What's New in Scottsdale, Ariz. - Fall '25

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Aug 19, 2025, 10:03 ET

Scottsdale Rolls Out the Red Carpet with New Luxury Experiences,
Star-Studded Openings and Resort Enhancements

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, Scottsdale invites discerning travelers and tastemakers to experience a new era of elegance and innovation. Star-powered hospitality and reimagined resorts with bespoke wellness journeys converge with immersive cultural events, outdoor adventures and entertainment for all ages.

The front entrance of JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa

RESORT ROUNDUP
THE BIG NEWS: Renowned restaurateur, Lisa Vanderpump, is bringing more glamour and elevated dining to Scottsdale later this year, opening Wolf by Vanderpump at Caesars Republic Scottsdale, a Hilton hotel. The new restaurant, crowning the top floor of the hotel, follows a successful debut at the Lake Tahoe sister property. Designed by Vanderpump Alain company – a collaboration with celebrated designer, Nick Alain – the concept ties in with Caesars' La Lupa wolf brand icon and signature theme, "Unleash Your Alter Ego." The restaurant will wow diners with sweeping views of Camelback Mountain, an imaginative cocktail program, and a globally inspired menu featuring decadent, shareable dishes crafted exclusively for Scottsdale.

Scottsdale's newest hotel, The REMI Scottsdale, Autograph Collection, opened in July and refines the downtown culinary scene with four luxurious and playful food and beverage concepts. Kauboi, an eclectic Japanese Steakhouse, extends onto a terrace of layered greenery and lush trellises. Allegra's rooftop is where Moroccan-inspired design meets high-desert glamour. F/Sixteen serves boozy milkshakes and decadent brunch in a cheeky, aviation-inspired classic American diner. The Lobby Bar seamlessly shifts from morning coffees to evening espresso martinis, featuring exclusive backstage access to the newly revamped Maya Day + Night club.
Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas will complete the second phase of its ongoing $24-million renovation early this fall, in which 20 more two-bedroom premium villas will be redesigned for a total of 45. The Villas at Hilton Scottsdale Resort are arranged in clusters of five for group convenience. Its private access to the new pool area is complete with a fire pit, grab-and-go market and bar. Other exclusive amenities include refrigerator stocking, private chef dinners, s'mores gatherings, and wine and whiskey tastings.
With cooler temperatures ahead and golf in full swing again, Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale unveils the renovation of its renowned golf course, including upgraded tees, resurfaced greens, refurbished bunkers and more. Autumn is the ideal time for golfers to spot wildlife out on the holes and receive seasonal pricing 40% lower than in winter or spring. Replenish after a round of golf with the Boulders' fall harvest from native prickly pear cactus, which yields more than 75 pounds of ripe prickly pear fruit every year, or indulge in the earthy "garden-to-spa" trend and try the new Harvest Glow Wrap with warm Cranberry Pomegranate Sugar Scrub, a Pumpkin Latte Body Masque and apricot skin oil.
Perfect for crisp desert air and glowing golden skies, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North has curated a collection of celestial-themed events celebrating the natural beauty of fall in the desert. For starlit, unforgettable moments, the resort will host a Harvest Moon Dinner (Oct. 6), Stargazing Soirée (Oct. 9 and Nov. 20), Full Moon Meditation (Oct. 11 and Nov. 5), Celestial Yoga (Oct. 4 and Nov. 11), and other sky-inspired programming like a Celestial-Themed Afternoon Tea, Floating Sunset Sound Bath, and a Little Astronomers' Club for kids.
Recently recognized as the No. 1 resort in Arizona and ranked among the Top 15 Resorts in the U.S. in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards, Castle Hot Springs debuts a collection of new offerings. For the outdoorsy, find awe-inspiring falconry demonstrations by the Arizona Raptor Center and astronomer-led stargazing sessions followed by a soak in geothermal hot springs. For the foodies, in addition to The Sonoran Epicurean Escape – a multi-day culinary retreat – there will be an intimate two-day wine dinner series, Desert Vines (Oct. 21-23) by Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey, founder of the James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-starred Frasca Hospitality Group.
Families can immerse themselves in spooky season at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona during its annual Howl-O-Ween celebration throughout October. Corn stalks, hay bales, autumn leaves, gourds and other cozy fall décor will adorn the lodge, while this year's event will include family favorites such as the Trick-Or-Treat Trail, Monster Bash Dance Party, crafts and trivia.

