Scottsdale Girls Weekend: 5 Fun Things To Do With The GIrls

Jaw-dropping views of the Sonoran desert, hip eateries, vibrant nightlife, and luxury resorts make a Scottsdale girls weekend getaway a must! Scottsdale, Arizona a great destination for some girl time bonding. I love my boyfriend but there comes a time in every girl’s life when she needs a getaway with her girls. If that’s you then consider a weekend trip here.

Scottsdale is a true desert city fused with the historic charm of the wild wild west and modern luxuries – easily explored on a weekend. It’s the perfect place for couples and friends alike looking to escape to the gorgeous desert for hiking, shopping, golf, spas, nightlife and more. Scottsdale is a place where the quality of life shows. It’s an active community.

I always thought of Scottsdale as the super suburb of Phoenix, and while it does border Phoenix, that statement is not entirely accurate. Easy access to Phoenix is a huge perk, but Scottsdale is its own thing with its own culture and history. You can 100% feel the change in vibe from the two.

On my second trip (officially known as the gal pal weekend), we decided to force ourselves out of bed in the morning for a nature fix, followed by shopping and guilt-free bar hopping around Old Town. The following spots are places we went that did not disappoint.

Psst. . . . watch the video for an in-depth look at our trip and subscribe so I can keep making them for you. If you do then let me know. I love getting to know you all. Makes this job way less lonely!

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Is Scottsdale rich? Like, How much should I budget?

Although I hated working in the finance and accounting world, I love personal finance and geeking out with cost spreadsheets. If you like learning about costs and how to save for travel then leave a comment so I can make more posts for you.

As for this trip, we managed to keep costs low despite our night out in Old Town. More on that below. We split everything 50/50 except for drinks. My total cost was as follows:

Rental Car for the weekend: $55 per person

Gas: $45 per person

Hotel and parking for two nights in the city center: $159 per person

Hiking trail: FREE!!

Food and drinks on Saturday night: $150 person

Grand Total: $409

We rented our car from rentalcars.com. I love this website. They are owned by Booking.com. A similar way of searching for hotels only rental cars. I’ve never had any problems with my reservations and no hidden fees. If you want to see where we stayed and more then keep reading.

Where Do You Fly Into for Scottsdale, AZ?

You will have to fly into Phoenix International Airport and rent a car or take a car share to your hotel. It’s only 10 miles from the airport. We drove ourselves from Vegas which was a four-hour drive.

Scottsdale Girls Weekend: Top 5 Things to Do

Here are the top 5 things to do with the girls. It’s the exact itinerary we used and had a blast.

#1 Grab Breakfast At a Hip Eatery

First off, what is the difference between a restaurant and an eatery? At least that is the question running through my head before I asked. Maybe I was the last to know or maybe you’re wondering the same thing. So I took one for the team (you and I haha) and asked. An eatery is specifically a breakfast, brunch, and early lunch restaurant. Hours of operation are typically between 6 am-3 pm whereas a restaurant is a blanket term for an establishment where people eat meals. Add that to your repertoire of random facts and definitions.

Scottsdale is a town known for its hip breakfast and brunch scene with eateries all over town. Each offering a unique spin and exciting atmospheres for both hungry guests and Instagrammers looking for the next pic, or both. I tend to fall in both.

Snooze A.M. Eatery

If you ever wondered as a child what the restaurants must have been like on the Jetson’s family nights out, then go to Snooze A.M. Eatery. This is a chain restaurant, but for me, this experience began in Scottsdale. It was the first place I ever learned about the deliciousness and retro vibes that is Snooze.

I’m a fatty and always order more than I can eat simply because everything on the menu is delicious and it’s not often I get to eat here. That said, I have my top two which are non-negotiable and they are the pineapple upsidedown pancakes and breakfast tacos.

If you’ve already been to Snooze and looking for something else try: Breakfast Club, Morning Squeeze or Hash Kitchen

#2 Go on Scenic Morning Hike

Our intention of visiting Scottsdale when we did was to catch the desert super bloom. Arizona is known for having gorgeous wildflowers and we didn’t want to follow the crowd to the rolling poppy fields in California. “This is going to be great”, we thought. Following our arrival and early morning at the hiking trail, we quickly noticed all the flowers are OVER! *Insert sad panda meme* A fellow hiker told us we missed it by a week.

But a little bad news didn’t stop us from climbing the mountain and turned out, we didn’t miss them all, plus the views and fresh air was amazing. So if you’re in Scottsdale for the weekend, you need to take a scenic morning hike.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve Mountains

There are many hikes to choose from. We chose the Sunrise Trail East and loved it. This trail is a steep 4 mile round trip hike met with gorgeous views of the Mcdowell Mountains and granite formations.

