Scottsdale, Arizona is a picturesque desert destination with stunning natural scenery, luxurious resorts, fine dining, and cultural attractions perfect for a romantic getaway.
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise | Scenic flight over Sonoran Desert with brunch |
| Hiking & Picnicking in McDowell Mountains | Scenic trails and picnicking spots |
| Couples Massages & Treatments | Luxury spa experiences at various resorts |
| Stroll through Old Town Scottsdale | Walkways with boutiques, galleries, and restaurants |
| Cooking Class for Couples | Gourmet meal preparation classes |
| Horseback Riding in the Desert | Sunset rides and vineyard picnics |
| Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art | Modern art exhibits and terrace dining |
| Sip Drinks Around a Fire Pit | Cozy fire pits in Old Town Scottsdale |
| Ceramics Class Together | Pottery making with wine |
| Tour the Desert Botanical Garden | Trails and exhibits amidst desert flora |
| Enjoy Live Music & Dancing | Local music and dance scenes |
| Relax in a Poolside Cabana | Luxury cabana experiences at resorts |
From couples massages to sunset horseback rides, Scottsdale offers many options for an unforgettable date night or intimate weekend together. Here are the top 12 most romantic things to do in Scottsdale:
Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
Name and Location: Hot air balloon rides launch from various locations in and around Scottsdale, Arizona.
History and Significance: Hot air balloon rides have been popular in the Scottsdale area since the 1970s for viewing the beautiful desert landscape from the air. The calm early morning hours are perfect for floating in a hot air balloon.
What to Expect: Typical hot air balloon rides last about an hour and begin just before sunrise. You’ll ascend to around 1,000-3,000 feet for panoramic views. Many companies offer champagne toasts.
Visitor Information: Book ahead with companies like Hot Air Expeditions or Rainbow Ryders. Flights are available year-round. Dress for cool early mornings.
A hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert as the sun peeks above the horizon creates pure romance. Cuddle close together in the basket as your balloon gently drifts over cactus gardens, red rock formations, and desert washes awash in dawn light.
Top companies like Hot Air Expeditions offer sunrise champagne flights complete with a gourmet brunch after landing. Toast to your shared adventure floating thousands of feet in the air.
Go Hiking & Picnicking in the McDowell Mountains
Name and Location: The McDowell Mountain Regional Park is located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
History and Significance: The park offers access to the McDowell Mountains, known for beautiful Sonoran Desert scenery. Hiking trails range from easy to strenuous.
What to Expect: Hike scenic trails like Gateway Loop or Pemberton. Stop to admire views and snap photos. End with a picnic lunch together under a ramada.
Visitor Information: The park is open daily from sunrise to 10pm. There is an entrance fee per vehicle. Leashed dogs allowed.
Head to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park for a romantic day of scenic hiking and picnicking. Follow the gentle Pemberton Trail through giant saguaros and past overlooks of the Verde River valley.
Spread out a blanket at the trail’s Cienaga Rest Area to enjoy snacks as you nestle together admiring panoramas ofScottsdaleand the surrounding mountains. End with a glittering desert sunset viewed from the hills.
Indulge in Couples Massages & Treatments
Name and Location: Many spas in Scottsdale, AZ offer couples services. Popular options are The Phoenician Spa, Alvadora Spa, Well & Being Spa.
History and Significance: Couples massages allow partners to relax and unwind together. Scottsdale spas offer treatments from aromatherapy to hot stone massage.
What to Expect: Choose from Swedish massage, deep tissue, reflexology and more. Side-by-side treatments allow you to enjoy quality time together. Many spas offer couples suites with amenities like tubs and fireplaces.
Visitor Information: Book couples services in advance. Wear comfortable clothing. Gratuities expected for good service.
Relaxation and pampering set the mood for romance, so book couples services at one of Scottsdale’s many luxury resort spas. Melt stress away with side-by-side massages in curtained cabanas at the Waldorf Astoria Spa or inside a private suite at the Bacchanalian Spa at the Royal Palms Resort.
Follow massages with herbal bath soaks, facials, and therapeutic body treatments you can experience together.
Stroll through Old Town Scottsdale
Name and Location: Old Town Scottsdale is located in downtown Scottsdale, Arizona.
History and Significance: This historic district features some of the oldest buildings, art galleries, shops, and restaurants in Scottsdale. It provides a walkable downtown area.