WELLNESS WONDERS
THE BIG NEWS: JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa is undergoing a $24-million transformation of its iconic spa. Set to debut in Jan. 2026, the fully remodeled spa will offer deeply personalized and nature-connected wellness rooted in its new ariVéa philosophy — a holistic approach that blends timeless rituals with the energy and serenity of the Sonoran Desert. Discover personalized pathways to well-being through sound therapy, hydrotherapies and desert-inspired treatments. Highlights include 20 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy pools, an indoor Wellness Circuit, new Wellness Studio with sound baths, the debut of Ora Café and a licensed nutritionist.

A bold new moment in wellness has arrived as W Scottsdale has partnered with Aescape, the award-winning AI-powered massage technology brand, to introduce a first-of-its-kind treatment at AWAY Spa. This marks the first Aescape installation in Arizona, bringing precision-engineered, robotic massage technology to Old Town Scottsdale's Entertainment District.
For the first time, The Scottsdale Resort & Spa, a Curio Collection Resort by Hilton is hosting a "Stay Well" retreat (Sept. 26-28). This three-day weekend gives a first look at the recently renovated resort, incorporating the spa, outdoor fitness, chef-crafted meals, sound healing, tarot in the Zen Garden and more. Luna Spa guests will also enjoy a limited-time collection of refined fall treatments: Brighten complexion with the Turmeric Glow Facial, unwind with the Amber Drift Massage — a Swedish massage complemented by a warm pumpkin mud hand treatment — or purify and moisturize with the Pumpkin Silk Wrap, a full-body detoxifying pumpkin mud wrap and soothing honey-chai milk lotion.
Choose from three different retreats at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa this season to sync up the body, reconnect as a couple or focus on sleep. The "Body Blueprint Retreat" with Brooke Burke helps attendees become their strongest, best selves through daily wellness classes, a spa service of choice, in-depth workshops and ample personal time (Sept. 4-7). Then, the "Couples Connection Retreat" with Veronica Clark deepens relationships through guided intimacy practices, partner yoga, breathwork and transformative workshops (Oct. 9-12). Finally, learn the secrets to quality sleep through the "Sleep Retreat" with Dr. Sheila Patel and Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar (Dec. 11-14).
Ascendify Wellness has launched monthly community sessions and workshops geared toward high performers ready to learn about grounding amid chaos and healing from within. Workshops are open for locals and visitors alike and precisely calibrated for cognitive enhancement. Themes for the remainder of this year include, "Build Better Boundaries," "Release Chronic Stress & Tension," and "Performance Optimization for Busy Professionals."

ENGAGING EVENTS
THE BIG NEWS: Scottsdale Arts' Canal Convergence will explore and celebrate the intersection of performance and public art from Nov. 7-16 at the Scottsdale Waterfront. The free, annual, 10-night event spotlights large-scale public artworks created by artists from around the world alongside live music, dance performances, creative workshops, educational activities, food trucks, a mini film festival, and beer and wine garden. The fan-favorite fire shows by Walter Productions will also return, lighting up the Arizona Canal nightly. In addition to the event's perennial focus on interactivity, sustainability and the union of water, art and light, this year's theme is "Showtime," to expand on the essential element of performance.

Meander through Old Town Scottsdale's art galleries while admiring public art and street performances during Scottsdale's ArtWalk, 7-9 p.m. every Thursday. Scottsdale Gallery Association members offer extended hours on ArtWalk evenings, and the Gold Palette Series presents special themes throughout the year. Wilde Meyer Gallery will host a coinciding reception at the next event on Oct. 16, for its contemporary art exhibition, "The Wilde Wild West."
Oct. 15-18: At this year's Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Fall Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale, car collectors and auto enthusiasts can witness the best bidding action, secure a dream car, mingle with celebrities, gather in the new Fan Zone, take a joy ride in the latest vehicles from top automakers and shop in the vibrant Exhibitor Marketplace.
Nov. 7-8: Dreamy Draw Music Festival is returning for a third year to Scottsdale Civic Center, following two sold-out years. This two-day, three-stage music and arts festival will double its footprint, audience capacity and energy. Headlined by The Lumineers, Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty, Marcus King Band, Saint Motel, Houndmouth, Thee Sacred Souls, and Local Natives, the 2025 lineup incorporates indie rock, modern Americana and outlaw country.
Nov. 8-9: Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships, held at WestWorld of Scottsdale, has matchups now set. The most-attended polo event in the U.S., dubbed "The Best Polo Event in the World" by the captain of the Wales Polo Team, will span a record four days and coincide with the new WestWorld Art & Wine Experience. For the 14th edition of the event, expect expanded action from teams around the globe, descending on the desert for six exhilarating matches.
Nov. 15: The Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium and Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience in Old Town Scottsdale brings together Indigenous communities to share traditional knowledge with a focus on food sovereignty, environmental justice and decolonizing food systems. Day one features workshops and discussions on climate resilience, restoring Indigenous foodways and ecological knowledge, while day two highlights Native cuisine, arts and performances, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Attendees will enjoy curated tastings, chef demonstrations and immersive cultural activations that showcase Arizona's Native communities' rich contributions.

