Empire Journal | Dining
Rooftop Bar Scottsdale: The Desert Sunset Guide
Every rooftop bar in Scottsdale worth your evening — Old Town terraces, resort decks, and how to time a desert sunset so you are not drinking in 108 degrees.
Rooftop Bar Scottsdale: Where to Actually Go
Scottsdale has the best rooftop conditions in America for seven months of the year and the worst for the other five, and choosing a rooftop bar in Scottsdale is mostly a question of getting the timing right. From October through April this is the finest outdoor drinking city in the country — dry air, 75 degrees at sunset, Camelback and the McDowells turning red. From June through September, a rooftop at 6 PM is a physical challenge.
Here is how to pick a rooftop bar in Scottsdale, and when.
Old Town: the walkable cluster
Old Town Scottsdale is where the density is, and it is the only part of the city where you can do two rooftops in one night on foot.
- Second Story Liquor Bar — the upstairs cocktail room in the heart of Old Town, and the one to pick when you care more about what is in the glass than the panorama.
- Highball at Hotel Adeline — a boutique-hotel bar in the Old Town / Camelback corridor with a poolside-and-patio feel, and the best version of a Scottsdale night that starts early and stays put. Hotel site.
- Whiskey Row — the loud option, and the one to choose if the point of the evening is volume rather than view.
The resort decks
The real Scottsdale rooftop experience is often a resort terrace rather than a downtown bar, because the resorts own the mountain sightlines.
- Hotel Valley Ho, Old Town — the mid-century property whose upper-level terrace and pool deck are the most photographed in the city. Hotel site.
- The Phoenician, Camelback Mountain — terraces built into the base of Camelback, with the valley opening out below. Resort site.
- Andaz Scottsdale and the Paradise Valley resorts — lower-slung, but with unobstructed McDowell and Camelback views and no crowd.
Many Scottsdale resorts sell day access to non-guests, which is the cheapest way to use a five-star pool deck and stay for sunset: ResortPass lists Scottsdale resort day passes.
Timing a Scottsdale rooftop by season
| Season | Best arrival time |
|---|---|
| October–April | 4:30–5 PM, straight through sunset |
| May and September | After 7 PM, once the heat breaks |
| June–August | Only after dark, and only with misters |
Sunset is the whole product here. Check the actual sunset time for your date and arrive forty-five minutes before it — the fifteen minutes when the McDowells go orange is what you came for.
Where to stay
Old Town if you want to walk between rooftops; Camelback or Paradise Valley if you want the mountain in your view rather than in the distance. Compare Scottsdale resort rates through our Expedia partner link — shoulder season pricing in May and September is dramatically softer than in March.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rooftop bar in Scottsdale?
For cocktails, Second Story Liquor Bar in Old Town. For a view and a pool, the resort terraces at Hotel Valley Ho or The Phoenician.
When is the best time of year for a rooftop bar in Scottsdale?
October through April. March is peak — spring training and golf season — so book tables. May and September are the value months if you can start later in the evening.
Are Scottsdale rooftop bars open in summer?
Yes, with misters and fans, but they only make sense after dark. Most locals move to a pool deck during the day and a rooftop after 8 PM.
Which Scottsdale rooftop has Camelback Mountain views?
The resort terraces along the Camelback corridor and in Paradise Valley. Old Town rooftops get a city-and-mountain skyline rather than a close-up.
Do I need reservations for a rooftop bar in Scottsdale?
For resort restaurants in high season, yes. Old Town bars are mostly walk-in, which means arriving before sunset on a Friday or Saturday.