What to Expect: Old Town offers pedestrian-friendly streets lined with boutiques, souvenir shops, cafes, and art galleries. Events like art walks take place on weekends.
Visitor Information: Old Town is open year-round and always lively. Parking garages provide convenient access. Guided tours available.
Old Town Scottsdale’s pedestrian walkways lined with boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and public art make for idyllic romantic strolling. Pop into local tasting rooms like AZ Hops & Vines for a flight then share tapas and wine at olive & ivy.
Stop to snap photos of iconic Old Town spots like the “LOVE” letters. End your walk at one of the chic, open-air bars along the waterfront for sunset cocktails and live music.
Take a Cooking Class for Couples
Name and Location: Couples cooking classes are offered by Sur La Table,EVENTS, and The Fascination cooking school in Scottsdale.
History and Significance: Couples cooking classes allow you to learn new culinary skills together in a fun, intimate setting. Scottsdale classes range from basic to advanced.
What to Expect: Hands-on instruction guiding you through preparing appetizers, entrees, desserts and more. Learn cooking techniques and dine on the dishes you create. Includes drinks like wine or cocktails.
Visitor Information: Classes are typically 2-3 hours and held on weekends or evenings. Make reservations 1-2 weeks in advance.
Instead of going out for dinner, learn to prepare a gourmet meal together at a couples cooking class. Both Sophie’s Kitchen and the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale offer culinary classes teaching you to create dishes like ceviche, wood-fired pizza, and chocolate soufflé as a team.
Get hands-on experience prepping ingredients, ask questions of the chef, and laugh together as you pick up kitchen skills before sitting down to enjoy the multi-course meal you cooked by candlelight.
Go Horseback Riding in the Desert
Name and Location: Several stables near Scottsdale offer desert horseback riding including Ponderosa Stables and MacDonald’s Ranch.
History and Significance: Horseback riding through the desert and mountains surrounding Scottsdale provides a peaceful couples experience with beautiful natural scenery.
What to Expect: Typical 1-2 hour guided trail rides at scenic desert locations. Riding instruction and assistance provided. All experience levels welcome.
Visitor Information: Make reservations 24 hours in advance. Wear pants, closed-toe shoes, sun protection. Arrive 15 minutes early. Rates start around $50 per person.
For an adventurous couples activity unlike any other, book a sunset horseback ride through the Saguaro-dotted desert outside Scottsdale. Take in views of the Valley from atop your steed as expert wranglers lead you along gentle trails with the McDowell Mountains as a backdrop.
Companies like Los Cedros or MacDonald’s Ranch even offer wine rides where you’ll stop for a vineyard picnic. Riding side-by-side is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
View Art at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Name and Location: The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is located in downtown Scottsdale, Arizona.
History and Significance: This modern art museum, opened in 1999, features rotating exhibits by contemporary artists from around the world. It offers a unique couples activity.
What to Expect: View diverse exhibits showcasing contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media. Free guided tours help enrich the experience.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Wednesday 10am-5pm, Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm. Admission is $10 per person.
This innovative downtown museum offers immersive modern art exhibits in a minimalist building surrounded by eye-catching sculptures. Touring the unique galleries full of inspiring artworks makes for a refined date activity.
After your visit, discuss your interpretations of the art over espresso and pastries at the museum’s Palette Restaurant on the terrace. The stunning natural and architectural setting enhances the romantic mood.
Sip Drinks Around a Fire Pit
Name and Location: Many restaurants and resorts in Scottsdale offer cocktail service around cozy fire pits. Popular spots include The Phoenician, Virtù Honest Craft, and Dietz Poolside Kitchen.
History and Significance: Sipping drinks by a fire pit provides a romantic atmosphere to relax with your partner at the end of the day.
What to Expect: Lounge on comfortable seating around a crackling fire. Bask in the warmth while you enjoy a glass of wine, craft cocktail or beer. Order food to share.
Visitor Information: Make reservations where required, especially during peak seasons. Dress for cool evenings.
On cooler desert nights, cozy up around one of Old Town Scottsdale’s many fire pits for an intimate experience. Order Sonoran-inspired craft cocktails at Barrio Queen’s outdoor fire pit or share a bottle of wine at The Mission’s 8-foot fireplace.
