Scottsdale is one of the most sought-after cities in Phoenix. With upscale dining, luxury boutique hotels, charming cafes, high-end shops, and cheerful galleries. It is the perfect spot to spend a day with girlfriends! Here are the best things to do in Scottsdale if you only have one day.
*Updated January 2023
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Fun Things to do in Scottsdale if you only have one day
Table of Contents
- Start with brunch
- Visit the Cosanti Soleri Bells Gallery
- Grab some lunch in Old Town Scottsdale
- Spend the afternoon shopping
- Pick up a sweet treat
Start with brunch
Brunch with the girls is one of the best things you can do in Scottsdale and thankfully there is no shortage of utterly charming brunch spots!
Hash Kitchen is one of our favorites. The chic interior is Instagram-worthy and the sumptuous dishes are the perfect start to your day.
Try the Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes with caramelized pineapple and a warm maple reduction. The Banana Split Brioche is also divine, as is the Strawberry Shortcake Toast and Cannoli Pancakes.
For something more savory, try the Hash Style Avocado Toast, Short Rib Breakfast Potato Tacos, or the Chilaquiles Breakfast Nachos.
Order a fruit board on the side with a spread of seasonal fruits drizzled with agave, and grab a few Cannoli Donuts to-go!
A few more of the best brunch places in Scottsdale:
- Butters Pancakes and Cafe: This cafe has a welcoming industrial vibe and serves up the most delicious Wildberry Pancake Stack with Vanilla Ice Cream!
- Lux Coffee: This cosmopolitan cafe is the best spot to get your caffeine fix. Be sure to pick up some fresh-baked pastries and settle into their oversized pink chairs to enjoy it.
- The Herb Box: The perfect spot for a girl’s brunch. Order the Red Velvet Pancakes, Peach Brioche French Toast, or Fruit Tarte.
- Breakfast Kitchen Bar: A hip space specializing in keto-friendly dishes. Try the Churro Waffles, Breakfast Quesadilla, or Blueberry French Toast.
*Related post: For more restaurant recommendations, see our guide to 11 of the Best Places to Eat in Phoenix and A Foodies Guide to Scottsdale!
Visit the Cosanti Soleri Bells Gallery
After brunch, head over to explore Cosanti. This architectural wonder is unassumingly tucked into a residential street in Paradise Valley just outside of Scottsdale.
Cosanti has been featured on the Travel Channel, the History Channel, and the Arizona Highways magazine.
It is also listed on Arizona’s Register of Historic Places. However, it still remains somewhat of a hidden gem.
Paolo Soleri is an Italian-born architect who came to the United States in 1947 in order to study under the renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Soleri built Cosanti in the late 1950s and it served as his studio and home until his death in 2013.
His innovative design created structures using a large-scale earth-casting technique. This process entailed forming a concrete shell over a large mound of dirt.
The soil beneath the shell was then excavated, usually by hand with a shovel. What remains is a collection of these unusual and beautiful domed structures of varying sizes and heights.
Soleri also translated a similar earth-casting technique to create his coveted bronze and ceramic windbells, for which he is well-known.
The windbells are similar to wind chimes and the beautifully designed bells create a hypnotic ring when blowing in the wind.
Soleri first began making the bells out of ceramic in the 1950s. However, they didn’t hold up well so he experimented with bronze.
His technique involves pouring molten bronze over sand molds until it is cooled. Each bell is then uniquely customized so that no two bells are exactly alike.
The same process is used at the Cosanti Bronze Foundry today. After the bells are handmade on-site, they are displayed in the gallery and gift shop where visitors can purchase one to take home.
The bells start at $30 with larger more intricate creations priced in the hundreds. They make for a great gift or unique Arizona souvenir.
Today visitors can stop by Cosanti to admire the original architectural structures and the collection of hand-poured bells.
The bell gallery is our favorite with bronze bells hanging from the soaring domed ceiling. It’s such a beautiful and unique spot to take some photos.
Bell pouring demonstrations are also held free of charge on weekday mornings at 10:30 and 11:30. Guests can watch as the artisans pour 2,200-degree molten bronze into the wind bell molds.
Guided tours are also held on weekdays at 10 am and 11:15 am, and on weekends at 11:30 am and 1 pm. The cost is $15 per person and reservations can be made in advance.
On the tour, a knowledgeable docent will guide visitors around the 5-acre property to view the partially underground “Earth House”, outdoor studios, and other sustainable and eco-friendly original structures.
You’ll also delve into the interesting life of Paolo Soleri and learn the details of how he constructed Cosanti.
If you’re interested, you can also plan a day trip or even spend the night at Arcosanti, an experimental sustainable city that was also the brainchild of Paolo Soleri. It is located in Mayer, just off I-17 near the turn-off for Prescott.
*Related post: Check out these 10 Secret Spots and Hidden Gems in Phoenix!
Grab some lunch in Old Town Scottsdale
After visiting Cosanti, head to Old Town Scottsdale for lunch.
Old Town Scottsdale is an eclectic mix of modern and old-west charm with so many great options for lunch with girlfriends.
The Herb Box is one of our favorites for both breakfast and lunch.