ART, ADVENTURE + ATTRACTIONS
THE BIG NEWS: Scottsdale Arts, the city's arts powerhouse, and Cattle Track Arts Compound, a tucked-away artists' enclave, are launching a creative partnership. The collaboration will create 20,000 square feet of new art space, launch a residency program, and establish ArtSpark, a career-development initiative for emerging artists, among other endeavors. A historic barn relocated from nearby Paradise Valley will be repurposed on the compound as the hub for ArtSpark, which will provide recipients with career development courses, studio or rehearsal space, and a significant stipend. Each cohort – with the first to be introduced next month – will give back locally through community projects and mentoring the next cohort. Cattle Track, which began in 1937 as a family homestead, is a unique treasure of multidisciplinary creativity on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public for tours.

OdySea Aquarium's new digital projection mapping display surrounds the lobby with marine life, ambient ocean sounds and the illusion of being submerged in the sea. This one-of-a-kind, 360-degree installation showcases projection mapping, nine massive globes suspended from above and filled with live fish, and six animated aquatic sequences across towering 23-foot walls. Guests immediately step into an immersive underwater world with the dynamic new entrance, before discovering over 30,000 animals spread across the Southwest's largest aquarium.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park celebrates its 50th anniversary with updated attractions. A new $13.1-million indoor, train-themed playground and splashpad are complete as of Aug. 1. The 10,000-square-foot Roundhouse building features a large play structure shaped like a locomotive engine. Plus, a new entry plaza is complete with a seating area and restrooms, public art, and more plants and trees, all to improve the guest experience at this popular family spot.
Spending a warm evening out on the water kayaking or paddleboarding has quickly become an Arizona must-do. Illuminate the lake with glow sticks and other illuminated accessories on one of Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch's "Neon Nights" through September.
Golden hour sunset hot air balloon flights over the lush, green desert expanse are back this November. This seasonal adventure is a favorite for locals and visitors alike, available through March with Rainbow Ryders or Hot Air Expeditions.

AROUND OLD TOWN

Scottsdale's iconic nightlife destination is back — bigger, bolder and more visually stunning. Maya Day + Night reopened May 23 after a dramatic floor-to-ceiling transformation. Highlights of the 15,000-square-foot venue are immersive art installations by the visionary collective ArtHeavy, including a towering Candelabra Bottle Tree cradling premium spirits and a colossal 3D Goddess Face sculpture with hypnotic OLED eyes, plus a state-of-the-art DJ booth, vibrant cocktail program and completely redesigned layout that's directly connected to The REMI hotel.
The State of Arizona has officially recognized the Original Chopped Salad, a dish beloved by locals and delighting tourists, as an Arizona staple. This state proclamation honors Chef Bernie Kantak and The Gladly for their role in creating one of the state's most iconic dishes, enjoyed by over 75,000 guests annually. The Original Chopped Salad is also served at The Gladly's sister restaurants in Scottsdale, Citizen Public House and Beginner's Luck.
Acclaimed Scottsdale Fashion Square offers visitors unparalleled shopping with some of the nation's most coveted brands. Coming this fall, shoppers can look for Tori Richard, opening its first retail store on the mainland and bringing island-inspired fashion for resort-style living. A selection of new culinary delights is on the way as well, including Society Swan, the latest Sam Fox Restaurants concept; an American brasserie inspired by New York City's iconic socialites, called Catch, which serves up a globally inspired menu of seafood, sushi and steak; and Teleferic Barcelona, a family-owned restaurant serving Spanish tapas and paellas.