Direct my wandering in Scottsdale

March 30, 2008 8:03 PM

Please tell me where to walk around in Scottsdale, AZ.

I plan to hit Taliesin West and the Heard Museum but where can I semi-aimlessly wander around Scottsdale or Phoenix for a pleasant afternoon/evening?

posted by Morrigan to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

When you inevitably become hungry on your wandering tour, I suggest you find a way to visit my friends brother's place. I'm sure you won't be disapointed!
posted by blaneyphoto at 8:28 PM on March 30

You can probably tour the grounds at Wrigley Mansion. There's a $10 "membership fee" (since they have to be considered a club) but the entire place is absolutely gorgeous, indoors and out.
posted by disillusioned at 10:52 PM on March 30

If you like shopping and you're not opposed to walking around outside in the heat, I'd recommend the Mill Avenue District near Arizona State University. It's a bit southwest of Scottsdale, and it's pretty commercial, but it's one of the few sizable walking neighborhoods in the Phoenix area. If you're hungry, check out Phoenicia Cafe or The Chuckbox.

Old Town Scottsdale is another quaint shopping district. There are lots of southwestern art galleries, and slightly more upscale restaurants.

Right near the Heard Museum is the Japanese Friendship Garden. It's very tranquil, a nice place for a stroll if the weather isn't unbearable. I've never been to the Desert Botanical Gardens, but I've heard they're quite impressive as well.
posted by arianell at 11:14 PM on March 30

Decades ago, I hitchhiked to Cosanti, but the heat was brutal.
posted by dragonsi55 at 7:35 AM on March 31

I do hope you're not planning on walking from the Heard Museum to Taliesin West, but around each place. They're like 30 miles apart.

Assuming you're looking for walkable districts in the valley, you have a few choices. Old town scottsdale has art galleries, western-themed collectibles, nice restaurants, and the SMoCA and performing arts center. Downtown Tempe has shops, tempe beach park, ASU and lots of nice (ahem) scenery. Downtown phoenix isn't terribly walkable but the roosevelt district has art galleries and a few nice bars, and roosevelt st. west of central is one of the few parts of phoenix with genuinely nice older buildings. Just north of downtown on central, the phoenix art museum and central library are both architecturally significant and generally nice. The phoenix zoo isn't world-class but it is nice, and the botanical gardens next door probably are world-class. Papago park surrounds the zoo and gardens, and it's not the most pristine desert environment but at least it is centrally located, and there are plenty of biking trails. If you find yourself on the west side, you can check out westgate, which has lots of retail, restaurants and the new cardinals stadium. There are also several outdoor malls (in my order of preference): biltmore fashion sq, tempe marketplace, and desert ridge (I do feel weird including shopping malls, but the valley has a dearth of real walkable neighborhoods). Lastly there's kierland commons in north scottsdale, which is sort of like real walkable neighborhoods in normal cities except it was master-planned in a single development a few years ago (it has a "founder's square" and a "history" and everything... if that's not scottsdale I don't know what is).
posted by Chris4d at 9:25 AM on March 31