Attractions and Activities

Kierland Commons Shopping Area

Scottsdale Historical Museum
Originally built as Scottsdale's first "Little Red School House," this facility was used most recently by the Chamber of Commerce during its restoration and conservation. Collections include an exhibit featuring Winfield Scott, the founding father of Scottsdale. Photographs and memorabilia representing the history and culture of "The West's Most Western Town" are featured. There is an on-site gift shop with interesting specialty books for children and adults. Admission is free. See website for event calendar and more.
Address: 7333 E. Scottsdale Mall (P.O. Box 143) Scottsdale 85251

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
This Scottsdale museum displays a large variety of frequently changing contemporary art exhibits and special events for adults and families. Photographs, paintings and sculpture are just some of the highlighted talents. Opening Dec. 17th, 'southwestNET: techno', an exhibition featuring artists from the southwest using groundbreaking new technologies in their work. Devoted to the art, architecture and design of our time, SMoCA offers free art lectures, symposiums, workshops and poetry readings, providing a forum where visitors can interact with contemporary artists. Admission: $7 adults; $5 students; free for children 15 and under. Free admission every Thursday. Phone: +1 480 994 2787 Hours: W noon-5p, Th 10a-8p, F-Sa 10a-5p, Su noon-5p Address: 7374 E 2nd St Scottsdale 85251

Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours Inc.
Head out to the only authentic ghost town in the valley, at the foot of the Superstition Mountains. Learn about the mystery surrounding the Lost Dutchman Mine and tour an actual historic shaft. Enjoy scenic mountain views from a superior angle. Other features include gunfights, a narrow-gauge railroad, a mining equipment museum, as well as shopping and restaurants. Admission ranges from $2-$5 per activity. See website for complete list of activities and merchants.
Phone: +1 480 983 0333 Hours: Daily 10a-5p
Address: 4650 N Mammoth Mine Road Apache Junction 85219

Casino Arizona
Have a little gambling fun and catch a Vegas-style show! Enjoy 1,500 slot Machines including 80 high-limit slots, live blackjack, 50 poker tables, and live fast-action Keno.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West
Built in the late 1930s, this cluster of buildings is now a National Historic Landmark. Patterned after the flow and feeling of the desert surrounding it, this school was the architect's favorite building. Learning by doing was the theme of Wright's teaching style, and this philosophy remains today. Highlights of the center include Wright's former office, a Cabaret Theater and the Pavilion Theater. Tours are available daily and start at $14.50 for the hour-long Panorama version. Phone: +1 480 860 2700 Address: 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard Scottsdale 85259

Jeep/Hummer/ATV Tours
Cover wild desert terrain in one of these powerful recreational vehicles. Your guide will take you out to the high desert to see stunning scenery and learn about Arizona and its native people’s history, as well as the geography, plant life, and other interesting tidbits to take home. Tours generally last 4-5 hours, and pick-up from the main lobby is available.

Van Tours
Tour all over Arizona and into Mexico (passport required) in comfortable, customized vans. Your driver-guide will regale you with fascinating historical and geographic anecdotes to make the trip more memorable. Half-day tours cover the city of Phoenix and Valley of the Sun highlights and average $38/person. Evening tours to arts events and dinner average $49/person. Full-day tours take you to one or more of these beautiful sites: Sedona, Jerome, the Grand Canyon, Tucson, Nogales or Los Algodones (both in Mexico), Tombstone, Kartchner Caverns, the Apache Trail, or the Verde Canyon (includes a train ride!). All-day tours are $65-229/person, depending on the itinerary.

Horseback Riding
Nearby ranches offer guided trail rides—at a gentle pace, since the rough desert terrain is not conducive to all-out galloping! Hours vary according to each ranch’s schedule, with one-to-two-hour rides most common. Half- and full-day rides are available when booked at least 24 hours in advance. Cost varies from ranch to ranch, some hourly, some per ride, averaging $35-85/person (not including meals).

Hot Air Ballooning
Float over the Sonoran Desert in a hot air balloon for limitless panoramas, then finish up with the traditional champagne toast. Sunrise flights are year-round, while sunset flights are available November through March. Transportation is provided to the balloon launch site, and departure-to-return time is about 3-3.5 hours, with about one hour spent in the air. Cost averages $190/person.

Helicopters.
If you’re driving to the Grand Canyon on your own or with an Open Road custom van tour, you can add in a helicopter ride to view the majesty of the canyon from up high. Contact Papillon Helicopters at (800) 528-2418