This sophisticated cafe serves traditional dishes with a fresh twist.
The Korean Fried Cauliflower is a great starter and I would recommend the Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread, or the Turkey Avocado Wrap with House Sweet Potato Chips.
Enjoy your meal on the sun-dappled patio and be sure to save room for their homemade Whoopie Pie for dessert!
A few more of the best restaurants in Scottsdale
- Farm & Craft: Farm & Craft takes pride in creating healthy sustainable dishes served up in the cutest neighborhood cafe.
- Diego Pops: Features retro-chic decor with Instagram-worthy pineapple wallpaper, neon lights, and splashes of color. Their modern Mexican-inspired menu offers a variety of dishes like the unique but tasty Brussels Sprout Nachos drizzled with beet crema and a fried egg on top. The more traditional Braised Green Chili Chicken Tacos are also amazing.
- Luci’s at the Grove: This trendy cafe has a delightful outdoor patio with a cozy fireplace. There is also a small market selling candles and gifts. Order the Turkey Lurkey Wrap or Tuna Melt, and their cinnamon rolls are to die for!
- Canal Club: This swanky mid-century modern cafe is located in the luxe Scott Resort. They have been slinging up Cuban-inspired dishes since only 2017 but have already created quite the buzz. Try the Cubano Sandwich with a side of Plantain Chips. And be sure to order the Churro Doughnut Holes served with white chocolate anglaise and guava jam for dessert!
- Simon’s Hot Dogs: For a quick all-American lunch, swing by Simon’s Hot Dogs. This joint popped up as #5 on Yelp’s top 100 restaurants in 2020! The Dog Haus is another favorite spot for gourmet over-the-top hot dogs.
- Old Town Tortilla Factory: The outdoor patio has a great ambiance with string lights, a fountain, and candles at each table. The menu features a variety of traditional Southwest and American dishes. They bring out homemade tortillas with strawberry butter for the tables and the odd combination is unexpectedly delicious!
For more recommendations, see our guide for the Best Places to Eat in Scottsdale!
Spend the afternoon shopping
After lunch, head to the mall for some retail therapy.
Scottsdale really caters to every shopper with high-end retailers, trendy boutiques, budget-friendly chain stores, vintage antique shops, kitschy souvenir stores, and old-school thrift shops.
Our favorite place to shop in Scottsdale is Kierland Commons.
This upscale outdoor mall features popular stores such as Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and Madewell.
The pristine mall also buzzes with outdoor cafes and a calendar of ongoing events.
Fashion Square Mall is also a popular shopping center in Scottsdale. It is the largest mall in Arizona and was ranked as one of the top 25 most visited Malls in the country by Travel + Leisure Magazine.
The 5th Avenue Shops are also a fun place to window shop. This collection of boutique shops is located in Old Town Scottsdale and features unique hand-crafted gifts.
The 1st Avenue Shops are also nearby and specialize in local Western and Native American Goods.
And the Scottsdale Marketplace is the best place to go for antiques and vintage finds.
*And if you’re looking for someplace to stay in Scottsdale, check out our guide to 13 of the Best Places to Stay in Phoenix!
Pick up a sweet treat
Ruze Cake House
After all that shopping, you’ll be craving a sugar buzz! Ruze Cake House in Old Town is one of our favorite places to pick up a sweet treat.
The storefront is absolutely darling with a dash of lavishness.
They offer a variety of gourmet macarons, sugar cookies, and cupcakes. I must say that I preferred their macarons even over the ones we had in Paris!
Sweet Dee’s Bake Shop
We also love Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop in Old Town Scottsdale.
This charming French-inspired bakery is run by a mother/daughter duo.
Their homemade confectionaries have earned them a spotlight in publications such as Forbes and USA Today.
Their Strawberry Milkshake Cannoli and oversized Cinnamon Rolls are our favorites!
If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to check out our guide Best Desserts in Phoenix!
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A few more of the best places to get dessert in Scottsdale:
- Fatty Daddy’s: Known for their signature Fatty Daddy’s Cookie Cup consisting of a waffle bowl and ice cream topped with a macaron, toasted marshmallow, and drizzled with the sauce of your choice.
- Unbaked: Specializing in eccentric cookie dough milkshakes and “doughwich” ice cream sandwiches.
- Super Chunk (now New Wave Market): Try their award-winning Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies that have been featured in National Geographic, Phoenix New Times, and Mental Floss. They also serve up unique flavors of ice cream, such as Roasted Strawberry Sherbet, Honeycomb Semifreddo, and Campfire.
- Luna Gelateria: The best place to go in Scottsdale for authentic Italian gelato.
- Sweet Republic: Hand-crafted small batch ice cream featuring unique indulgent flavors such as Honey Lavender, Strawberry Buttermilk, and Salted Butter Caramel Swirl. I would also recommend their Toffee Banofi or Campfire S’more gourmet sundaes.
And that wraps up the best things to do in Scottsdale if you only have one day! But if you plan to spend a whole weekend in Scottsdale, be sure to check out our Girlfriend’s Guide to Scottsdale!
You might also like our Local’s Guide to Gilbert!
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This was so helpful!! So many cute places to explore, thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Anissa! Such a fun day!