We’ve been lucky enough to take two trips to Scottsdale this year and we plan on going back! Scottsdale is home to gorgeous sprawling hotels, amazing restaurants, challenging hiking, and tons of natural beauty to explore. And best of all, it’s not CHICAGO IN THE WINTER. Anything that is not Chicago in the winter, is great in my book.
WHERE TO STAY:
Omni Montelucia: We’ve had the pleasure of staying here on both of our trips! The property is stunning with views of Camelback Mountain in the distance beyond colorful buildings and a sea of palm trees. This property is BIG. Big enough that they bring you and your luggage to your room via golf cart (Weeeeeeeee!!). Request a room facing Camelback Mountain preferably on the second level above the oasis pool. The views from your balcony will be spectacular! We spent many a day relaxing by their pool, drinking fresh watermelon cocktails, taking in the scenery. The hotel has gorgeous landscaping, hammocks, bocci ball, and multiple areas with fire pits to sit and sip cocktails at night. We spent a day at their amazing spa, which I’ll tell you more about further down.
Four Seasons Scottsdale: The Four Seasons in Scottsdale is next on my hit list. The hotel itself is nestled high into the foothills of Pinnacle Peak, a popular hiking trail in the Sonoran Desert. The rooms themselves are individual adobe style casitas, many of which include private patios with fire pits or even plunge pools (SWOON)!! The hotel itself seems to really embody the magic and tranquility of the desert’s magic. This would be an amazing hotel for a weekend escape of relaxation and pampering in their amazing spa.
WHERE TO EAT:
There is nothing sleepy or deserted about the food and drink scene in Scottsdale. If you can fit in even half of my recommendations, you will be in great shape.
Cafe Monarch: This may have been one of my favorite dining experiences of all time, anywhere, not just Scottsdale. I know this is a bold statement, but this restaurant has truly mastered its craft. I say experiences because although the food is top notch, the ambience is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. When you demand to sit in their back patio, you’ll be transported to an enchanted garden in Paris, lit only by a sea of candles and strings of lights, with 1920’s music playing in the background. I was smiling from ear to ear from the moment we sat down, lost in the romance of it all. I immediately told Kevin that some day, I will design my back yard to be just like the Cafe Monarch patio. The four-course menu is altered weekly. We each chose different items so that we could try everything. It was all outstanding! The service is impeccable. PLEASE GO!!!
Diego Pops: Every corner of Diego Pops will make you want to whip out your phone and snap a pic. Their outdoor patio is full of fun colors, cacti, and just feels like vacation. The food is delicious. We each had guava coconut margaritas, served in a whole fresh coconut. I am a sucker for coconut flavored mojitos and margaritas and this one was amazing (plus you get to eat all of the yummy coconut at the end). We also had their signature brussels sprout nachos which have street corn queso, queso oaxaca, fresno chili, pickled onion, roasted garlic beet crema, and fried egg : delicious. After the nachos, we ordered a slew of tacos…which came out with 6 different sauces!! Serrano ranch. Salsa verde. Chipotle mayo. Roasted garlic beet crema. Guajillo chile. Habanero oil. I was in sauce heaven. We spent a good 10 minutes debating which sauce was the best. Make sure to order at least one taco with a fried crispy tortilla (to be healthy of course).
Virtu Honest Craft: Another gorgeous dining al fresco experience! Make sure to sit outside. Virtu Honest Craft’s ever-changing menu focuses on modern mediterranean inspired dishes. You must order the Polpo (tender and smoky octopus), Oriecchie (sweet and sour crispy pig ears, our favorite), and the sticky toffee cake with salted caramel gelato (this dessert inspired me to make my own version!! It’s amazing).
The Mission: Tableside guacamole. I mean, really really good tableside guacamole. We ordered the pork shoulder tacos with pineapple habanero glaze, battered shrimp tacos, tableside guacamole, elote corn, and a couple of margaritas. They have a charming back patio and lively ambiance! Stop here for lunch when you’re out exploring Old Town.
