Just threw it in there for others who might be wondering about visiting Scottsdale and looking at this thread. 
It was definitely one of the highlights of our stay.
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HonestlyâŠstay wherever you wantâŠin Phoenix. But itâs my opinion, you really will be happier with a car to use. The city is very spread out, including the outer suburbs like Scottsdale. Honestly, getting from point A to Point B in a car is way easier than waiting around for an uber.
No matter where you stay, walking to many things will be a problem. IOW, you wonât be able to.
We go every year to see our son who lives there. We rent a car. Yes, itâs pricey to rent cars these days, but it gives us great flexibility in terms of where we want to goâŠand when.
You wonât have trouble finding places to eat in Phoenix. There are a LOT of good ones.
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OK - we are rethinking the rental car option. Makes our hotel choice more flexible. We are not looking for a luxurious spa or resort, just a clean, comfortable, conveniently located place to sleep for 3 nights.
Will we have to pay for parking for the rental car at the hotel or sites? (I am a city person and where I live parking and the associated costs are usually a nightmare).
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Have you considered Airbnb? You might want to checkâŠalthough some do have limits of a week. But others do not.
we are looking at both hotels and airbnb
Any thoughts on best time to visit? Iâd like to visit a friend in Tempe and combine it with a Grand Canyon/Flagstaff trip but I do NOT do heat well, so would want to find that sweet spot where the canyon is accessible but Iâd be comfortable doing some light hiking.
It depends on how long you plan to stay in Tempe. Flag/GC is much cooler than Tempe itself. If youâre planning pretty far in advance, the worst months in Phoenix are June-Sept, but there are sometimes heat spikes in late May and early Oct
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Iâd say anytime before June/July youâll be comfortable in both Tempe and the canyon (anywhere north):
Temps donât âpinâ until late July. Before that, the dryness and 30-degree spread each day mean those âhighâ temps are only for a few late afternoon hours and can be quite comfortable but, as @anomander posted, there can be spikes on either end of the summer months.
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Thereâs a lot of cheaper but perfectly fine non-resort hotels all over, including the area around N Scottsdale; they typically serve business travelers which sounds more like what youâre looking for. If you pull up a google map of the area they should come up.
Search the general area around the TPC golf course (where the Phoenix Open is held), which is roughly in-between Taliesin West and the Musical Instrument Museum, and a bit North of Westin Kierland which has been mentioned.
Most hotels in N Scottsdale donât charge for self-parking, although some of the bigger resorts might. I donât know about hotels in Old Town.
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I have stayed at the Scottsdale Mariott Old Town a few times and it was just fine and might be what OP is looking for if wanting to stay in that area.
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That hotel is in the office complex I worked in for years. You can walk to the Sugar Bowl from there. 
Yes! I know that area well- and The Sugar Bowl!!
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Just thought Iâd throw out a few more things.
Another plug for the Westin: Sip a m/cocktail on the patio and listen to the kilted bagpiper as he paces the edge of the course every evening just before sunset.
Also, for less fancy food with nice ambience, try The Henry in the Biltmore area or the Chelseaâs Kitchen patio down the road a bit from the Phoenician.
YesâŠthese are goodđ
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I might have missed it, but for Tucson, I donât think anyone has mentioned Mission San Xavier del Bac, which is just a little south of the city and very beautiful. That and the Desert Museum were the two biggest hits on our first visit. I have also been to Scottsdale many times, as a former employer held an annual retreat at the Fairmont Princess. I was living overseas, so I enjoyed Scottsdale as an opportunity to shop in American stores, but the Fairmont, like many of the hotels in the area, is just a nice but gigantic conference hotel, and the town overall, including Old Town, is not particularly interesting. One exception was Taleisin West, which was very worthwhile.
Our trip is still evolving. Looks like we will be renting a car and driving ourselves to Tucson (originally we were getting picked up). Any good stops along the way, suggested âscenicâ route?
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In Tucson, if the road is openâŠdrive up Mt. Lemmon. Itâs amazing. But itâs sometimes closed due to ice. Take a winter jacket, gloves and a hat!
Scenic Drive
The Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway is a gorgeous drive and an opportunity to experience lower temps year-round. The 27-mile Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway is a gorgeous driveâwith ample pullouts for photo ops. This elevation gain of more than 6,000 feet creates a 30- to 40-degree temperature drop, which makes Mt. Lemmon the perfect respite from summertime heat. Itâs also an excellent year-round training destination for cyclists, runners, and rock climbers. The Mt. Lemmon Hill Climb is a challenging mid-May cycling event sponsored by the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association, Inc.
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Iâve only driven phoenix to tucson a few times but I remember it being a very boring stretch of nothing but desert but itâs a nice straight highway.
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I agree, there isnât much between Phoenix and Tucscon, but if youâre the type whoâll pull off the road to see the Worldâs Largest Ball of Twine, you might spend a few minutes at the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch and Petting Farm as itâs right off the highway, and take a peek at Picacho Peak, also right there.
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Any suggestions for places to eat in Tucson?