Pinnacle Peak Park

Pinnacle Peak provides a variety of hiking trails with scenic views. If you’re really into rock climbing, this is a great spot to visit. Or, if you’re like me and enjoy a moderate hike met with epic sunset views.

#3 Spend the Afternoon in the Lap of Luxury

Scottsdale is no stranger to luxury. Spend the afternoon poolside at your resort, relaxing at the spa, or hanging out over food and drinks. Whether you’re looking to party by the pool or escape from it all, these are the best resorts.

Best Hotels in Old Town Scottsdale

The Saguaro: Not your typical luxury resort. This Palm Springs resort made a new home in Scottsdale bringing its unique style with it. The Saguaro takes art, luxury, and rainbows to a new level. From the moment you arrive, you will be snapping photos every chance you get. If mid-century modern decor and rainbows are your things, then stay here and nowhere else!

Hilton Garden Inn Old Town: This is where we stayed on our girl’s getaway. Located in the heart of Old Town at a surprisingly affordable rate. The rooms were great. Strong WiFi signal and very spacious. There is a bar downstairs with a great happy hour ($5 margaritas) and fireside lounge chairs. If you plan to spend most of your time out and about then Hilton Garden Inn Old Town is going to be a great place to stay.

Spa Resorts with a View

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa: If you and your girls are looking to relax at the spa and chill, this Sanctuary is the place to be. From world-class spas to gorgeous desert mountain backdrops. You will leave feeling relaxed for the car ride home. If you have money to spend and want to pampered then Sanctuary is the choice!

Boulders Resort & Spa: For a little less than the above mentioned, you can get serene views and plenty of entertainment options from dining to spa packages.

#4 Explore Old Town Scottsdale

Old Town this, Old Town that. You will hear it from everyone and that’s because it’s a special part of the city stretching from Fashion to Club district. Not going to lie, it was rather hard to walk around and not sing Old Town Road. So hard.

5 Favorite Things to do in Old Town Scottsdale:

1. Sugar Bowl: This bubble gum pink diner has been serving up savory soups to sweet desserts since 1958. Their menu represents all my favorite meals growing up (i.e. PB&J sandwich), plus who can resist the pink?! Sugar Bowl is a classic spot not to be missed.

2. Shop small for locally made goods. I love looking at the Sonoran turquoise jewelry and blankets. There are tons and tons of shops selling everything from leather made goods and candles to postcards and wood carvings.

3. Gelato Spot: I swear I do more than just eat on vacay haha. When I travel, I typically snack more than eat full meals. That way I can try multiple places, hence why I’m recommending mostly food options.

4. Museums: There are a few museums in Old Town but if I could recommend one it would be the Scottsdale Historical Museum. It’s free (donates accepted) and provides a history of Scottsdale. It doesn’t take long to make it through either. Some museums are history overkill. You will most likely pass by the Historical Museum. It’s literally in the center of it all. When that time of passing comes, go inside and check it out.

5. Hula’s Modern Tiki: Where tiki bar meets Spanish fusion. Hula Hut is a great spot for lunch. We caught happy hour and each got the passion fruit margaritas. So good!

6. Rent a Bird and take it to Old Town road. Welcome to modern times where horses have been replaced with electric scooters.

#5 Dinner At Mission

Luckily I have a friend who lives in Scottsdale or else I would have never known to eat at this delicious restaurant. If you’ve been following Seeking Neverland for a while, you known Mexican food is my favorite. No matter where I go in the world, I always challenge myself to find a Mexican restaurant. In a western town like Scottsdale that wasn’t a problem.

Their salsa and table-side guacamole was so fresh and delicious, but the real winner for me where their squash veggie tacos. O-M-G! So bomb!!! Menu items are moderately prices because it is one of the best restaurants in town. So if you’re in the mood for a nice dinner, Mission will not disappoint.

P.S. I apologize for the lack of photos on this one, I was so wrapped up in food and conversations I forgot. Plus, the lightning is very dim inside (that photo grain horror!) and photos are typically not possible. So enjoy the side of the building that’s pictured above.

If I learned anything from this trip it was to cherish friendship. As we get older we seldom make time for each other. I admit I’ve made plenty of excuses to hang out and often regret it. This trip was short but great and filled with tons of laughter and venting – both totally necessary things to relieve stress. So I encourage you to call up your girls and ask demand a weekend getaway.

Psst. . . Looking for more weekend getaways? Check out a few of these posts:

• 3 Perfect Days in Memphis: Itinerary (and Massive) Travel Guide

• Fun Things to do in Colorado Springs for Adults

• How to Spend a Charming Weekend Charleston, SC

Does this sound like your kind of girl’s getaway? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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