FnB: Tucked in a charming courtyard, in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, FnB is seriously something special. The head chef Charleen Badman’s restaurant was named “the epicenter of creative Arizona cuisine” by Food and Wine Magazine. The menu changes seasonally and sometimes even week to week. All of her vegetable dishes are exceptional. This is a great restaurant for a small group so that you can try more dishes!
Sel Restaurant: Chef Branden Levine was the chef at Cafe Monarch prior to opening his own restaurant. Based on how much we love Cafe Monarch, we knew we would love Sel. The menu of the two restaurants are set up very similarly with a four course prix fixe menu. We absolutely loved every thing we had at Sel. Stand outs were the braised shiitake mushroom “lasagna,” Hudson Valley fois gras, duck breast, and filet mignon with truffled egg ravioli.
Citizen Public House: The only restaurant I know with a Facebook group dedicated to its famous salad. Their original chopped salad aka the OMFG salad is THAT good. It’s tossed with smoked salmon, couscous, arugula, Asiago cheese, pepitas, black currants, dried sweet corn, marinated tomatoes, and a creamy herbaceous dressing. As soon as we got home from Scottsdale, I bought everything I would need to recreate it! Their sister restaurant The Gladly also has the salad and a much larger outdoor area if you are in the mood to sit outside. Citizen Public House is also known for their pork belly pastrami, short ribs, and bread pudding. However, if you’re just in the mood for a drink, the cocktails and bar scene is pretty amazing there too.
WHERE TO HAVE DRINKS:
Counter Intuitive: Amazing creative cocktail service tucked away with a hidden entrance in Old Town. Watching the mixologists craft up the cocktails is almost as fun as drinking them. Great ambiance. Make sure to sit at the bar!
Fat Ox: This gem specializes in crafting modern riffs on regional Italian classics. We wish we had been able to have dinner here. Instead, we stopped in for a drink and had great bartenders and delicious cocktails.
Second Story: Perfect date spot for before or after dinner drinks. This place is tall, dark, and handsome with a great craft cocktail menu and an expansive bourbon selection.
Jade Bar at the Sanctuary: Jade bar is located at the Sanctuary Resort on Camelback Mountain. This spot offers scenic views, live music, and a great outdoor patio. Try for a spot outside by the fireplace.
What to do:
Bike Scottsdale: Many of the resorts have bikes for free or for rent for you to explore. We rode 13 miles through the neighborhoods of Scottsdale, debating which desert mansion we would most like to call home. I cannot get enough of desert landscaping! The cacti! The bougainvillea !
The Joya Spa at Montelucia: We were lucky that the Montelucia happens to have one of the most amazing spas in Scottsdale. Joya Spa is the property’s 31,000 sq. ft. “landmark of luxurious pampering and is the heart of the resort.” When you enter the spa you are asked to choose from 5 healing stones to set the tone of your day in their joy of intention ritual. From there you move on to the Joy of Purification room which contains a 55 lb quartz crystal which radiates light in multiple colors. The whole place is pretty magical and ultimately relaxing. We opted for the couples massage package which included our massages and delicious lunch at the private roof top spa pool. We ended up spending the rest of the day at the spa pool relaxing, snacking, and taking in the stunning views of Camelback.
Desert Wolf Tours: This was incredibly fun and unlike anything we’ve ever done together before. On the Desert Wolf tour you are given your own Israeli military grade Tomcar ATV for a three hour off-roading experience. We learned a ton about the desert landscape, plant and animal life, survival, all while whipping and winding through some serious desert trails. If you’re itching for a little adventure, this is it.
Hike Camel Back: This mountain doesn’t boast having the most spectacular views of Phoenix and Scottsdale for nothin’. IT’S A HIKE, let me tell ya. Easily the most challenging hike I’ve ever done. You will be on all fours. You will need to slide down on your derrière, at moments. You will reach the top and be in disbelief that you’re only half way done. But, you will live you tell the tale. Like I am now….And only halfway encouraging you to do it 🙂
Wander Old Town: If you like Southwestern art, turquoise jewelry, and could spend hours wandering from boutique to boutique, Old Town Scottsdale is just for you. The area is also home to some of the hip eateries and awesome nightlife we mentioned earlier in the post.
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