Scottsdale covers a huge sprawling area of Arizona, one you might think twice about walking around in unless you have days of free time to do so. I was fortunate enough to be able to take a tour of Old Town with JoyRidesAZ on one of their super fun 6 seater golf carts, so much better than walking! They are the experts when it comes to food, art and historic tours in Scottsdale, AZ. Our knowledgeable guides for this tour was the owner/operator team of Kirk and Monica Nicodemus, who have been providing JoyRidesAZ tours since 2013.
There is a reason they have the distinction of being called “The Best First Thing to Do in Old Town Scottsdale” by Ranch & Coast magazine, this is just simply an enjoyable way to see Old Town Scottsdale. Those golf carts are so much fun with the warm breeze blowing in your face as you maneuver around town stopping at the most interesting spots only the locals know.
JoyRidesAZ tours include such interesting activities such as:
- JoyRides Area Tour
- Urban Historic Tour
- Sunset Tour
- Lunch Food Tour
- Dinner Food Tour
- Wine Tour
- Craft Beer Tour
- Craft Cocktail Tour
- Sip, Smoke & Savor Tour
- Custom Tours Available too!
For our tour, JoyRidesAZ golf carted us around Old Town Scottsdale with the Scottsdale Public Art Collection Manager, Wendy Paisanen, an amazing resource of knowledge concerning the Public Artworks in Scottsdale. With 100 permanent and temporary pieces of public art on display throughout Scottsdale, JoyRidesAZ makes each piece you visit, with the ability to stop at leisure, a memorable experience.
The sculptures on display are just spectacular! We visited several bronze sculptures and I was just amazed by the scale and detail of each one. It was truly difficult to take myself away from viewing these. Every piece was massive and expressed movement with such artistic detail that I was completely spellbound. JoyridesAZ had us up close and hassle-free to enjoy each one!
The artwork in Scottsdale isn’t limited to just sculptures, they have a beautiful array of creative pieces to view throughout the city. Some are somewhat hidden and some are more interactive when you visit them. Our hosts were extremely helpful in pointing out the significant details of the areas we toured offering local insights and history to better understand what we were seeing.
Scope and scale of some pieces are just amazing. The Soleri Bridge and Plaza, created by renowned artist, architect, and philosopher, Paolo Soleri, is a massive bridge and solar calendar on the Scottsdale Waterfront. Creating the waterfront area is a 26-mile canal originally built-in 1888, which now includes a pathway, dining, shopping, entertainment and residences that serve as a social living hub for the residents of Scottsdale.
One of the pleasures we enjoyed was the beautiful Arizona sunset gracing Old Town Scottsdale. Just watching the transition from day-to-night while visiting the “The West’s Most Western Town” is a memory made to last. Scottsdale has a lot to offer and JoyRidesAZ is there to help you explore and enjoy as much as you desire.
More to do in Scottsdale, Arizona!
Full disclosure, Experience Scottsdale, and JoyRidesAZ hosted Never to Old To Travel during a media trip to Scottsdale, AZ with no stipulations. All thoughts and opinions in this article are my own.
This was such a fun way to see Scottsdale. Really love your photo of old town at sunset.
Thanks, Alexa! It is such a beautiful place to visit.