Arizona in the summer?
 

My family (w/ children 9 and 13)and I are considering 5 nights in Sedona and 2-3 nights in Scottsdale the first week of August. Is the heat too unbeartable to make the trip enjoyable. We like to hike the mountain trails, sightsee, swim, and eat ice cream. Maybe horseback hiding in sedona. I would expect that in Scottsdale, afternoons may be spent at the pool.Thank you.

Scottsdale is going to be very hot. If you really just want to sit by the pool, and you want to see what the desert is like, then it would be okay. Early monrings are fine and evenings are lovely. The Sugar Bowl on Scottsdale road is where to go for ice cream. On the other hand, if you aren't set on seeing and feeling the heat of the desert, go from Sedona to Flagstaff. Cool, some quaint areas, some nice concerts in the summer and lots of hiking and sightseeing opportunities all around. If you're in Sedona for five nights, be sure to drive up to Jerome,the old mining town, and maybe even to Prescott, Arizona's first capitol.

Vera

When we fly into Phoenix in the summer, we pick up our car and head to Flagstaff as fast as we can, and it seems that many Phoenicians do the same. August in the desert is not for me.

Several summers ago, we flew into Phoenix. While I normally love hot weather and still feel comfortable in humid, 90+ temperatures, the heat that hit us upon arrival was almost unbearable. Something about that scorching, dry air...

We rented a car and drove immediately to Sedona where the weather was in the low 90's and very comfortable. Afternoons can get hot but we stayed around the pool, just as you plan to do. Mornings and evenings were filled with hiking, sightseeing, and terrific restaurants. You'll love it.

I have lived in the Phx/Scottsdale/Cave Creek area for 24 years; trust me, the previous poster is wrong. Evenings and early mornings are NOT fine in Scottsdale in August. It hardly cools off at night at that time of year. I would re-think spending any time in August in Scottsdale. It is miserable.

As I wouldn't visit Niagra Falls in Februrary, I would not go to Pheonix in August.The heat is "special".

It is just one of those cases of to each their own. We visited Prescott, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, and Phoenix one August, and we had a good time everywhere. We did just as you suggest and spent afternoons at the pool while in Phoenix. The upside is you get to stay at a very nice resort for a very reasonble price.

Don't know about Scottsdale, but Tucson in August was 114.
Personally, I love the desert heat but it is deadly and makes doing much outdoors pretty difficult.
And there is no cool down at night..
I remember swimming and walking around the pool to jump back in, I was dry by the time I got back around the pool:)

I used to live in Scottsdale and can't remember a single summer night that I couldn't enjoy a nice run (I typically run late, around 10-11:30 PM). After the sun's been down a few hours I find the desert wonderful in summer. Mornings are trickier. Running is still OK, but even by 10 AM in August hard running becomes difficult.
I really like the heat, and for people who don't, even late April can be unpleasant.
Daytimes during August, however, are best spent inddors. Even the pool can't be enjoyed for long.

As for ice cream, I'll take the Cold Stone Creamery (there are several) over Sugar Bowl every time.

All those people who live in Phoenix all year long manage to survive, although friends who live there say they do enjoy going away in the summer for a couple of weeks.

If you are only going to be there a couple of days, why worry?

The ice cream will melt, so bring tissues to wipe your hands, enjoy the pool, walk slowly, ride around in an air conditioned car, drink lots, and you'll have a great holiday.

BAK

I live in the Phoenix area. There is NO WAY I would vacation here in the summer if I had the chance to go elsewhere. The temperature will be almost 100 degrees even at midnight. Sedona is also pretty miserable in August. I wouldn't recommend it. I second Cold Stone Creamery by the way.

We love Scottsdale in the summer!!! Why? because the hotel/condo rates are low and the golf is plentiful and cheap! We come from England for 3 weeks every year. Yes it's hot, but everywhere is air-conditioned and the heat is a dry heat no humidity not like 120 in Hong Kong or even the Caribbean. Try it for yourself! Everyone is different. The only reason we aren't coming this year is because we're off to Hawaii and Las Vegas(again very hot in August) - we'll definitely be back next year!

We arrived in Phoenix late july last summer - 113 deg when we arrived! Drove to Flagstaff for the night - in the 60's! We then spent a week in Sedona (2nd week in Aug) - by mid-afternoon, temps were 102-103. Plan activities for morning and evening and seek air cond in the afternoon. No one has mentioned that this is also monsoon season, with severe thunderstorms almost every afternoon. I would say still plan your trip, but plan activities around the weather. BTW we had a wonderful time!

