Tons of great restaurants and shops. Mucho fun to explore on foot or a great 'bars on bikes' adventure!

Some of our favorite restaurants:

AZ88- Swank vibe and amazing food. Fun fact: across the Civic Center lawn, you'll find the library where Kelly used to work!

Blanco- Delicious Mexican food- the cheese crisps are so good and they have a cool patio scene with micheladas!! Also super close to the hotels on Scottsdale Road.

Chelsea's Kitchen- This farm to table restaurant has really fresh, awesome food and a super cute patio. I'd recommend for BRUNCH!

Craft64-First place Mike and I went on a solo date without Jessie, Justin and Molly!* Also, has the some of the best wood-fired pizzas and craft beers imo!

Cornish Pasty- Delicious pasties and beer with a hipster vibe...you can't really go wrong, right?! This might be Mike's favorite restaurant on this list!

Roaring Fork- Very close to the hotels and VERY good happy hour with a huckleberry marg that will blow you away. Practically all the food on the menu makes me drool, but the burger, green chile pork, mac & cheese and chips/guacamole/queso are all divine.

*Our real first date was at Joyride Tacos. It's where I got to see Mike drop food he was eating for the first time! (swoon!) It's also yummy if you're up for a drive to central Phoenix!


And now for the bars...

Coach House- If you like Christmas lights and dive bars, then you'll dig the oldest bar in Scottsdale. It's one of my favs.

Grapevine- Late night karaoke anyone? We'll see you there!

Old Town Tavern- Ice cold beer, live music & good times...I stole that from their website but it basically says it all!

Rusty Spur Saloon- Bring your dancing shoes and be prepared to take a shot! (and by dancing shoes, I obviously mean cowboy boots!)

You can't visit the valley without seeing the desert! We'd recommend getting outside at some point to take in the wild west! Just don't forget the water & sunscreen!

Hikes around the Valley:

Camelback Mountain- This is my favorite! It's a beautiful, quick and fun hike that gives 360 degree views of the whole valley at the top of the mountain. Just don't go hungover... it can be tough at certain spots!

Squaw Peak- aka Piestewa Peak, this is an awesome hike and also offers some amazing views but will definitely give you a workout. A bit further from the hotels, but worth it if you want to check out Phoenix!

Quartz Ridge- You'll find the trail head at 32nd and Lincoln (conveniently located across the street from a Starbucks!). This is a pretty laidback, easy hike and also offers some scenic selfie spots throughout! Lots of trail options for those who like to explore.

McDowell Mountain Preserves- A bit of a drive into North Scottsdale, but well worth it! This was the hike I took Mike on when he first visited me for a weekend. Beautiful views and great running (or walking) trails with an extra dose of the southwest desert. Seriously- you'll be surrounded by Saguaros and Jumping Cholla.

Here's a few more cool ideas for seeing the sights...

Scottsdale Fashion Square- The best mall in the world! Literally grew up here, hanging out with my friends. There are amazing stores and tons of great restaurants to boot.

Camelview Theater- Located at Fashion Square, if you're a fan of watching movies ...with a drink... in a recliner, then you'll love this place!

Mill Avenue- Located next door to ASU, this is a great street to walk down and get the college-y feel. Reminds me of downtown Ann Arbor! Ask me if you want restaurant recs, but off the top of my head, Caffe Boa is top notch!

Golf- I mean...if you like golfing, you've come to the right place! Pick a course and enjoy the sunshine! I know that's what Mike will probably be doing on Saturday morning with his dad and brothers!