Here Comes the Sun—Why We Love Scottsdale’s Summer Season

This summer, indulge in Scottsdale’s weather with plenty of indoor and outdoor activities as well as fun, tasty and relaxing ways to pass the time.

Treat Yourself

Scottsdale is chock full of fabulous hotel spas, many of which are happy to welcome locals and visitors alike for day visits. Treat yourself to a luxurious massage, facial or wrap at the Fairmount (sign up for their newsletter; they typically offer summer discounts, sometimes as much as 50 percent off select services). Or, spend an afternoon with friends getting mani-pedis at Away Spa in the W Hotel; they offer a cool 25 percent off services to Arizona residents.

Plan A Pool Party

Who doesn’t love a dip in the pool? You can also get creative with ways to keep people comfortable during the gathering. Misters are a popular and effective way to offer a little respite during a warm evening. They’re available in all shapes and sizes (and prices) online and are generally simple to assemble and install. You could also give each guest a handheld fan mister as a party favor; these have been around for ages, and will surely incite laughter.

Take A Drive

Scottsdale’s central location means it’s only a hop, skip and jump away from some of Arizona’s cooler-weather destinations. Pinetop is a quaint Arizona mountain town (at 6,804 feet!) that boasts temperatures in the mid-80s throughout the summer and offers a fantastic range of outdoor activities as well as quirky museums, lots of parks and funky restaurants and shops. A three-hour drive from Scottsdale, plan to spend a long day exploring or treat yourself to a get-away weekend. Other refreshing northern AZ activities are kayaking on the Verde River in Sedona and hiking in Flagstaff.

Photo by: High West Distillery

Photo by: High West Distillery

Indulge At Home

We all know that a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade is the epitome of summer, but let’s get a little adventurous with this classic drink and make some High West Lemonade instead. High West is an award-winning distillery in Park City, Utah and they make awfully tasty whiskey that just happens to pair wonderfully with, you guessed it, lemonade. So grab a bottle, mix up some of High West’s special syrup, add a dash of their Double Rye! and enjoy a glass on ice as the sun goes down. For a non-alcoholic, but equally tasty version, just omit the whiskey.    

Be creative—in addition to these suggestions, you can also meet up with your favorite group for an afternoon of sophisticated bowling at Mavrix, or check out Scottsdale’s Wine Trail in Old Town, where you can stay cool in your favorite tasting room or sip at all five. Whatever your pleasure, there’s plenty of fun to be had this summer! 

Tricia Cormie