play
Scottsdale Pizza & Kids Birthday Parties | Peter Piper Pizza Location #1208
LOLLL this chucky cheese can get to be a bit…wild occasionally but if you leave before like a saturday evening ur all good
Chuck E. Cheese Chandler, AZ | Kids Birthday Parties, Pizza & Arcade Games
it can be fun and still has super cool exhibits up and running but it’s a bit run down now so sometimes the pieces of certain items are missing but hopefully they’ve fixed this lately 7/10
Arizona Science Center
💅🌸✨ Nail Salons 💖🪞🌷
very very kind people sometimes and it’s only busy because of asu but they do a good job and will fix a nail for free if you need to come back
Aria Nail Bar | Nails, Facials & Waxing, Eyelash Extensions
super sweet and do listen to you no matter what u ask for the only thing is their chairs aren’t comfy but the spa ones are
LUXE Nails & Spa - Scottsdale