A Perfect Weekend in Old Town Scottsdale, Friday to Sunday

A great Old Town Scottsdale weekend runs on foot: Friday evening along the Arizona Canal at the Waterfront, Saturday among the museums, galleries, and Western storefronts of the Arts District and Main Street, and a slower Sunday at the Old Adobe Mission and Scottsdale Civic Center. Old Town covers just over one square mile, so you can park once and spend most of the weekend walking.

Before you go

• Parking is free. The city's public lots and garages throughout Old Town are free, and on-street spaces have time limits (two hours in the busiest areas) rather than meters.
• Timing matters. October through April is the most comfortable stretch for a walking weekend. In summer, plan outdoor time for mornings and after dark, and spend the afternoon inside a museum.
• Wear real shoes. You will cover more ground than you expect.
• Check hours before you go. Museum and mission hours shift by season.

Friday evening: the Waterfront and the canal

Start where Old Town meets the water. The Scottsdale Waterfront runs along the Arizona Canal between Scottsdale Road and Goldwater Boulevard, with a paved path on both banks that makes for an easy sunset walk.

Find the Soleri Bridge and Plaza, the pedestrian bridge by the architect Paolo Soleri, dedicated in 2010. It is set on a true north axis, and the gap between its pylons lets a blade of sunlight mark the solstices and equinoxes. Even on an ordinary evening, it is one of the most photographed spots in town.

For dinner, the Waterfront and the surrounding blocks give you a wide range: patio dining along the canal, Mexican and Italian kitchens, and lively bars a few minutes' walk south in the Entertainment District. If you prefer a calmer night, stay canal-side, where the pace is slower.

If your weekend falls in November, check the calendar for Canal Convergence, the city's free outdoor art festival that lights up the Waterfront for ten evenings with large-scale installations.

Saturday morning: market, museums and art

Farmers market. During the cooler months, the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market sets up on Saturday mornings with local produce, baked goods, and coffee. Go early, before the best stalls sell out, and check the market's current location before you head over.

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. On Marshall Way in the Arts District, this two-story museum opened in 2015 and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Its collection and rotating exhibitions cover the art, history, and cultures of the American West, from the western United States to Western Canada and Mexico. Give it at least two hours.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA). A few blocks south on Second Street, SMoCA occupies a former movie theater renovated by architect Will Bruder. Its rotating exhibitions focus on contemporary art, architecture, and design. At the time of writing it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so check scottsdalearts.org for current hours.

Saturday afternoon: Main Street and Fifth Avenue

Walk east into Historic Old Town, where Main Street keeps its Western storefronts, Native American jewelry shops, and Western wear boutiques.

A few landmarks worth a stop:

• The Little Red Schoolhouse, built in 1909, now home to the Scottsdale Historical Museum.
• The Rusty Spur Saloon, 7245 E. Main St. The building went up in 1921 as the Farmers State Bank of Scottsdale and has been the Rusty Spur since 1951. The old bank vault is now the walk-in cooler. Stop in for a cold drink and a look around.
• Cavalliere's Blacksmith Shop, established in 1910 and still operating.

Then head to the Fifth Avenue Shopping District, a longtime local favorite lined with independent shops, galleries, and the Bob Parks Horse Fountain. This is the place for browsing, not errands.

If you want a classic treat, the Sugar Bowl on Scottsdale Road has served ice cream from its 1950s soda fountain for decades and sits on the city's historic preservation register.

Saturday evening: dinner and a show, or the big mall

Two good options:

• A night in the Arts District. Window-shop the galleries along Main Street and Marshall Way, then settle into dinner nearby, where the choices range from casual patios to chef-driven dining rooms. Book ahead on peak-season weekends.
• Scottsdale Fashion Square. At the northwest corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads, Fashion Square holds roughly 2 million square feet of retail, with Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Dillard's, and Macy's among its anchors, plus a Harkins cinema. It is an easy walk from the Waterfront.

Sunday: the Mission and the Civic Center

Old Adobe Mission. At 7655 E. Main St., the Old Adobe Mission was completed in 1933 as the original church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Scottsdale's first Catholic parish. It was built by hand by members of the local community, and today it is Scottsdale's oldest standing church and one of the few adobe buildings left downtown. From October through May it welcomes visitors most days, including Sunday afternoons, and from June through September visits are by appointment. Call ahead at (480) 947-4331 to confirm.

Scottsdale Civic Center. A short walk away, the renovated Civic Center is the green heart of Old Town: wide lawns, gardens, the East Bowl, public art including the well-known LOVE sculpture, and the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts beside the 360 Stage. Check the performing arts calendar for a Sunday matinee or an outdoor concert.

Sunday brunch. Old Town brunch tends to happen on patios. Look for a spot with misters in warmer months and shade umbrellas the rest of the year, and book ahead if your weekend overlaps a big event.

If you can stay for Thursday

Make it a long weekend and arrive Thursday for ArtWalk, held every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. (except Thanksgiving) along Main Street and Marshall Way. It is free, galleries extend their hours, and the Scottsdale Gallery Association bills it as the longest-running event of its kind in the country. Several evenings a year, the Gold Palette ArtWalk series adds special themes.

In late winter and early spring, Scottsdale Stadium in the Civic Center area hosts the San Francisco Giants for spring training, which makes for a classic Old Town afternoon.

Make it yours

Old Town rewards a slow pace. Park once, walk everywhere, and leave room for the gallery you did not plan to enter. By Sunday afternoon, it will feel less like a destination and more like a neighborhood you know.