During my friend Elle’s visit, I planned a fun “girls trip” for us in Scottsdale. Scottsdale is a very popular city in Phoenix and definitely a tourist destination because of all it’s fabulous hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and more. I live in a southeast suburb of Phoenix and I don’t make it up to Scottsdale often but I love the area! This was Elle’s first time visiting Phoenix so I thought it would be fun for us to spend most of our trip in Scottsdale. We visited so many cute spots that I will be highlighting in this blog post.

Places

Desert Botanical Garden

I have never been to the Desert Botanical Garden and someone that Elle works with had recommended it to her so it was the perfect time to check it out and I’m so glad we did! The spring blooms in the desert setting was absolutely gorgeous. Around every corner was something gorgeous to photography, especially if you love desert landscapes as much as I do. It was so hot when we visited which was early afternoon, so we had to go through the gardens a little quickly since we had baby Sage with us. We went through the butterfly room as well which I definitely recommend!

Address: 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008

Heard Museum

My mom highly recommended Heard Museum, located in downtown Phoenix. This museum is dedicated to American Indian art from traditional pieces to modern, contemporary creations. There are 11 exhibit galleries and courtyards to stroll through. I loved the beautiful, traditional jewelry and clothing. While we were visiting, there was a special display of Pueblo style ceramics made by artist Maria Martinez. It was the perfect way to spend a hot afternoon in Phoenix! Tickets are $7-18 and are cheaper when booked in advance.

Address: 2301 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004

5th Avenue Shops

The 5th Avenue Arts District near Old Town Scottsdale is filled with trendy boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, and more. It is home to the famous and very beautiful Bob Parks horse fountain located in the roundabout in the middle of 5th Avenue Shops. I have been to this are a few times and I love the vibes there! Elle and I popped in to shops and grabbed ice cream at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. It’s also where Herb Box is located, another restaurant that we had brunch at.

Address: 5th Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Old Adobe Mission

The Old Adobe Mission (Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church) is a historic landmark located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. This beautiful church was one of the town’s earliest structures, completed in 1933, and is one of the only three remaining adobe structures left in Scottsdale. I love southwest style buildings, so I’m very attracted to the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the mission. Today, it is a one-of-a-kind setting for spiritual solitude. Old Town Scottsdale is very walkable so it’s an easy stop while touring the area.

Address: 3817 N Brown Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

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Restaurants

Chilte

Chilte has become a must try restaurant in Phoenix! It’s located right next to the lobby on the Egyptian Motor Hotel property. It was actually named “one of the best new restaurants of 2023” by Bon Appétit, and named to Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant list for 2023. They serve new school, Mexican food in the evening and coffee and pastries in the morning. Their plates are super inventive and creative and the interiors were funky, chic, with fun latin vibes. We loved our dining experience there! My favorite dishes were the yuca fries and cheesecake, so good.

Address: 765 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Hearth 61

We had an amazing brunch at Hearth 61 during our stay at Mountain Shadows Resort. I loved the chic, modern mid-century interiors and all the windows provided tons of natural light plus amazing views of the pool & Camelback Mountain. Our breakfast was perfection and I couldn’t get over how yummy the french toast we shared was! Elle had the breakfast hash and I had the eggs Benedict. It’s an amazing spot for brunch, but they also have a beautiful cocktail bar as well, perfect for grabbing a drink with a friend. The restaurant is located in Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley.

Address: 5445 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

The Herb Box

The Herb Box is a popular restaurant near Old Town Scottsdale, located in the 5th Avenue shops area. I had never eaten there before, so I was excited to try this spot out with Elle. The restaurant has a modern, southern feel to it with beautiful tile, upholstery, and pops of blue in the interiors. The restaurant has a cocktail bar, booths, and tables so it’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or drinks. We had an amazing brunch with several different plates, including a stunning charcuterie spread! My favorite dish, and Elle’s too, was their BLT Chicken Caesar flatbread. It was SO good!

Address: 7051 E 5th Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Prep & Pastry

I loved this chic eatery when I visited with my mom and sister a few years ago, so I knew I had to bring Elle here! Prep & Pastry serves flavorful American dishes, pastries, coffee, cocktails, and more. It is seriously the perfect brunch spot, especially if you plan on doing a little shopping in Fashion Square where the restaurant is located. The interiors are stunning as well which you know I love as a former Interior Designer. Their coffee was so good as well as our dishes, but that French toast was divine!

Address: 7025 E Via Soleri Dr #175, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

A Flour Shop

I love the concept of this bakery located in downtown Phoenix! A Flour Shop is a fabulous bakery, cafe, and flower shop. They make beautiful cakes for weddings and more. While we were visiting, the had a cake tasting set up that looked amazing, and I loved their shelf display of cake stands. The aesthetic of the interiors with chic wall paper, terrazzo, light wood, and brick was right up my alley. Elle and I picked out a few savory and sweet pastries which were lovely and my latte was perfection as well. They also had a lounge area with a neutral couch and a huge gold mirror that we took a selfie in lol.

Address: 803 N 7th St Suite 102, Phoenix, AZ 85006

Valentine

Valentine is a popular restaurant located inside of Modern Manor in the Melrose neighborhood of Central Phoenix. The restaurant has an eclectic, modern Arizona vibe to it with laid back indoor and outdoor seating. The bar serves coffee, cocktails, and Southwestern dishes. My mom met Elle and I here for lunch after our visit at the Heard Museum and afterwards we browsed through the vintage furniture and decor at Modern Manor. It was the perfect afternoon lunch spot!

Address: 4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013

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Boutiques

Market by Modern Nest

Modern Nest is a full-service design/build firm based in Scottsdale, dedicated to building timeless custom homes. Market by Modern Nest is their home furnishings boutique located in the 5th Avenue Shops. The items in the shop are carefully curated to make it easy to get their signature timeless look for your home. I love their design style and all of the home decor they had available to shop. Totally the look I would go for in my own home!

Address: 7038 E 5th Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Monsoon Market

This funky shop is natural wine, snacks, and gift shop. Moonsoon Market is passionate about carrying items from Indie, women-owned, and local businesses. You are bound to find something unique for yourself or a fun gift for a loved one. We stopped by to check out the shop before lunch with my mom at Valentine because the shop was on my list of places I had been wanting to check out in Phoenix. Elle and I picked up a few drinks and snacks to enjoy in our hotel room on the last night of our visit.

Address: 3508 N 7th St #140, Phoenix, AZ 85014

Modern Manor

If you love vintage & retro style as much as I do, then you need to check out Modern Manor‘s amazing collection of furniture, decor, and clothes. It’s located in the same building as Valentine, so after we had lunch with my mom, we strolled through the shop and then grabbed coffee on our way out. I love places like this, the perfect spot to shop & grab coffee/bites!

Address: 4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013

Hotels

Mountain Shadows is located in Scottsdale’s Paradise Valley, just ten minutes from Old Town Scottsdale and 30 min to downtown Phoenix. The setting is immaculate with stunning views of Camelback Mountain on either side of the resort. It first opened in 1959 and was renowned for its distinctive design and desert luxury. Since then it has been re-envisioned with contemporary design that still honors the hotel’s mid-century history.

Address: 5445 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

Egyptian Motor Hotel

If you love music and retro vibes as much as I do, then you would love this hotel in downtown Phoenix, Egyptian Motor Hotel! My friend Elle and I stayed there for 3 nights during our girl’s trip and had an amazing stay. It’s an old mid century building that has been re-invisioned into this fun, boutique hotel. There are so many things to love about this hotel from the Egyptian Live Bar to the fabulous restaurant on the property, Chilte.

Address: 765 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007

XOXO