Phoenix-Scottsdale is a sprawling desert conurbation best known for its golf resorts and towering cacti, but there is plenty to do for those looking for something a little different. The area is both a historic and modern epicenter of Native American culture in the Southwestern United States. And outside of summer, when temperatures are extreme, it is a great place for hiking and fresh farm-to-table food. Here are some of our favorite things to do while in the area.

Explore the Culture

Taliesin West

This low-slung stone property is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterworks of midcentury architecture. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site and National Historic Landmark, it was built as Wright’s winter home and the headquarters of the Taliesin Fellowship, a community of artisans and their families who studied and worked there. It is now home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the School of Architecture at Taliesin. As the most iconic building in Scottsdale, it is a popular tourist destination. To avoid the crowds, we visited on a weekday afternoon. It was busy even then but definitely worth seeing. Despite the agonizingly robotic docent leading our group, we still managed to enjoy ourselves. Watch our video highlights from our tour. Advance tickets required. Closed for tours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June, July and August.

Taliesin West
12621 North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, Scottsdale. Tel. (480) 860-2700