Discover an oasis in the desert in Scottsdale

Scottsdale pairs a Western-era downtown with a wider stretch of desert, resort corridors, and office parks spread across the northeast side of the Phoenix metro area. Old Town Scottsdale anchors the city's historic core with early 1900s storefronts, rooftop lounges, and a Saturday farmers market. McDowell Sonoran Preserve protects more than 30,500 acres and over 230 miles of trail on the city's northern edge. A free trolley system and a growing bike lane network connect Old Town to surrounding neighborhoods, and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) sits within a short drive by way of Loop 202.

Arts and culture run deep across Scottsdale, led by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art's design and architecture exhibitions inside a converted movie theater and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West's Smithsonian-affiliated collection nearby. Popular dining options include Old Town's James Beard Award-winning kitchens to the casual restaurant corridors farther south. Outdoor recreation ranges from golf at TPC Scottsdale to cycling throughout McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Transportation and accessibility

On the move

Public transportation

The City of Scottsdale's free trolley system runs multiple routes through Old Town and connects to the wider Valley Metro regional bus network, which covers more than a dozen routes across the city along corridors including Scottsdale Road and McDowell Road. Scottsdale has no light rail service of its own, so the trolley and bus network carry most of the city's transit ridership, and routes connect to Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, and Arizona State University.

Airports

Scottsdale Airport (SCF), a city-operated general aviation facility in the Scottsdale Airpark with no scheduled commercial service, sits in the northern part of the city. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) handles commercial and international flights and is roughly 15 miles southwest of Scottsdale, approximately 15 to 35 minute drive depending on traffic and specific destination within Scottsdale. Sky Harbor serves as a hub for American Airlines, with a large base of Southwest Airlines flights as well.

Cars and driving

Loop 101 runs along Scottsdale's eastern edge, and Loop 202 connects the city's southern neighborhoods to Tempe and Downtown Phoenix, typically a 20 to 30 minute drive outside of rush hour. Scottsdale Road runs north-south through the entire city, and McDowell Road serves as a primary east-west corridor through the southern neighborhoods. Rush hour can stretch travel times along these corridors, and several Valley Metro park and ride locations offer an alternative for longer commutes.

Pedestrians and bicycles

Scottsdale has held Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community status since 2011, with dedicated bike lanes running through Old Town and several other city corridors. The Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt offers a paved, largely grade-separated path connecting parks along the city's southern side, and McDowell Sonoran Preserve's trail network borders the city's northern neighborhoods for longer rides and outings. Many of Old Town's shops and restaurants sit close by one another, cutting down on car trips for daily errands, and leashed pets are welcome along most trail and canal-side paths.

Industry and job market

Your next job awaits

Scottsdale sits inside a metro economy consistently ranked among the top job markets in the country, with tourism, healthcare, technology, and finance driving much of the city's growth. Choose Scottsdale, the city's economic development office, reports Scottsdale is home to more than 25,000 businesses, and nearly a fifth of Arizona's corporate headquarters call the city home, giving job seekers a wide mix of industries to choose from across both the resort corridors and the office parks farther south.

Healthcare

HonorHealth's Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, a Level I trauma center and teaching hospital, anchors much of the city's healthcare job market, and Mayo Clinic's Arizona campus adds further clinical, research, and administrative healthcare roles within the city, creating openings in nursing, specialty care, and medical administration.

Technology services

SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center houses more than 50 companies ranging from startups to established technology firms across its office campus, supporting a growing base of software, data, and consulting jobs tied to Arizona State University.

Leisure and hospitality

Scottsdale's tourism sector supports tens of thousands of local jobs tied to its resorts, restaurants, and event calendar, with Old Town Scottsdale's galleries and dining scene and WestWorld of Scottsdale's equestrian and event venue both supporting steady hospitality employment.

Finance and insurance

Finance and insurance employers with a presence in Scottsdale support roles in risk management, actuarial science, and client services throughout the city's office corridors.

Government

City of Scottsdale offices maintain administrative and public services throughout the city, offering public sector careers spanning community services, planning, and public works.

Educational services

Scottsdale Unified School District offers teaching, administrative, and support positions across the schools serving Scottsdale, and SkySong's Arizona State University ties add further research and administrative roles within the city.

Education

Education for every age

Scottsdale falls within the Scottsdale Unified School District, which marked 130 years of operation in 2026 and posted the highest overall performance in Maricopa County on Spring 2025 state assessments in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The district earned recognition as a National Board District of Distinction from the Arizona K-12 Center for its number of nationally certified teachers, and three of its elementary schools, Anasazi, Kiva, and Redfield, were named 2026 A+ Schools of Excellence by the Arizona Educational Foundation.

Things to do

Out and about

Scottsdale blends a historic downtown with museums, golf, and desert preserve access spread across the wider city. Old Town Scottsdale's connected districts hold galleries, boutiques, and a weekly farmers market, while Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and Western Spirit anchor the city's arts and history scene close by. Farther north, McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Taliesin West round out a mix of outdoor recreation and architecture close to home.

Our top picks

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

One of the largest permanently protected urban desert preserves in the world, this preserve spans more than 30,500 acres and over 230 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrians, with multiple trailheads offering parking, restrooms, and interpretive signage.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Set inside a converted movie theater, this museum focuses on modern and contemporary art, architecture, and design, with rotating exhibitions and a permanent skyspace installation by artist James Turrell.

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

This Smithsonian affiliate covers the art, history, and culture of the American West across galleries, sculpture, and rotating exhibitions, with docent-led tours running several times daily.

Taliesin West

Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and desert laboratory sits at the base of the McDowell Mountains, with guided tours of the architect's studio, living quarters, and desert-influenced design details.

WestWorld of Scottsdale

This equestrian and event venue hosts horse shows, concerts, and community events throughout the year across its arenas and event space in North Scottsdale.

TPC Scottsdale

Home to the PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open, this golf facility features the Stadium Course and Champions Course, along with a golf shop and instruction programs open to the public.

Old Town Scottsdale

This historic core blends early 1900s storefronts with rooftop lounges, contemporary galleries, and nine connected districts spreading out from Main Street and Brown Avenue, including a weekly farmers market.