Activities

The Fountain Hills and Fort McDowell region is well known for its awe-inspiring vistas, breathtaking Sonoran landscape, hiking trails and outdoor adventures. Nestled in the Verde Valley outside of Phoenix, the region is also home to a wide variety of things to do including weekend art tours, live music, and art festivals that draw audiences of all ages. And, as spring is coming into bloom, a variety of musical events will be taking place that are sure to please all types of music-goers! Don’t forget Friday night at Fort McDowell Adventures either, as it’s sure to win your heart over with Southwest campfire charm!

The Concerts In the Park series is a seasonal favorite, featuring a variety of different live bands each Sunday in the picturesque Fountain Park. Beginning in March, enjoy a beautiful afternoon in the park with friends, family, and a picnic as the opening acts begin performing at 1:00pm followed by the main performers playing from 2:30pm until 4:00pm. This year’s series begins March 6 and repeats weekly until March 27. Musical ensembles include The Spin Band (3/6), the Samba Project (3/13), The Scott Hallock Band (3/20) and Mex-Sal (3/27).  Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes and camera for an afternoon of outside fun!

Just ten minutes east of Fountain Hills is Fort McDowell, and as spring has sprung with musical lyrics in neighboring Fountain Park, Friday Night Franks is the best place to be at the start of the weekend at the Fort! From 5pm until 10pm, Friday Night Franks at Fort McDowell Adventures offers guests an exceptional campfire cookout experience in the Sonoran Desert. The event runs between Labor Day and Memorial Day, offering free admission to live entertainment, horseshoe throws and wagon rides. An old-fashioned wiener roast features $2 hot dogs, $3 beers and $2 s’mores. Franks is a widely popular event that draws audiences from all parts of the Phoenix area! The venue is appropriate for all ages, and beginning in Spring 2011, new “Choose Your Adventure” packages are available for great prices. Get your family together or bring your out-of-town guests for a memorable evening at the Fort!

Whether it's the Concerts In the Park series or Friday Night Franks at Fort McDowell, grab a blanket, your friends and a snack for some spring evenings under the stars! Fountain Hills and Fort McDowell certainly put fun on the map when looking for things to do in the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.

Spring is at our doorstep here in the Valley, and we’re especially thrilled as we look forward to the northeast Valley to come into bloom. Outdoor activities and things to do in the Phoenix area are soon to be abounding!  What’s great is that the scenic and vibrant Fountain Hills and Fort McDowell region is home to one of Phoenix’s best hiking and outdoor spots, McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Come on over and see it for yourself!

McDowell Mountain Regional Park is a Sonoran Desert jewel, rising to 3,000 feet along the western boundary and spanning 21,099 acres in the northeast Valley.  Sheltered in the lower Verde River basin, visitors can enjoy over 50 miles of multiuse trails, desert wildlife and spectacular plant life. The park also boasts stunning views of surrounding mountain ranges, which will  wow any outdoor enthusiast.

Get your hiking boots out and your hydration packs ready as the park has a full program schedule of activities for all to enjoy. For hiking enthusiasts, Thursday morning fitness hikes offered every week throughout February and March promise to keep up your cardio levels.  The hikes begin at 8:00am and generally last from 1 to 1.5 hours.

Specifically in February, don’t miss the fun things to do at the park such as bird watching, medicinal plant walks, and more.  On Thursday, February 17, the Adults Only Valentine’s Full Moon Hike (16 years and up) will start at 7:00pm, followed by the Family Friendly Full Moon Hike the next day, February 18^th at 6:00pm.  Each hike is three miles and lasts about 2 hours. Experience the desert lit solely by moonlight!

Also in February are several desert wildlife and botanical experiences such as the Wildflower Photography for Newbies activity (on both Feb. 19 & 26 at 11:00am) and the Desert Wildflower Walks on February 25 at 11:00am. An especially fun thing to do in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area is the Reptile and Live Animal Feeding at the park’s Visitors Center held on February 26 at 1:00pm. Season visitors and local residents alike enjoy (and are awed by!) the live feeding of snakes, tarantulas and scorpions in the air-conditioned center! And if you’re not quite able to stomach the live feedings, stop in to the tortoise habitat, which is expected to show tortoises emerging from hibernation this March!

For more information on the fun outdoor things to do in the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas, visit the Maricopa County Parks and Rec website here!

Since 1988, the Great Fair has drawn millions of visitors from all over Arizona as well as the country to the quaint and charming downtown of Fountain Hills. Held the third full weekend each February, here you’ll find stunning artwork, designs and crafts showcased by more than 500 internationally known artists. The Great Fair is one of the seasonal experiences of Phoenix and Scottsdale you don’t want to miss! This year the Fair is held February 25, 26, and 27, from 10am-5pm each day. Better yet, it’s the largest arts and crafts show in Arizona!

At the Fair, you’ll discover an incredible array of arts, crafts and designs spanning from breathtaking landscape photography to elegant pottery and sculptures, glimmering jewelry, children’s clothing to fine artisan chocolate. Anything—and we mean anything—can be found while strolling among the hundreds of artist booths along the downtown’s Avenue of the Fountains. There is also live musical entertainment hailing from around the country as well as great eats and a robust beer garden available at the Fair as well. Better yet—each hour the world famous fountain spouts to a mighty height of 360 feet for everyone to see!

If you’re looking for stuff to do in February in the Phoenix or Scottsdale area, our advice is to start planning now. Hotels fill up early, but parking is abundant—and free!