This past weekend I wanted some great weather and to enjoy some outdoor activities, so I thought what better place to be guaranteed that than Arizona. My girlfriend and two other friends decided to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and spend the weekend in Old Town, Scottsdale. Luckily my brother has a place down there in the heart of old town close to restaurants, bars and tons of things to do. Old town is only about a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport. One of the great things about where we stayed is we get to share facilities with the Hotel Valley Ho. If you aren’t familiar with this spot, it’s a cool, retro hotel that has been renovated and is now the place to be in Scottsdale. It has great restaurants – Cafe Zuzu restaurant has unreal breakfast and Trader Vic’s is a Polynesian spot with wings that are to die for! But the big draw is the pool area. On Saturdays they have a DJ spinning records and live acoustic music on Fridays.
However, the nightlife and culinary experience is the big draw of the area. Here is a list of the restaurants and bars you can’t miss:
Rusty Spur – Small cowboy bar located on main street with live music every night. Many big-time artist got their start here. The lead singer “Jimmy” has a unbelievable voice and gets the crowd into it with his witty lyrics.
Dos Gringos – This restaurant/bar has the most authentic tacos and Mexican food around – try the street-style taco’s. The open air courtyard has bags boards and provides a fun atmosphere for every age.
Culinary Dropout – Located on the waterfront close to the mall, this restaurant has a swanky feel to it and provides guests with delicious food options. Be sure to check out their house band on Sunday nights, I promise it won’t disappoint!
The Philadelphia Sandwich Shop – The place for late-night eats. Open 24-hours a day, you NEED to try the steak cheese wiz sandwich (yeah, I know it sounds weird!), it’s where dreams are made…
The Coach House – this small bar provides a great spot to relax inside or on their patio while enjoying a cocktail in the 90 degree weather. Their Christmas lights are up year-around!
RNR Restaurant – Try breakfast here and you will be amazed at the food quality – try the breakfast tacos or the vanilla bean pancakes! Did I mention the bloody mary’s come with a piece of crispy bacon.
Gelato Shop – No trip is complete without a place for dessert. Hands down the best gelato I have ever had. Get one scoop of peanut butter and another of cake batter. You can thank me later.
All of these places are close to the Hotel Valley Ho. You are also minutes from hiking at Camelback Mountain, which has multiple levels of difficulty for their hikes. We did a 45-min hike, but make sure you do it early in the morning before that blazing sun hits you. Save the mid day sun for being at the pool!
Visiting Scottsdale can be fun for a quick weekend trip. This destination is jam-packed with great weather, plethora of fantastic restaurants and bars, world-class golf and tons of great hiking paths. I promise you will enjoy everything this place has to offer.
- Steven Delta Vacations
*Photo taken by oRobin
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