Phoenix and Scottsdale have more to offer than just great weather and golf. Bring the kids along for your vacation and try out some of our local family favorites.

Our own Phoenix Zoo is a great way to spend a day gazing at the animals and playing.  It’s centrally located between Scottsdale and Tempe and right next to the Desert Botanical Gardens too.  If you’re here in the spring, check out the butterfly exhibit at the gardens.  If you’re up for something more off the beaten path, try the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium.  See the penguins (yes, in Arizona!), fish, sharks, and more in the brand new aquarium wing of the zoo.  It’s likely that they’ll be some baby animals for your little ones to see too.  It’s a bit of an outback experience so wear your tennies and be prepared to deal with a little dust on the gravel paths. 

If the weather is nice, which it is almost all year long, visit the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park for some cheap fun.  Admission to the park is free and we love riding the carousel and small-scale train for just $1 and $2 each.  Kids under 3 are FREE with a paying adult.  There’s ample picnic area and food available onsite.  Parking can be tight when the weather is nice and school is out so arrive early to get a good spot. 

If you’re up for the Wild West, check out Rawhide Western Town and get a glimpse of an 1880’s Arizona western town.    Pan for gold, ride a stagecoach, or hop on a burro for a ride around the town.  Parking and admission to the town and its shops are free and tickets are required for shows and rides.  

Another of our family’s personal favorites is the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.  There’s many themed rooms for the kids to play indoors and also an outdoor picnic area with activities in the cooler months.  Some of the rooms include the Ball Room, the Art Room, the Market (our favorite), the Noodle Forest, and the Under Three Room.  Admission is $8 each and infants under 1 are free but that’s not to say there’s nothing for them there. Most rooms have a separate infant play area safe from the rambunctious fun the older toddlers and grade-schoolers are having.