Why families spend Thanksgiving in Scottsdale
Thanksgiving in Scottsdale starts on a patio. Coffee and sun, and a hike on the calendar before anyone touches a stove. November is the month the desert finally exhales after summer, and the weather is the best of the year.
The other reason is simpler. Nobody has to clean their own house from basement to attic before the relatives arrive. Nobody sleeps on an air mattress. You fly in and the estate is ready. Everyone is under one roof for the long weekend. Valley Vista Estate in Paradise Valley sleeps 30 across eleven bedrooms and was built for exactly this. Casa Palacio handles 20, with a tennis court for burning off the pie.
Below is how a Thanksgiving week here usually goes, from the parade to Black Friday.
Thanksgiving morning: the parade and the Turkey Trot
Arizona has exactly one Thanksgiving Day parade, and it is in Fountain Hills, under 30 minutes from Scottsdale. It is small-town in the best way. Go early and find a curb. The kids collect candy while the floats roll past.
The Phoenix Turkey Trot runs in downtown Phoenix the same morning, with a 5K run and walk, a 10K, a one-mile Gobbler Dash where costumes are encouraged, and a Tot Trot for the littlest ones. Races start early, around 7:30, and registration is required in advance. It is the traditional way to earn the second plate.
If a race is not your thing, Camelback Mountain is. The trail to the summit is a real climb and the view from the top covers the whole valley. In November you can do it at any hour without worrying about heat.
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner at the house
Most of our guests cook. The kitchens at our estates are equipped for a full holiday meal, with the appliances and the cookware already there, down to the carving knife. Bring your recipes and nothing else. The dining rooms seat the whole group at one table, which matters more than people expect.
If you would rather host than cook, we can arrange staff who cook and clean for the day. You still get the smell of the turkey in the oven. You just do not get the dishes.
After dinner the party moves outside. Late November evenings are cool but not cold, so dessert happens by the fire pit, and somebody always ends up in the pool.
Restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Scottsdale
Plenty of Scottsdale restaurants serve a full Thanksgiving menu on the day itself, from brunch through dinner. These are the ones we hear about most.
- ZuZu at the Hotel Valley Ho, for a holiday menu in a mid-century room.
- Hearth '61 at Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley.
- T. Cook's at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa.
- Elements at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain.
- The House Brasserie in Old Town, a fine dining Thanksgiving with dishes like pumpkin bisque and filet mignon.
- Talavera, a traditional steakhouse with an annual Thanksgiving buffet, carving stations and a dessert table you will be tempted to start with.
- The Mission in Old Town, for a Latin feast when the family is tired of turkey and stuffing.
Thanksgiving dinner to go
Prefer to eat at home without cooking? Grassroots Kitchen and Tap and The Capital Grille have both offered full Thanksgiving meals for curbside pickup. Check each restaurant's website for the current menu and reserve early. The good tables and the pickup slots go fast.
Black Friday shopping in Old Town and at Fashion Square
Black Friday in Scottsdale does not involve a parking lot at 5 a.m. Old Town's boutiques and galleries open at civilized hours and you can walk between them in shirtsleeves. Scottsdale Fashion Square is the big one, a high-end mall that runs from Armani to Yves Saint Laurent. If you want something that could only come from here, try these.
- Kactus Jock on East Main Street. The one stop for souvenirs, from metal sculptures and Arizona-themed Christmas ornaments to seriously hot sauce.
- Antique Trove on North Scottsdale Road. Southwestern antiques, a few eastern surprises and the occasional booth of what they call mantiques. Budget more time than you think.
- Gilbert Ortega Native American Galleries on East Fifth Avenue. A local institution for decades, with Native American pottery, jewelry, paintings and clothing.
- The Poisoned Pen on North Goldwater Boulevard. An independent bookstore with author signings and book clubs. Buy a real book and read it by the pool.
The weekend after: holiday lights, golf and the zoo
Thanksgiving weekend is when the holiday lights switch on across the valley. Holiday Lights at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park opens with Santa visits and after-dark rides on the train and the carousel. ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo opens the same week, with millions of lights and a 200-foot Polar Slide. Both run into early January, so you can catch them on the Friday or Saturday night before flying home.
Daytime belongs to whoever did not cook. TPC Scottsdale and the other courses are in peak condition in late November. Cracker Jax has miniature golf for the kids. The Phoenix Zoo is worth a daytime visit on its own, separate from the lights.
One tradition we picked up from a guest: start a family Thanksgiving journal. Everyone gets a page to write or draw something they are thankful for, or something they remember from the hike. Ten years of those pages becomes the best souvenir the trip ever produced.
Questions we get asked
What is the weather in Scottsdale at Thanksgiving?
Mild and dry. Warm afternoons, cool evenings and clear skies most of the week. You can hike in the morning and sit by the fire pit at night.
Are restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day in Scottsdale?
Yes. Several resort restaurants and Old Town spots serve full Thanksgiving menus, and a few offer curbside pickup of the whole meal. Reserve early.
Can we cook Thanksgiving dinner at the estate?
That is what most guests do. The kitchens are fully equipped and the dining rooms seat the full group. We can also arrange staff to cook and clean.
Is there a minimum stay at Thanksgiving?
Yes. Our estates carry a holiday minimum over Thanksgiving week. Most families treat it as a full long weekend.
Which estate is best for a large family Thanksgiving?
Valley Vista Estate in Paradise Valley sleeps 30 across eleven bedrooms. Casa Palacio sleeps 20 and adds a tennis court and grotto pool for the long weekend.
How far is the Fountain Hills parade from Scottsdale?
Under 30 minutes by car. It is the only Thanksgiving Day parade in Arizona.
