No matter when your next family vacation will be, Phoenix should be at the top of your list. Its gorgeous weather will provide you with pool days galore and there’s loads of family-friendly things to do while you are there. Scroll through to find three hotels that are perfect for families along with plenty of activities to fill your vacation days as much or as little as you desire.
Up, Up and Away Over the Cacti
Get the ultimate view of Valley of the Sun by booking a hot air balloon ride. Kids are welcome to join in the fun (recommended height is 48 inches to be able to see over the basket). Good news for hot days: you'll get a nice breeze while you are up there and photos to bring home with you!
Online: phoenixballoonrides.com
Open Your Mind at the Arizona Science Center
Downtown Phoenix is home to the Arizona Science Center where kids of all ages can learn and discover. This 120,000-square-foot building has over 300 hands-on exhibits in five themed galleries. Walk through an enormous working stomach (be forewarned, you may not be able to tear the kids away when they learn the stomach makes authentic noises) and then watch heart surgery being performed in the All About Me exhibit. Head to the Immersion Theater to feel what it is like to to be in the middle of a hurricane, tornado, wildfire, volcanic eruption or monsoon.
Online: azscience.org
Go Indoor Skydiving at iFly
Adrenaline junkies, this one's for you! With the help of an instructor, kids ages three and up (and their lucky grown-ups) get to experience what it’s like to skydive without having to jump out of a plane. Want to take your flight to the next level? Add on a “high fly” where you and the instructor fly even higher off the ground. It's definitely something you all will be talking about months later!
Online: iflyworld.com/phoenix
Ride the Waves at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
The whole family will agree that The Westin Kierland is the perfect spot for your Phoenix home base. With massive suites where your crew can comfortably spread out, The Westin Kierland knows what families need. Only resort guests have access to Kierland FlowRider™ where you can bodyboard or flowboard to your heart's content. Kids ages 4-12 can head over to Kids Club for games and crafts and the whole family can enjoy a day full of programming hosted all over the property. Insider tip: booking direct through the hotel's website gets you the best price.
Online: hotel-deals.marriott.com
Visit the Grand Canyon
A four-hour drive will get you from Phoenix to the south rim of the majestic Grand Canyon and this is the perfect time of year to visit. Drive in on your own or book a tour on a Hummer with Buck Wild Tours. You'll skip the line entering the park and will get loads of info from your helpful tour guide.
Online: nps.gov
Delicious Dining around Every Corner
Phoenix has a robust dining scene with authentic Mexican food dominating the top billing (we especially like Barrio Café and its tableside guacamole). With four locations to choose from, Hash Kitchen is a favorite for breakfast eats (we recommend going for a half order of pancakes for the kids, they are massive). When strolling through the downtown Scottsdale arts district stop by New Wave Market for the schmaltz chicken sandwich and a scoop of cake scratch ice cream. Kids will get a major kick out of the camp-themed ambiance and fun food at Camp Social. Bonus, there's a game room in the back! For stunning views and contemporary cuisine, you can't beat Top of the Rock Restaurant.
Take an Underwater Journey at OdySea
If you have some underwater explorers in your crew, make your way to Scottdale’s OdySea Aquarium where you can come face to face with over 30,000 marine animals in floor-to-ceiling windows and interactive exhibits. Touch pools allow little ones to experience creatures like sea anemones “first hand.” Kids will get a kick out of the penguins’ antics and they will not want to leave the water table once they get there. Take your crew on board OdySea Voyager, where you are “submerged” in a “submarine” and taken on an aquatic adventure (really you are in a theater that rotates 360 degrees through different exhibits). Don’t miss a pit stop in the bathrooms at the entrance—sharks swim by as you wash your hands!
Online: odyseaaquarium.com
Stay and Play at The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort
If the Funicians Club isn't your #1 reason for staying at The Phoenician, it should be. Kids ages 5-12 can enjoy outdoor sports, a cactus garden tour, arts and crafts projects, a playground activity, as well as video games, charades, bingo and other board games. You can book your kid crew in there for a half day or full day of fun, or drop them in the evening for dinner and a movie while you dine at the upscale J&G Steakhouse. The Phoenician Spa, 18-hole golf course and expansive pool complex complete with water slide are all waiting for you! Want to make sure you are getting the best deal? The hotel's website always has the lowest available rates and the best seasonal offers.
Online: hotel-deals.marriott.com
Visit with Thousands of Butterflies
In the same complex as the OdySea Aquarium you will find Butterfly Wonderland, a garden where you can see these beautiful creatures up close. First, stop at the Emergence Gallery where hundreds of live chrysalis turn into emerging butterflies. Then step inside the conservatory where more than 3,000 butterflies flutter among the tropical plants. In addition to these flying creatures, learn about rain forest reptiles and bees in other exhibits. Pro tip: buy your OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland tickets together to save a few bucks. You can exit and reenter both throughout the day if you need to leave to grab a bite to eat.
Online: butterflywonderland.com
Shopping for Days
Phoenix is home to top-notch shopping options from quirky local shops downtown to larger malls that cater to all the fashion trends. Biltmore Fashion Park has stores like Lululemon, Ralph Lauren and Saks Fifth Avenue. Chandler Fashion Center, the second largest mall in the Phoenix area, has dozens of shops from bookstores to toy stores. You'll also want to spend some time in the Scottsdale Arts District and don't be surprised if you have to ship your new purchase home. Talk about the perfect way to remember your visit!
Make Your Way to a Museum
A museum visit is the perfect way to spend a day in Arizona and there are lots to choose from around town. Step back in time the minute you walk in the doors of the Arizona Museum of Natural History. Here you can learn all about the prehistoric mammoths and other creatures who roamed Arizona. Down the street from this museum is the i.d.e.a. Museum, where kids can explore imagination through art, science and technology. The museum features Artville for tots up to age four and HUB, a gallery with 11 different interactive stations to create. Little airplane lovers must visit the Commemorative Air Force Museum where you can head into the hangar to learn how aircraft evolved as a heroic partner to ground and sea operations from WWI to present.
Easy Relaxation at Courtyard Scottsdale Old Town
Scottsdale's Old Town neighborhood is home to this family-friendly hotel with tons to explore right around the corner. The Courtyard Scottsdale Old Town is walking distance to the Fifth Avenue shopping district and load of restaurants, museums and even bike rentals to get you out and about (pedal over to the Sugar Bowl for a sweet treat). The hotel offers amenities all families will enjoy like a large pool, laundry facilities and an on-site restaurant. Bonus: the rates can't be beat when you book directly through the hotel.
Online: hotel-deals.marriott.com
Splash Down at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Whether you spend your day gliding down the Adventure River on an inner tube or you challenge your crew to a face-first race down the 240-feet of Wahoo Racers, your day at Hurricane Harbor is definitely going to be epic. Splash Island is the water wonderland designed just for little ones with dump buckets, mini waterslides and sprayers galore.
Online: sixflags.com
With Marriott Bonvoy™, members can enjoy special rates, free in-room Wifi, mobile check-in and the ability to earn and redeem points at Marriott’s thousands of hotels. Not a Marriott Bonvoy member? Join for free when you book! Get the best rates on your trip to Phoenix here!
The Best Upcoming Events for Kids in Phoenix
If you’re looking for events and activities, don’t miss our local Phoenix events calendar, which has everything from story times to seasonal activities like sporting events, family festivals and outdoor movie nights.
—Kate Loweth
