What the Fourth of July in Scottsdale is really like
The Fourth of July in Scottsdale is hot. We will not pretend otherwise. Afternoons are scorching, so the city built its celebrations around that fact: the big events start late in the day and the fireworks go at nine. The best part of the night is the swim afterward.
We took a poll in the office once about which summer holiday is our favorite, and Independence Day won without a fight. Hot dog eating contests, live music, a rodeo indoors, and fireworks over the desert. It is a holiday built for a big house full of family, which is what we rent.
Here is how a Fourth of July in Scottsdale runs, hour by hour.
Fourth of July morning: pancakes and a run for the troops
Start at Butters Pancakes and Cafe, which has locations on Northsight Boulevard and East Via de Ventura. Their Wild Berry Bliss pancakes come loaded with blueberries and wild berries under vanilla cream. Close enough to the flag.
If your family runs on the Fourth, there is an annual 4th of July 5K and 10K that benefits Homes for Our Troops, a group that builds homes for injured veterans. Some years it is run as a virtual race, so you pick your own route and submit your time. Every finisher gets a medal. Run it early, before the sun is fully up.
Where to stay cool in the afternoon
Nobody wants to be outside at 2 p.m. on July 4th in Arizona. The kids will not notice the heat. You will. Scottsdale Fashion Square is the classic move, an air-conditioned mall with stores running from Armani to Yves Saint Laurent. The big waterpark in Phoenix is the family move, with more than 30 water attractions and its own fireworks shows on both the third and the fourth.
Or stay in. Our estates have a pool and a kitchen big enough for a cookout, and enough shade to survive the afternoon. Casa Palacio has a grotto pool and a tennis court, and sleeps 20. Most of our July guests do not leave the property until 4 in the afternoon, and they are right.
Fourth of July fireworks in Scottsdale and Phoenix
There are four fireworks shows our guests choose between, and each one has a different afternoon attached to it.
- The WestWorld Fourth of July Celebration. Scottsdale's biggest party, and it is indoors and air-conditioned, across 300,000 square feet of arena. The doors open mid-afternoon. There is bull riding, BMX stunt riders, a stunt dog show, pony rides and a petting zoo for the little ones, plus laser tag and a live DJ for the older kids. The Kids Zone has a mini Ferris wheel and an obstacle course. Fireworks go at 9 p.m. You can buy a full-day ticket or a fireworks-only ticket.
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. A free concert and fireworks show each year, sometimes on the weekend before the Fourth. Arrive early for the railroad museum and a ride on the train and the antique carousel before the music starts.
- The Phoenix Zoo's 4th of Zooly. Gates open at 7 p.m. for a catered barbecue dinner. Kids get free carousel rides and animal encounters. At 9 you watch the Tempe Town Lake fireworks from a viewing spot inside the zoo. Buy tickets online ahead of time and arrive early enough to see the animals.
- The Phoenix waterpark. Two fireworks nights, July 3rd and 4th, after a full day on the slides.
Picking a fireworks show
A word on timing. The fireworks-only ticket at WestWorld is the move if you have spent the afternoon at the pool and only want the show. And when the Fourth falls midweek, the Railroad Park often runs its show on the weekend before, which lets you see two shows in one trip without choosing.
Baseball and fireworks at Chase Field
The Arizona Diamondbacks are usually home over the holiday week, and Chase Field in downtown Phoenix pairs the game with a post-game fireworks show. A hot dog and a bag of popcorn, a ballgame with the air conditioning on, then fireworks. It is about as American as the week gets.
Check the schedule when you book. The fireworks games sell well.
After the fireworks: night swimming at the house
The WestWorld show wraps around 9:30 and the night is still young, which in July means the air has finally started to cool. This is when our guests come alive. Back at the estate someone mixes a pitcher in the kitchen and the kids are already in the pool. The adults follow. The water is coolest at night, and the sky is clear enough to see what the fireworks were competing with.
For a full reunion, Valley Vista Estate in Paradise Valley sleeps 30 across eleven bedrooms. For a group of 20, Casa Palacio and its grotto pool are the July house. Both carry a holiday minimum stay over the Fourth, so plan the trip as a long weekend at least.
Questions we get asked
How hot is Scottsdale on the Fourth of July?
Scorching in the afternoon. Plan indoor or water activities from noon until late afternoon, and save the fireworks and the swimming for after dark.
Where are the best Fourth of July fireworks near Scottsdale?
WestWorld in Scottsdale, which is indoors until the show, McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, the Phoenix Zoo's view of the Tempe Town Lake show, and Chase Field after a Diamondbacks game.
Is the WestWorld Fourth of July celebration good for young kids?
Yes. It is indoors and air-conditioned with a dedicated Kids Zone, pony rides and a petting zoo. Fireworks are at 9 p.m., so plan on a late night.
Is there a minimum stay over the Fourth of July?
Yes. Our estates carry a holiday minimum over the Fourth. Most groups book it as a long weekend.
Can we swim at night?
That is the whole point of July here. The pool is coolest after dark, and the fireworks end around 9:30.
