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The Waterfront in Scottsdale Gives a Sophisticated Riverfront to the Desert
That there is a Scottsdale Waterfront may comes as a surprise.
After all, Scottsdale is smack dab in the middle of the Sonoran Desert - a landscape known more for cactus than for rivers.
However, long before the glitzy resorts, golf courses and spas, the area's first inhabitants - the Hohokam people - engineered miles of canals across the Phoenix valley between the years 500 to 1450 AD.
These canals diverted water from the nearby Salt River to the Hohokam's many farm fields.
Archaeologists consider this ancient canal network to be one of the largest and most sophisticated irrigation systems ever created by using pre-industrial technology.
Centuries later, when European settlers moved into the area, they used the Hohokam's long-abandoned but still-standing canals for their own crops.
Nowadays, the Phoenix valley's water district - the Salt River Project - has cemented many of the Hohokam canals and uses them to deliver water across the region.
For years, the Arizona Canal, which runs through downtown Scottsdale, was a dull eyesore and a dumping ground for all manner of unwanted items.
Today, $700 million later, the stretch of Arizona Canal between Goldwater Boulevard and Scottsdale Road has been transformed from an ugly duckling into a glamorous - and hip - swan.
Now known as the Scottsdale Waterfront, the canal is sleek, with a higher water level and schools of fish, carefully landscaped banks and sinuous pink sidewalks.
The new waterfront is as much for residents as it is for tourists.
While it's not the French Riviera - or even San Antonio's River Walk - locals have taken to the Scottsdale Waterfront the way desert dwellers take to any water feature in a dry land - with enthusiasm and affection.
You can't miss the signature feature of the waterfront - the two 13-story, $250 million luxury Scottsdale Waterfront condos.
City leaders and retailers hope the condos will encourage 24-hour occupancy and use of downtown Scottsdale.
As if there wasn't enough shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square, which is right next door to the waterfront, the district has over 1 million square feet of upscale retail space.
Scottsdale Waterfront shopping is a mix of locally-owned shops, and national retailers including the Sur La Table cooking store, Urban Outfitters edgy clothes and Borders Books and Music.
One-of-a-kind boutiques are high-end:
Mahsa carries trendy shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories from designers like Stella McCartney.
Estilo Boutique has chic, flirty dresses and high end jeans.
Twist Boutique features classic women’s fashions by designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg.
Haus has hip decor for the home including mid-century vintage furniture and Jonathan Adler vases.
Swoozie’s is party central with its high-end stationery and party supplies.
When your credit card needs a break from retail therapy, the waterfront offers several trendy and upscale restaurants for a meal or a cocktail.
Olive and Ivy Restaurant and Marketplace is one of the most popular spots, for both dining and just hanging out.
Part of the Sam Fox restaurant empire, Olive and Ivy's canalside outdoor tables are always so filled with locals that it's euphemistically referred to as the "Scottsdale Yacht Club."
While Olive and Ivy hasn't been as popular with food critics, its safe California-Mediterranean-inspired cuisine draws crowds with dishes like Moroccan-style lamb and oven-roasted halibut.
Olive and Ivy's Marketplace is a good spot to pick up gourmet, picnic-ready fare such as flatbread sandwiches, quiches, salads and pastries.
Another popular Scottsdale Waterfront restaurant is Pink Taco.
It's the brainchild of Harry Morton, who got his start as the son of the founder of the Bally's Casino and the Hard Rock Hotel empire.
Pink Taco serves Mexican style food in a casual, nightclub party atmosphere.
The Pink Taco has received more attention for its sexually suggestive name that for its food.
However, nachos, tacos, margaritas and a large tequila menu have made it a hit with the young and trendy crowd.
Other Scottsdale Waterfront restaurants include:
PF Chang's China Bistro: this modern and upscale take on Chinese food, started by a local Phoenix entrepreneur, has expanded into a national chain. The menu features updated takes on Chinese chicken salad, Mongolian beef and wild Alaskan salmon steamed with ginger.
Sauce Scottsdale Waterfront: another successful installment in the Fox Restaurant Concepts empire, Sauce features pizza, pasta and salads in a casual atmosphere. It's less expensive than the other Fox ventures.
Wildfish Seafood Grille: from the creators of Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille and the current proprietors Roaring Fork, this restaurant is a high energy spot serving prime seafood and steaks including lemon sole in a parmesan crust, oysters on the half shell and 22 oz. bone-in Ribeye. So, what if you don't want to shop and you aren't hungry?
The Scottsdale Waterfront is home to the Fiesta Bowl headquarters and museum.
The Fiesta Bowl is a 35-year Phoenix valley college football tradition.
The museum is free and displays memorabilia from Fiesta Bowl games and festivals.
Interactive kiosks help you relive memorable game moments.
And if that still doesn’t interest you, the waterfront in Scottsdale is just a pleasant place to take a stroll with its neatly landscaped open space, public art and fountains.
The pedestrian-only bridge crosses the canal to the new Southbridge district.
Beyond, the shops, art galleries and restaurants of Downtown Scottsdale's eclectic districts are waiting for you to explore.
Fast Facts: The Scottsdale Waterfront, Scottsdale AZ
Location: The waterfront in Scottsdale is in downtown, just southwest of the intersection of Camelback and Scottsdale roads and south of Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. The district stretches from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Boulevard.
