Instead of bundling up for frigid temperatures and snow days, the holidays in Scottsdale gives you sparkling sunshine and resort patios buzzing with fun on warm afternoons. Pair sipping cocktails by outdoor fire pits in 70-degree weather with world-class shopping, a food scene that ranges from playful to polished, and resorts built for relaxation, and you have a holiday destination that’s equal parts festive and fun.
While it is wonderful for a quick couple’s getaway or solo reprieve, Scottsdale is also great for a girls’ trip. For a long-running annual shopping trip with friends on which we’ve chased sales and champagne across the country from classic city indulgences to mountain escapes. This year we headed to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a different spin on festive fun.
Scottsdale at Christmas adds a delightful twist with desert palms wrapped in lights and shopping sprees sans heavy winter coats. Here’s how Scottsdale delivers on sipping, shopping and shenanigans with a surprising dose of holiday magic.
Stay in Paradise
Paradise Valley is home to some of the most iconic resorts in the Southwest and each is a phenomenal base for a girls’ getaway during the holidays or in the new year. Even better, AAA discounts are available making these luxury stays even more attainable. Our group of nine opted for a vacation rental this trip, but these are some of my favorite resorts in Scottsdale.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sits at the heart of the holiday revelry. It’s home to the dazzling Christmas at the Princess celebration, making it the most festive resort of the season. JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa delivers classic desert luxury with a strong wellness focus. Its new state-of-the-art spa opening in 2026 will elevate it even further as a restorative retreat. Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows impeccably blends modern design with the surrounding Sonoran landscape. It doubles as a culinary escape thanks to its creative dining scene and art-forward vibe. For old-school charm, the Hermosa Inn is a historic hideaway dating back to the 1930s. It’s perfect for a more boutique-style girls’ trip stay.
Long Lunches and Brunches
In Scottsdale leisurely al fresco lunches with bubbly in hand is practically a sport even during the holiday season. With one of the gals in our group living in DC Ranch (a neighborhood in Scottsdale), we started at one of her favorites. The Living Room is a relaxed spot beloved by locals and perfect for lunch. Snag a fireplace table on the patio and devour their delicious shareables of spinach artichoke dip, awesome fries, and brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Noshing on their salads, sandwiches or sushi rolls will fuel you for a few hours of boutique hopping along Market Street.
For a French twist, Francine served as our fashionable lunch headquarters in between shopping stints at Scottsdale Fashion Square. It’s equal parts French bistro and retail runway viewing at this swanky spot specializing in the Mediterranean cuisine of the French Riviera.
For a Sunday send-off brunch, Lon’s at The Hermosa Inn deliver exactly what a Scottsdale farewell should be with its serene patio, Camelback Mountain rising in the distance and refined Southwestern flavors. It’s celebratory without being showy and the huevos rancheros are delicious.
High-Style Shopping
If shopping is your group’s favorite pastime, Scottsdale Fashion Square is the largest luxury mall in the Southwest. It’s home to flagship stores, designer boutiques and plenty of places to recharge with cocktails between credit card swipes. You can spend hours browsing, laughing and buying gifts for all on your list, including yourself.
For a completely different shopping vibe, we headed north to Kierland Commons and neighboring Scottsdale Quarter. These two open-air shopping districts are decked out in twinkling lights during the holidays and have festive Christmas trees that double as perfect backdrops for group photos.
Kierland is full of upscale boutiques, national brands and fun restaurants lining shaded streets. Scottsdale Quarter has trend-forward retailers, beauty shops, home décor stores and buzzing restaurants lining a delightful promenade with palm trees wrapped in lights complete with a huge Christmas tree near a shallow reflection pool for a warm, celebratory glow without a hint of winter chill.
These three shopping districts create a unique holiday trifecta of luxury, lifestyle and laid-back desert charm. Plus, there’s festive scenery including cacti decked out in lights for capturing every girls’ trip moment.
A Day in Old Town: History, Holiday Charm and One-of-a-Kind Shopping
Old Town Scottsdale is where the city’s Western roots meet its modern, style-forward personality. What began as a small farming settlement along the Arizona Canal in the 1880s, Old Town has grown into the cultural heart of Scottsdale, anchored by historic adobe buildings and wooden storefronts. The area blends galleries, restaurants, shops, museums, public art and historic sites into a walkable district that is as festive as it is fascinating.
Main Street’s Arts District is worth a wander. The corridor is lined with dozens of fine art galleries, Western art studios, Native American jewelry shops and public art installations. It’s easy to drift from gallery to gallery admiring everything from classic desert landscapes to modern sculptures. Even for non-collectors, it is a visual feast and a quieter, cultured counterbalance to nearby bustling boutiques.
