Scottsdale Fills Up This Time of Year
Visitors are in town, the weather is good, and Old Town is active from morning until well after dark. Galleries stay open later, restaurants add patio heaters, and the sidewalks stay busy past sunset. One of the bigger draws is Canal Convergence, running November 6–15 along the Scottsdale Waterfront with a Western Nature theme. It brings large-scale art, light installations, and evening crowds to the canal for ten days.
We have western-themed Puzzle Rides too, so the overlap is real. During those ten days, some (not all) of our rides may have limited availability while the event is on. The waterfront and the streets that feed into it get congested in the evenings, and that can change which departure times we can offer. Check the booking calendar when you look, and grab the slot you want rather than assuming every departure is open. If your dates fall inside November 6–15, look a day or two on either side as well.
The holiday ride that matters most in Scottsdale is Hijacked by Elves. Unlike Prescott, where Hijacked by Elves is a take-home kit this year, Scottsdale’s version is a full golf-cart puzzle ride through Old Town. Santa’s Naughty & Nice Lists have gone missing, and a mischievous elf is determined to keep them. Your group has to recover the lists before Christmas is ruined. You ride with a Puzzlemaster, solve festive clues at real stops, crack a few codes, and finish with the lists (and bragging rights) back where they belong. It is about 90 minutes, private to your group, and built for families or friends who want something more than another walk around the shops.
You do not need to know the streets. The Puzzlemaster drives and keeps the group moving. You just need to be willing to work together when a clue does not give up the answer on the first try. The tone is light — holiday mischief, not a scare — so it works for mixed ages as long as everyone is up for a little racing around Old Town after dark.
You can book Hijacked by Elves starting November 1. The rides themselves run from November 20 through January 3. That window fills, especially the weekends closest to Christmas and the days right after Thanksgiving. If you already know you want a holiday ride in Scottsdale, booking early is the practical move. The calendar opens on the first; the popular times do not stay open long after that.
The rest of the year-round rides are still available outside the Canal Convergence dates. Ghost Riders, the western heists, and the other Old Town adventures continue. The difference in November and December is that Hijacked by Elves is the one written for the season, and it only runs for those six weeks. If you have been on a regular Puzzle Ride before, this is the same format with a holiday story and a shorter booking window.
If you are already planning a Scottsdale trip around Canal Convergence or the holidays, add the ride while the calendar is open. Check the site for current availability, especially November 6–15, and book Hijacked by Elves before the December weekends are gone. Don’t forget to add photos when you book — a small add-on, priced by the ride, so you can keep the afternoon fresh in your memories forever!
