In many parts of the world, spring is just another chance for winter to throw a toddler sized temper tantrum, storming in with ice, wind, and snow after a few balmy days and making people feel as if they will never be warm again. In Scottsdale, however, springtime is paradise and the sun shines (just not too brightly), the wildflowers begin to bloom, and residents with heated pools or hot tubs find themselves taking the first dip of the year. If this sounds like something you want, no, you NEED in your life, we at I Love Scottsdale have created this guide to even more reasons you should escape the cold and flee to the desert where warmth, excitement, and fun is waiting!
Hello Sunshine
Did you know that Scottsdale has over 330 days of sunshine every year? We aren’t going to lie and say that is always a good thing, because there comes a time every September where we are over the sun, but it isn’t over us, and we may grumble more than a little, but from February to May, we delight in its constant presence. Nights do get cold in the early part of spring—the difference between day and night temperatures can be as much as 30+ degrees, if you can believe it—and yes, there will be days of rain and storms, but they pass quickly, and the days warm up even quicker. As a matter of fact, you may find yourself wondering what the fuss is about as our lowest temperatures feel like a balmy spring day. So, when packing for your Arizona adventures, remember, layers are great, swimsuits are recommended, shorts will probably be worn, and sunscreen is definitely a necessity! You are going to spend a lot of hours playing outside during your spring journey to paradise, and you don’t want a sunburn disrupting your enjoyment of your visit.
This Is Patio Season
In your frigid hometown, the patios of your favorite restaurants are empty expanses of tables with chairs turned over on top of them, but in Scottsdale, spring is definitely patio season! Visitors can expect to spend many hours on the patios of their vacation sanctuaries or dining on the patios of the restaurants listed below. We apologize for the waitlists in advance though; everyone wants to be outside!
Virtu Honest Craft, 3701 N Marshall Way in Scottsdale, Serving Weekend Brunch, Closed Mondays
Although Virtu Honest Craft is mostly an intimate dinner restaurant on weekends, it opens for brunch, and the patio is the only place you want to sit. Tucked away in an idyllic garden setting, the patio lights will charm when you are enjoying dinner, but it is their brunch menu we want to talk about first. Offering meals made with farm fresh ingredients, their pancakes are light, fluffy, and often topped with sweet berries and whipped cream.
Rehab Burger Therapy, 7210 E 2nd Street in Scottsdale, Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner
You are in the desert, but the beach themed atmosphere of Rehab Burger Therapy will make you imagine you can hear waves crashing against sandy shores. Winner of multiple local food awards and offering delicious and innovative burgers (the Hangover Burger is self-explanatory) and a fantastic cocktail, beer, and wine menu, their patio soaks up the sunshine in all the best ways.
Outrider Rooftop Lounge, 7142 E 1st Street in Scottsdale, Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner
Offering more than just an outdoor patio, the Outrider Rooftop Lounge provides panoramic views of the mountains (yes, that mountain that looks like a camel lying down is named Camelback Mountain) and the sunsets seem to hit harder when experienced from the seats on this rooftop. The menu consists of shareables and tapas, but nachos for lunch is always a good idea and their tapas platter eats like a full meal. Live music nights add to your enjoyment of this outdoor experience.
Time to Go Outside and Play
There are a lot of wonderful indoor attractions that you may want to explore if it happens to rain during your visit, but the promise of spring is revealed in this collection of outdoor attractions, offering fun, warmth, and that Arizona sun smiling down on you and your family.
Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N Galvin Parkway in Phoenix, Open Daily at 8 AM
You can and probably will enjoy a hike or two through the Sonoran Desert during your Scottsdale visit, but the Desert Botanical Garden will still remain a highlight, educating you on the unusual plants you encounter in the wild (and in their gardens) while also providing special events that include Flutterfest, a celebration of butterflies and other pollinators, and their Music in the Garden events that take place on certain evenings throughout the months of January through May. Food and drinks are available for purchase, and this adults-only event promises to bring you joy.
Segway of Scottsdale, 7330 E Earll Drive Suite R in Scottsdale, Open Daily
The town of Scottsdale offers a blend of midcentury modern and old west charm, and the best way to explore it can be on two wheels. Segway of Scottsdale has been offering tours of Scottsdale for 19 years, and as the sun smiles, spring breezes rustle through the trees, and the earpiece in your ear harbors the voice of your guide telling the stories of “The West’s Most Western Town,” you will know that there is nowhere else you want to be. The tours last two hours and only ages 12-75 can participate in this activity.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale, Open Daily, 9AM-6:30PM
A day at the park is one of our favorite ways to enjoy a beautiful spring day, and the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park offers some extras that will make it a treat for the whole family. Featuring a pint-sized rideable train that circles the park, a railroad museum, and housing three model railroad clubs, this whistlestop adventure will be the ones your kiddos talk about forevermore. Also offering special events that include live music and holiday celebrations, this park is an experience you won’t want to miss.