Chauncey Social has chic cabanas surrounding flickering fire pits on the patio where you can connect over conversation and s’mores. Scottsdale nightlife takes on a romantic glow when illuminated by firelight.
Take a Ceramics Class Together
Name and Location: Ceramics studios in Scottsdale offer couples classes including Scottsdale Ceramic Art, All Fired Up!, and Platners Clay Studio.
History and Significance: Learning to make pottery and clay art can be a fun, creative couples activity. Scottsdale has many ceramics studios and classes perfect for pairs.
What to Expect: Create functional pieces like mugs or whimsical art together. Instruction guides you through using clay, operating the wheel, and glazing. No experience needed.
Visitor Information: Classes are typically 2 hours starting at $60 per person. Make reservations 1-2 weeks before the desired class time.
Get creative while bonding during a couples ceramics workshop at Wine & Design in Scottsdale. Sip wine while an instructor guides you step-by-step through crafting plates, mugs, figurines, or vases on the pottery wheel.
Get your hands a little dirty together molding clay creations you can take home as mementos of your artistic date night.
Tour the Desert Botanical Garden
Name and Location: The Desert Botanical Garden is located in Papago Park, Phoenix just outside Scottsdale.
History and Significance: This outdoor garden, open since 1939, showcases desert plants from around the world. It provides a scenic natural setting for couples.
What to Expect: Walk through trails to see cacti, wildflowers, and desert trees. Unique exhibits like a butterfly garden. Knowledgeable guides available.
Visitor Information: Open 8am-8pm daily. Admission is $24.95 per person. Discounts available for AAA, students, military.
The sprawling Desert Botanical Garden provides a beautiful, tranquil setting for a romantic stroll. Meander through special exhibitions in the indoor gallery then follow winding trails past exotic desert flora.
Look for unique varieties of cacti and wildflowers while admiring the lush desert landscape. Stop to relax in the central courtyard before grabbing a bite to eat at the onsite café surrounded by gardens.
Enjoy Live Music & Dancing
Name and Location: Scottsdale has many lively venues for couples to enjoy live music and dancing including The Nash, BS West, El Hefe, Gracies Tax Bar.
History and Significance: Couples can let loose, enjoy music, and dance closely together at Scottsdale’s vibrant clubs and bars that host live entertainment.
What to Expect: Dance and mingle in upbeat atmospheres with full bands, singers, DJs playing genres like jazz, rock, country and pop.
Visitor Information: Music and crowds pick up late evening and weekends. Cover charges may apply. 21+ only at most locations.
Experience Scottsdale’s lively music scene together by two-stepping at a local honky-tonk or sitting close at an intimate jazz club. Catch live bands while line dancing at the rustic Ranch 716 or put on cowboy boots for a night at Handlebar J, a high-energy country bar with mechanical bull riding.
For slower tunes, listen to piano at AZ88 or the Grey Hen Jazz Club. Moving to music creates fun couple memories.
Relax in a Poolside Cabana
Name and Location: Many resorts in Scottsdale offer luxurious poolside cabanas including The Phoenician, The Westin Kierland, and Hotel Valley Ho.
History and Significance: Renting a cabana provides VIP poolside relaxation and amenities for couples seeking quality time together.
What to Expect: Shaded, private cabanas with plush seating, flat screen TVs, outlets, refrigerators, food/drink service and pool views.
Visitor Information: Reserve cabanas early, especially for weekends. Rental fees typically $100-500+ depending on amenities and season.
Many resorts in Scottsdale offer luxurious poolside cabanas perfect for relaxing in style with your sweetie. At the Phoenician, cabanas come with private pools, TVs, and butler service delivering food and cocktails.
Or book a two-person cabana at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn complete with cushy furniture, ceiling fans, and poolside service. Spend a day lounging together in the lap of luxury.
Conclusion
Scottsdale provides an amazing setting for romance with its stunning desert scenery, high-end amenities, unique date spots, and wealth of couple-friendly activities. You’ll find everything from adrenaline-pumping adventures to total relaxation and pampering.
The city’s vibrant arts scene, outdoor trails, and world-class resorts give couples endless options to connect while creating special memories together. Whether celebrating a milestone or just looking to reignite the spark, Scottsdale is guaranteed to fan the flames of romance all year long.