Ten Things To Do for $10 in Scottsdale

Scottsdale caters to a wealthy crowd, it’s true. But not every traveler is willing to melt his plastic for an entire vacation. Some of us are on a budget, some of us want to preserve our resourses for specific big-ticket adventures, and some of us just enjoy the challenge of experiencing a city without the finery and distance that comes from throwing money around. For a fun, exciting, enriching experience, give yourself a challenge on your next Scottsdale vacation: spend as little money as possible on activities, and just watch your vacation blossom in ways you might have missed spending all your time in gourmet restaurants and on exclusive golf courses. Here are ten ideas for you to try in Scottsdale, each for less than $10.

1. Visit the Sonoran Preserve. Over 34,000 acres of pristine desert await your exploration. You can thank the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy for fighting the good fight and conserving the desert for everyone to enjoy. You can go for a hike on trails of varying difficulty, go bicycling, even bring your dog along for a romp. You will be amazed at how alive and vibrant the desert is. The cost is free, but donations are accepted, so help out the good folks and drop that $10 in the jar.

2. Take in some art. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) was founded in 1999, and prides itself on being a vital cultural resource for the entire region. By focusing on engaging all age and experience levels, they hope to bring contemporary art to the foreground, inspiring artists and art appreciators alike. Adult tickets to the museum cost a mere $7. On Thursdays, all admissions are free.

3. Take in even more art. If SMoCA just whet your appetite for art, then you are certain to enjoy the Scottsdale ArtWalk. 51 Thursdays of the year (they get Thanksgiving off), the downtown art galleries open their doors to everybody for two hours of free art appreciation as the desert evening cools you down. There are over 100 art galleries who participate, and enjoying all of them is free.

4. Ride the rails. Sort of. If you have a fondness or appreciation for traveling by train, the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is sure to stoke your engine. The park exhibits classic train cars, and offers rides on trains as well. They also have a carousel. Rides are 1-2 tickets each, and travelers can pick up a book of 12 for $10 or buy individual tickets for a buck a piece.

5. See the city by trolley. Scottsdale’s old-fashioned trolleys are a fun way to see the city, and rides are free. There is some talk of adding a fare, but the cost will be less than $5 when they are able to implement the fare.

6. Browse the Farmers’ Market. The fewer middlemen between your food and your mouth, the better. And the brilliant gustatory artists at the Skysong Farmers’ Market are happy to let you enjoy their beef, breads, jellies and chutneys. Admittance and parking is free, leaving you to drop your entire sawbuck on the deliciousness.

7. Appreciate native culture. The Native Trails show is a powwow and more, focusing on traditional music and tribal dances of the Native American population of the region. Native Trails takes place on the lush grounds adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

8. Have a Thai Lunch. At Touch of Thai, their lunch menu will fill your belly for less than $10 and nourish you for the rest of the day’s adventures. Entrees like Spicy Beef with Green Bean and Chicken Bamboo Shoot Delight share the menu with curries and pad thai. All lunches are served with soup, salad, egg roll, and fried wonton, and they all cost less than $10.

9. Learn Yoga. At StudiYo of Scottsdale, they welcome drop-ins, so if yoga is your thing, take your downward dog and head over there. If you’ve never tried it, here is your chance to find your center. Drop-ins are $10.

10. Celebrate cupcakes. And seriously, what deserves celebration more than cupcakes? Each year, the people of Scottsdale appreciate local businesses and those awesome little confections with the Cupcake Love In (Slogan: Peace. Love. Cupcakes.). Aside from the chance to sample those overwhelmingly tempting darlings, there are cupcake decorating contests for kids and endless revelry due to so much chocolate and sugar highs.