Walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings. You can grab a drink or bite in the Saloon or de Cantina Cafe.

Downtown Scottsdale - more commonly known as Old Town Scottsdale - offers boutique shopping featuring souvenirs, jewelry and art with a Southwestern flair, or luxury shopping at one of the country's best malls. A density of bars, lounges, restaurants and clubs offer myriad dining and nightlife opportunities within short distance of each other. And art fans can peruse the galleries of Main Street and visit the district's contemporary and western museums.

Old Town Scottsdale has some of the best dining around town.

If you're looking for some historic spots, the Sugar Bowl has been an Old Town Scottsdale rite of passage for dessert since 1958.

Coffee lovers can get their kick at roasteries like Press Coffee or Cartel Coffee Lab.

Visitors can stroll through five thematic trails to explore the fascinating beauty of the Sonoran Desert, from towering cacti and alluring succulents to brilliant wildflowers and lush trees. Scroll through the Garden's calendar so not to miss festive events and dazzling exhibitions. Delve deeper to learn about desert landscaping, nature art, cooking and wellness and more through the Garden's various adult and children's classes.

Looking for great outdoor recreation just minutes from downtown and the airport? Take a hike around the red butte formations in Papago Park, including the iconic Hole-in-the-Rock Trail.

Papago Park has been home to many different pieces of Phoenix history: it was a reservation for indigenous tribes, a fish hatchery during the Great Depression, a POW camp during World War II, and a VA hospital. Today, the park is home to The Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, golf courses, various museums, baseball fields, lakes, and Sonoran Desert plants and animals.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 2.3-mile loop (Double Butte) and 825 feet out and back (Hole-in-the-Rock)

What better way to ogle the uncanny red sandstone formations of Papago Park than hiking around (and inside) them? The smaller two of these beautiful buttes can be explored on an easy dirt loop that starts in the West Park parking lot, accessible from Galvin Parkway. Then, drive across the street to the park’s east side for a quick climb up rocky stairs to peek out from the cave-like Hole-in-the-Rock, a popular landmark (and prehistoric solstice-tracking tool) with views of an oasis and distant city skyline.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 2.3-mile loop (Double Butte) and 825 feet out and back (Hole-in-the-Rock)

For an easygoing introduction to quintessential Sonoran Desert scenery, this trail is your pick. The flat, meandering path lets you take your eyes off your footing to scope out towering saguaros, tangled ocotillos, bristling bushes of cholla and the banded ridgeline of nearby Pass Mountain.

Difficulty: Hard

Distance: 4.6 miles out and back

An opportunity to take a thumbs-up photo with this trail’s signature formation. To get there and enjoy the views, otherworldly upland boulder fields and desert flora along the way, you’re going to need to gain some elevation. The trailhead’s north side starts you out with a series of strenuous switchbacks. Once you’re up in the land of boulders, keep an eye out for rock climbers and enjoy the trail until you reach the Thumb itself.