Well, my take on all this is that Scottsdale will be plenty hot 24 hours a day. However, people do survive, and as long as you do not plan to spend lots of time outdoors in Scottsdale, and have that pool for long afternoons, you'll be fine. (And Scottsdale is better than downtown Phoenix, which is in a bowl, solid concrete, and polluted to boot, all of which raises the misery index. However, since the BOB is enclosed, you could take in a Daimondbacks game...)
As for Sedona, it will be less hot--still hot, but less so. So if you have relatively active mornings, siesta, then out again in late afternoon, you'll manage. Bring lots of sunscreen and drink lots of water all day long.
Have fun!

Just to clarify weather issues in Sedona, it's hot in August, but not quite as bad as some people are making it out to be.
Highest temp ever recorded in August in Sedona was 105, but average daily high is 92,which is not bad when it's dry. Average nightly low in August is 64!

I'm a native and love Sedona, but if you're not used to it, it is hot, especially in August!! Scottsdale will be even hotter...spend the day in the pool! I've gone backpacking in June up in Sedona and thought I was going to die, it was so hot, and June isn't even the hottest month.

I also recommend the Sugar Bowl, it's not a chain and has a really fun old school ice cream shoppe feeling.

If you love the mountains and want cooler weather, head east from Sedona to the White Mountains of Arizona, chock full of hiking trails and other recreational activities. Go to www.wmonline.com and look under the drop-down menu entitled "recreation."

wow, im also going the first 2 weeks of august with 2 7year olds and 2 9 year olds and also plan on hiking..1st week in sedona and second week we are currently stating in cave creek...we did las vegas last year in august and we were all fine..hopefully my troopers will be ok after all ive read..any info on cave creek? thx

also any info on the mexican border town of nogales? as i stated above the kids are 7 and 9..is it ok with young children? i thought thedyd get a kick out of going to mexico..thx

Billyb 68: Cave Creek is an interesting choice, and often overlooked. Its an "old west" kind of place with a corny little shopping mall that looks like an old western town. Good place to go if you want to ride horses. But it will be HOT in the summer time, so you might want to look at Flagstaff or the White Mountains for summer hikes.
You also asked about Nogales. Its been panned on this board, but I think it is an interesting day trip. Colorful and some nice restaurants and shops among the junky tourist stuff. If you go, though, park on the American side and walk over to avoid the long lines. Nearby is Tubac, which is a good base for exploring southern Arizona, and just east over the mountains are Patagonia and Sedona--wine country, high dessert ranching country with beautiful drives to old mining ghost towns.

Vera

Just read in the Arizona Republic yesterday.... average high in August for Sedona is 96 degrees!

Well, not that it's a major issue, but psychologically numbers closer to 90 sound a lot more tolerable than numbers closer to 100.

The following websites state that 92 is the average August high temp in AZ:
city of Sedona's website, Sedona Chamber of Commerce, weatherbase.com; weather.com says 94.

Sedona AZ, that is, not statewide, of course.

lived in tucson 1 year August is too dam hot but sedona is beautiful Head for the White Mountains of Flagstaff for summer

any help on vinyards in az.? if you had a choice which would be the best trip?

hey billyb68- I recall answering some of your posts on Sedona a few months ago. Did you ever find out what you wanted to know about exploring the verde river cave dwellings and the mogollon rim area? I haven't forgotten those from your posts- I have down notes to try to find out about them next time I go to the Sedona area (next fall). What did you find?

Vinyards: Southeast of Tucson, take route 82 south from I-10 to Sonoita (several really nice restaurants--Grasslands, Sonoita Cafe, Karens) and follow the signs toward Elgin. You can make a loop through Patagonia south and back to Tucson via I-19 if you want, giving you a chance to stop at Tubac and Tumacacori. The vinyards are clustered in the Elgin area. See the Arizona tourism site, or arizonahighways.com for more details.
Vera

emd..thanks again..i never did find too much info but there was a change of plans and therefor we are only spending 4 nite in sedona and the rest in the phoenix area..as of now were in cave creek..timeshares..there we non for 6 people in sedona so were staying at the hyatt pinion pointe in sedona then headin bk to phoenix..and then try to get to tombstone and patagonia and possibly nogalas,,,need to feel that situation out when i get to the border though/.since i didnt have the time for more treks in sedona, i started looking in the phoenix area and south...
and vera,,,thanks...