Much of our shopping in Old Town unfolded along the 5th Avenue Shops. The retail corridor is lined with locally owned boutiques and artisan shops. Rolling Rack Boutique has a trucker hat bar where you can customize playful hats. I found my favorite find of the trip at Gorgeous Things where you can customize denim jackets with patches, embroidery and ribbons. My “champagne please” vintage denim jacket is the perfect girls’ trip keepsake. Walking to lunch, we also popped into Alixandra Collections and found some stylish pieces and fabulous gifts.
For lunch, settle into the shaded patio of The Mission, a longtime Old Town institution housed in a beautifully restored historic building. Equally loved by locals and visitors, it’s perfect for a midday pause between shopping sprees. I sipped on a primarita (their version of a margarita) while our tableside fresh guacamole was prepared. I devoured the seasonal butternut squash tacos, and several in our group raved about the tostadas recommended by our server. Shopping and sipping in Old Town is a reminder that sometimes the best holiday magic comes where art, culture and a great margarita collide.
Christmas at the Princess: Scottsdale’s Signature Holiday Spectacle
No Scottsdale holiday trip is complete without a visit to “Christmas at the Princess” at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. This sprawling resort transforms into a full-scale winter fantasy, desert-style, with millions of lights, themed displays, fire pits around an ice rink, and a village filled with everything from igloos to a lit Ferris wheel. It is unapologetically over the top in the best possible way.
We arrived at sunset as the resort began to take on a festive glow. Walking along the fairy-light pathways is sheer magic. You can glide across the Desert Ice Skating Rink beneath a starlit sky, toast marshmallows by fire pits in S’moresland, and even take a ride on the themed Princess Express Train for festive elves and Santa-photo moments. My favorite is the giant Christmas tree shimmering with thousands of lights synchronized to a festive music show. It’s equal parts tradition, whimsical and nostalgic for a pure holiday atmosphere with enough festive energy to make you believe it’s going to be a White Christmas…. even in the desert.
Festive Dinners & After Dark Shenanigans
With a refined Southwestern menu and a tequila-forward cocktail program, La Hacienda at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is legendary for an elegant evening out. From smoky flavors to polished service, La Hacienda is celebratory without being stiff. The starlit patio is perfect for upscale Mexican cuisine while enjoying Christmas at the Princess. The carnitas hacienda and pescado zarandeado are chef specialties of La Hacienda’s elevated comfort food.
For a lively, crowd-pleasing Italian night, Brody’s Italian delivers comfort classics with a buzzy energy perfectly suited for our group after a full day of shopping. For another night we hired Common Hospitality for a private chef dinner for an intimate and beautifully executed dining experience. It was the perfect pairing for a wildly fun evening of gift exchange shenanigans that happen with a group that’s traveled together for over 20 years.
We saved our most glamorous night for last with a stylishly delicious dinner at The Americano flowing directly into after-dark fun downstairs at Tell Your Friends, a true speakeasy tucked behind a hidden door inside the restaurant. I sipped a festive cocktail fittingly called “Back to December.” Served in a tiny glass and paired with a separate glass package holding the rest of drink in a playful, picture-perfect presentation that felt made for a girls’ trip finale.
A Desert Reset: Wellness in the New Year
We were too busy on our shopping escapades this trip to take advantage of one of Scottsdale’s best offerings of its bucket list worthy spas. When the holiday hubbub winds down, Scottsdale’s desert setting is perfect for a spa-focused girls’ trip for a new year wellness reset. The focus on mind and body restoration feels baked into the landscape itself with experiences like sound bath meditations under the stars and desert-edge yoga sessions at sunrise. It is the perfect counterbalance to the overindulgences of the holidays.
Even before its new spa opens in January 2026, the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa is known for blending resort relaxation with outdoor serenity. The $25 million transformation includes an immersive wellness circuit and “wellness waters” of outdoor hydrotherapy pools along with energy shifting vibroacoustic, zero-gravity spa lounge chairs for the ultimate après treatment relaxation.
In nearby Carefree, Civana Wellness Resort has a slow-down philosophy that’s perfect for a full mind-body reboot with hydrotherapy pools, daily yoga and movement classes. Joya Spa at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia has Hammam inspired indulgence with steam rooms, soaking pools and plush relaxation spaces perfect for a spa day.
With its blend of festive sparkle, world-class shopping, resort-level relaxation and wide-open desert beauty, Scottsdale is an unexpected and unforgettable choice for a holiday girls’ getaway. After the holidays, Scottsdale’s outdoor adventure scene shines in the winter months. The new year is perfect for sunrise desert hikes and mountain view walks that will have you dreaming of escaping to its Sonoran landscape for the holidays.