10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Scottsdale

If you want to get yourself geared up to walk around Scottsdale after dinner, having something sweet for energy is a must-do. If you’re in the mood for an extravagant artisan milkshake or a chocolate bar, head to ZuZu Café in the downtown Hotel Valley Ho.

Craving ice cream? Sugar Bowl in Old Town Scottsdale has ice cream, shakes and malts, dessert sodas and floats (not to mention being in business for over 60 years). Sweet Republic is a popular ice cream parlour that's located in central Scottsdale.

Riding a segways is an entertaining and practical way to zoom around city streets without getting tired or going too fast to miss details – in this case, a molten desert sunset.

Arizona is renowned for its sunsets, so head over to the Old Town district and book a “Sunsets, Segways, & City Lights Tour” through Scottsdale Segway Tours for a 2-hour guided experience of Old Town Scottsdale. Tours start at 7 pm, so make sure you’ve finished up with dinner before then.

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most famous American architects that ever lived, and Taliesin West, his desert home and workspace in Scottsdale, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tucked at the base of the desert foothills, Taliesin West and its open-concept grounds and buildings are designed to highlight the beauty of the desert, including its sunsets.

The Night Lights tour not only includes a rooftop sunset and a tour of the site, but also a fire-breathing dragon. Yes, it’s a sculpture, but it does breathe real fire. 

Drive 10 minutes south from Old Town Scottsdale to the Desert Botanical Garden to not only see desert flora at night but also premium views of the night sky. The Desert Botanical Garden has many night-blooming plants and nocturnal animals, along with light displays and artistic glass sculptures. Scenic viewpoints offer unparalleled views of city lights and opportunities for some premium stargazing.

Hike the hillside trail, or the Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail, for a trek that ends on top of a large hill with a covered scenic viewpoint. The Contemplation Garden, off the Desert Discovery Trail, also offers a scenic viewpoint. Check the calendar of the Desert Botanical Garden for seasonal night-time and holiday events that happen throughout the year.

If you’re feeling up for kicking up your heels and learning some new moves or just drinking and listening to some great live country-western music, drive around 15 minutes north of Old Town Scottsdale to Handlebar J. Music and dancing start at 7.30 pm. If the cowboy hats hanging from the ceiling don’t get you in the Western spirit, we don’t know what will

Around 25 min south of Old Town,  Scootin Boots dance hall offers lessons for different types of country dancing – line dancing and country swing are popular options – every evening of the week. Most lessons start between 6 pm to 8 pm.

If you can’t decide how to split the dinner bill, why not race for it? A 15-minute drive north from Old Town Scottsdale will get you to Octane Raceway, where you can zoom around a 1/3 mile indoor/outdoor track (the only full-time indoor/outdoor track in the USA). 

Don’t forget to wear closed-toed shoes if you want to enjoy go-karting. Octane Raceway offers an arcade and mini bowling if you need a break from go-karting, along with virtual reality games. 

You can drive 10 to 15 minutes north of downtown to Topgolf, an indoor golfing facility that also has a bar and a restaurant. No golfing experience is required, and you can reserve a golfing bay and practice your swing through various games designed for all skill levels. 

All the balls at Topgolf are tagged so that you can see how far your shots go via screens in your bay as you try to hit the giant targets. The best part is you don’t have to go trudging into the sand pits to get your balls back.

Located right in the centre of Old Town, the Marshall Way Arts District features art galleries and the Scottsdale Museum of the West, which features artistic works, artefacts, and the history and culture of the American West.

The Arts District has over 20 art galleries to wander in and out of that feature art pieces ranging from mixed media to sculptures and photography, along with restaurants and boutiques to shop at along the way. If you happen to be there on a Thursday evening, don’t miss the free art walk that happens from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Treat yourself to the symphony or other live music performance after dinner. The Scottsdale Centre for the Performing Arts is only about 15-minute walk from downtown Scottsdale, hosting a wide variety of music and dance performances such as jazz concerts, ballet, and comedy tours.

Another option for live performances is the Arizona State University Kerr Cultural Centre (a 10-minute drive from downtown). This is a smaller theatre, offering a more intimate setting for nationally renowned speakers, musical performances, and even mixed media electronic performances.