Spring Events
If you visit in the summer months you may notice that there aren’t a lot of events going on, but from February to May, we make up for the lack. There simply isn’t enough time on this page to announce all the events that come to the Scottsdale area in the spring, but the ones listed below offer a great sample of what you can expect.
Arizona Renaissance Festival, 12601 E Highway 60 in Gold Canyon, Weekends Only
Weekends in February through April are meant for turkey legs, jousting, and huzzahs as the Arizona Renaissance Festival comes to town. It is a bit of a drive from your luxurious I Love Scottsdale abode and it is quite a ride back in time, but we promise you will enjoy a day filled with bodacious delights, bawdy humor, and be able to throw rotten tomatoes into the faces of knaves taunting you from behind colorful walls. Also offering a shopping opportunity that will leave you with your arms full, you may want to consider waiting to do your shopping on the way OUT of the event.
M3F Music Festival, Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix
March is when this annual nonprofit music festival comes to Phoenix, offering three days of live performances on an outdoor stage, as well as a plethora of other adventures. Providing a family zone, kids under 12 are free, with games, arts, face painting, and music, a Vendor Village selling everything you never knew you needed until you held the items in your hand, art displays, cocktail bars, food, and VIP experiences, this event is a popular one with music lovers and families.
Arizona Restaurant Week, the Spring Version, Various locales
The best vacations are often remembered for the meals that were devoured, and if your visit brings you here in May during Arizona Restaurant Week, your memories will be taken to the next level of wonderful. Participating restaurants offer a prixe fixe menus that are separate from their standard ones, allowing the chefs to show off their skills and creativity.
Sport Events, February and March
This area of Arizona is known for their sports teams, we offer our own baseball, football, basketball, and until recently, hockey teams, ensuring that enthusiasts will always find something sports related to enjoy, including the special events listed below.
WM Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale
Home to the rowdiest and loudest hole on the PGA Tour, the WM Phoenix Open has been attracting the best golfers in the world and their most enthusiastic fans for many decades. It was the 16th hole where young Tiger Woods made a hole in one back in the 1990s, and the excitement generated from that one shot changed the trajectory of golf, at least in Phoenix, for years to come. Also home to the Birds Nest, a tent that serves as an entertainment venue during and after the day’s tournament activities, some of the world’s biggest singers have performed on the stage.
Cactus League Spring Training
The end of February and all of March brings 15 professional baseball teams to the Valley of the Sun, each playing in a variety of stadiums that are located all over the area, including two in Scottsdale. And although the Arizona Diamondbacks are our hometown heroes, it is quite possible that the Chicago Cubs, playing in their stadium which is a smaller version of Wrigley field, attract the biggest fans. There is no better way to enjoy a spring day than sitting in an open stadium watching your idols hit the ball out of the park and because we are also becoming food snobs here in the desert, most stadiums feature gourmet delights that will enhance your adventure.
NASCAR Championship Weekend, 7602 S Avondale Boulevard in Avondale
Oh, did we forget to mention we have NASCAR here as well? The Phoenix Raceway in March is where you want to be when you love the cars that go fast and this weekend represents all that is wonderful about the sport, offering beer, food, beer, and the opportunity to meet drivers and sign your name on the finish line. Hmm. Did we mention there would be beer, and probably wine as well, but everyone knows that beer and NASCAR are a team that can’t be beat.
Play Outside at Home with I Love Scottsdale
Your spring adventures beyond the borders of your vacation home’s yard are destined to be ones you remember forever, but because you chose I Love Scottsdale for your vacation accommodations, your getaway is about to ratcheted to the next level of WOW. Remember, sunny days, warm temperatures, and that we reminded you to pack a swimsuit, because more than likely your escape will feature a heated pool in the backyard. Heated will be necessary for the early spring visitors because nights get a little nippy, sometimes even frosty, in February and March, but by May you may even be swimming at night, even if that doesn’t help your tan. Also offering hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, firepits, and the occasional putting green, your outdoor activities will not have to cease simply because you returned home for a little peace and quiet.
Peaceful and Serene
Our Scottsdale vacation rentals are a perfect option for your ultimate vacation needs. Scottsdale spring sanctuaries offer that peaceful feeling and serene vibe you have been searching for your entire life. Comfortable, luxurious, and welcoming, these spaces will feel like home, even as you are miles away from your own front door and we have a feeling you will never want to leave. Reserve your favorite escape today and discover all the reasons your escape to the desert was the best decision you could have made this year!