That there is a Scottsdale Waterfront may comes as a surprise.
After all, Scottsdale is smack dab in the middle of the Sonoran Desert - a landscape known more for cactus than for rivers.
However, long before the glitzy resorts, golf courses and spas, the area's first inhabitants - the Hohokam people - engineered miles of canals across the Phoenix valley between the years 500 to 1450 AD.
These canals diverted water from the nearby Salt River to the Hohokam's many farm fields.
Archaeologists consider this ancient canal network to be one of the largest and most sophisticated irrigation systems ever created by using pre-industrial technology.
Centuries later, when European settlers moved into the area, they used the Hohokam's long-abandoned but still-standing canals for their own crops.
Nowadays, the Phoenix valley's water district - the Salt River Project - has cemented many of the Hohokam canals and uses them to deliver water across the region.
For years, the Arizona Canal, which runs through downtown Scottsdale, was a dull eyesore and a dumping ground for all manner of unwanted items.
Today, $700 million later, the stretch of Arizona Canal between Goldwater Boulevard and Scottsdale Road has been transformed from an ugly duckling into a glamorous - and hip - swan.
Now known as the Scottsdale Waterfront, the canal is sleek, with a higher water level and schools of fish, carefully landscaped banks and sinuous pink sidewalks.
The new waterfront is as much for residents as it is for tourists.
While it's not the French Riviera - or even San Antonio's River Walk - locals have taken to the Scottsdale Waterfront the way desert dwellers take to any water feature in a dry land - with enthusiasm and affection.
You can't miss the signature feature of the waterfront - the two 13-story, $250 million luxury Scottsdale Waterfront condos.
City leaders and retailers hope the condos will encourage 24-hour occupancy and use of downtown Scottsdale.
As if there wasn't enough shopping at Scottsdale Fashion Square, which is right next door to the waterfront, the district has over 1 million square feet of upscale retail space.
Scottsdale Waterfront shopping is a mix of locally-owned shops, and national retailers including the Sur La Table cooking store, Urban Outfitters edgy clothes and Borders Books and Music.
One-of-a-kind boutiques are high-end:
Mahsa carries trendy shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories from designers like Stella McCartney.
Estilo Boutique has chic, flirty dresses and high end jeans.
Twist Boutique features classic women’s fashions by designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg.
Haus has hip decor for the home including mid-century vintage furniture and Jonathan Adler vases.
Swoozie’s is party central with its high-end stationery and party supplies.
When your credit card needs a break from retail therapy, the waterfront offers several trendy and upscale restaurants for a meal or a cocktail.
Olive and Ivy Restaurant and Marketplace is one of the most popular spots, for both dining and just hanging out.
Part of the Sam Fox restaurant empire, Olive and Ivy's canalside outdoor tables are always so filled with locals that it's euphemistically referred to as the "Scottsdale Yacht Club."
While Olive and Ivy hasn't been as popular with food critics, its safe California-Mediterranean-inspired cuisine draws crowds with dishes like Moroccan-style lamb and oven-roasted halibut.
Olive and Ivy's Marketplace is a good spot to pick up gourmet, picnic-ready fare such as flatbread sandwiches, quiches, salads and pastries.
Another popular Scottsdale Waterfront restaurant is Pink Taco.
It's the brainchild of Harry Morton, who got his start as the son of the founder of the Bally's Casino and the Hard Rock Hotel empire.
Pink Taco serves Mexican style food in a casual, nightclub party atmosphere.
The Pink Taco has received more attention for its sexually suggestive name that for its food.
However, nachos, tacos, margaritas and a large tequila menu have made it a hit with the young and trendy crowd.
Other Scottsdale Waterfront restaurants include:
PF Chang's China Bistro: this modern and upscale take on Chinese food, started by a local Phoenix entrepreneur, has expanded into a national chain. The menu features updated takes on Chinese chicken salad, Mongolian beef and wild Alaskan salmon steamed with ginger.
Sauce Scottsdale Waterfront: another successful installment in the Fox Restaurant Concepts empire, Sauce features pizza, pasta and salads in a casual atmosphere. It's less expensive than the other Fox ventures.
Wildfish Seafood Grille: from the creators of Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille and the current proprietors Roaring Fork, this restaurant is a high energy spot serving prime seafood and steaks including lemon sole in a parmesan crust, oysters on the half shell and 22 oz. bone-in Ribeye. So, what if you don't want to shop and you aren't hungry?
The Scottsdale Waterfront is home to the Fiesta Bowl headquarters and museum.
The Fiesta Bowl is a 35-year Phoenix valley college football tradition.
The museum is free and displays memorabilia from Fiesta Bowl games and festivals.
Interactive kiosks help you relive memorable game moments.
And if that still doesn’t interest you, the waterfront in Scottsdale is just a pleasant place to take a stroll with its neatly landscaped open space, public art and fountains.
The pedestrian-only bridge crosses the canal to the new Southbridge district.
Beyond, the shops, art galleries and restaurants of Downtown Scottsdale's eclectic districts are waiting for you to explore.
Fast Facts: The Scottsdale Waterfront, Scottsdale AZ
Location: The waterfront in Scottsdale is in downtown, just southwest of the intersection of Camelback and Scottsdale roads and south of Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. The district stretches from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Boulevard.
