I visited Scottsdale for the first time in the spring. I made 3 mistakes that I'm still thinking about months later.

• I traveled to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, Arizona, for the first time in April.

• The trip included neighborhood tours, fine dining, and luxury hotel stays.

• I made a few mistakes, from booking to packing and planning, that I'll avoid next time I visit.

In April, I took my first trip to Arizona's desert oasis — the wealthy enclave of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, two Phoenix suburbs known for their high-end real estate and travel markets.

During my two-day whirlwind trip, I packed in neighborhood tours, fine-dining experiences, and two luxury hotel stays.

Months later, I'm still thinking about three mistakes I made when booking, packing, and planning the trip, which I'll avoid next time I want to escape to Arizona's millionaire hub.

When traveling to Scottsdale in the spring, I should've planned for dry, 90-degree Fahrenheit days.

For my spring trip to Scottsdale, I expected it to be warm, as the area is known to be throughout the year. So I packed some cooling, quick-dry attire, including an Under Armour polo and pants made of a similar material.

It was warmer than I anticipated, and this dark outfit made me feel like a magnet for the sun.

The outfit was comfortable in the morning and evening, but I would've packed lighter-color clothing if I had known I'd be battling 90-degree heat in the afternoons.

I also didn't realize that the heat in Scottsdale would feel drastically drier compared to the air I'm used to back home in New York.

I thought I could easily walk around all day in Scottsdale. I planned to spend most of the day exploring outdoors and walking from neighborhood to neighborhood. But I got dehydrated easily and quickly finished my 20-ounce plastic water bottle.

Next time I visit Scottsdale in the spring, I'll pack a larger, insulated water bottle and break up outdoor activities in my itinerary with indoor ones to stay cool and hydrated.

Booking just one night in a mega resort was my biggest regret.

Since I spent two nights in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, I booked a hotel for one night in each town.

I stayed at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, a 600-acre mega resort with five pools, a three-story spa, and an 18-hole golf course.

I didn't include enough time in my itinerary to hang out at the hotel.

I spent most of the day out and about, and by the time I got back to the Phoenician, I was too tired to sit down at the award-winning lobby bar or step into one of the pools.

Before I checked out in the morning, I had just enough time to explore the entire property on foot. I watched others play golf, tennis, and pickleball and longed for another night. This ended up being my biggest regret of the trip because I left feeling like I'd missed out.

After my stay, I realized that a mega resort is worth the price only if I take advantage of all it has to offer. Since my trip was more about exploring Scottsdale than relaxing, there simply wasn't enough downtime to make it worth booking for just one night.

After getting a preview of the Phoenician's amenities, I'd love to stay again for at least two nights and plan to spend many waking hours there.

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