Taliesin West is located in the western foothills of the McDowell Mountains in northeastern Scottsdale. This is home to the school of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and a fascinating place to pay a visit if you're in northern Scottdale. You don't have to be an architect or even have any formal background in architecture to find this former home and ongoing school dedicated to the design principles of one of the world's greatest architects interesting--you just have to have lived in the twentieth century and have had eyes in your head when looking at the structure of buildings around you.
Year round (check ahead for variations in summer/winter schedules), there are tours of the architectural studio which is set amid some 600 acres of the neighboring Sonoran desert. If you've had the chance to see either the PBS bio-documentary on Frank Lloyd's life--his personal and professional triumphs and tragedies--or read up on his life a little, you might find visiting Taliesin even more interesting. In addition to touring the studio and grounds with docent guides, you get to see examples of Wright's work in models, photos and a video presentation. There is a visitor center with a good selection of books and gift items. There's also a cafeteria with indoor/outdoor seating.
Getting there: from central Scottsdale go north about 10 miles on Scottsdale Rd. to Cactus Rd., turn right going east and continue as far as 108th St. You'll start to see signs for the turnoff road to Taliesin before you turn onto 108th