The first thought people have when imagining Arizona is a big, dry desert. While they may be correct, they are overlooking the many amazing sites and activities Arizona has to offer. The Phoenix area has been steadily expanding over the past few decades and the attractions and parks have grown with this expansion.
Parks and Water Parks
Wet N’ Wild
4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd.,
Glendale, AZ 85310
623-201-2000
Wet N’ Wild offers over 30 water slides and attractions and is a great way to escape the Arizona heat. The park not only offers large water slides for adults and older kids, they also have a Wet N’ Wild Jr. section for smaller children.
Encanto Park
2605 N 15th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Encanto Park is easily the most beautiful public park in Phoenix. The huge park includes a sports complex (basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, etc.), a large lake where you can fish or rent paddle boats, a huge green belt, and plenty of play structures for the kids. This is a perfect place to take your family for a picnic, day-outing, or family reunion.
Enchanted Island Amusement Park
1202 W Encanto Blvd
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-254-1200
This amusement park is actually located in the middle of Encanto Park. If the park activities are not enough to keep the kids entertained, the amusement park will certainly do the trick. The small amusement park offers bumper boats, splash pads, a train ride, carousels, small rides, rock climbing wall, and much more!
Papago Park
625 N Galvin Pkwy,
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Papago Park is located near the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. This park offers an authentic desert park experience. The park backs up into a small mountain with caverns that can be explored. A splash pad is also included in the park, along with play structures and picnic areas.
Sports and Active Life
Altitude Trampoline Park
3921 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
(602) 522-8000
Altitude Trampoline Park is Phoenix’s top indoor trampoline activity center. With over 35,000 square feet of jumping space, there is room for plenty of activities and fun. The park offers both open jump times and the ability for private parties. Trampoline parks are a great way to get some exercise and have fun, no matter your age!
Spring Training
*Locations throughout the valley, please visit their website for all locations and dates.
Spring training is a staple in Phoenix life. These affordable games give the family a simple outing that is enjoyable for all ages. Most fields offer both general seating along the first and third base lines, and leave the areas behind the outfield as a grassy area for families to picnic and hang out in the grass to watch the game.
Zoo and Wildlife Activities
The Phoenix Zoo
455 N. Galvin Pkwy,
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602-273-1341
The Phoenix Zoo is a must-see for families in the Phoenix area, it is one of the largest non-profit, privately funded zoos in the country. The zoo has been under construction for the past few years in order to expand their offerings, and it is sure to impress! The new renovations include a larger area for the elephants, tigers, and lions, as well as an entire monkey village. Kids can explore the park on foot or take a ride on the safari train that escorts families on a tour around the huge park. The zoo allows kids an up-close view of the animals and even has some animals they can interact with, including: feeding the giraffes at the giraffe encounter and petting stingrays at stingray bay.
The park also offers a “splash pad” area, including the Yakulla Caverns and Leapin’ Lagoon, from March-October.
If you are in the area around the holidays, the Phoenix Zoo offers its popular display of “Zoo Lights.” This event is generally open November and December in the evenings and is an instant success with the kids. Don’t let the idea of being outside in December deter you, keep in mind this is Arizona, it will likely be 50 degrees and quite enjoyable.
SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium
5000 S. Arizona Mills,
Tempe, AZ 85282
877-526-3960
A little further south from Phoenix, you will find the SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium. This aquarium offers over 5,000 different marine life animals for kids to explore and learn about. They also offer interactive activities in the touch pools, and have a 360-degree tunnel through the aquarium for an inside look at ocean life.
Desert Botanical Garden
1201 N. Galvin Pkwy.,
Phoenix, AZ 85008
480-941-1225
The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is the world’s largest collection of desert plants. This park offers five different trails that lead you through the park and display the Sonoran Desert plants and scenery. The gardens also have exhibitions that change throughout the year, so check their website for the current exhibit.
Museums
Children’s Museum of Phoenix
215 N. 7th St.,
Phoenix, AZ 85034
602-253-0501
This interactive learning experience is ideal for children ages 1-10, but can entertain kids and adults of all ages. The museum implements over 300 interactive art activities throughout the museum, allowing kids to touch and explore.
Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)
4725 E. Mayo Blvd.,
Phoenix, AZ 85050
480-478-6000
This unique museum is entertaining for all ages due to the wide offering of exhibits. The museum allows entrants to play musical instruments from around the world and learn how they are made. They also have a MIM Kids program that offers dance/music class for small children, music classes for elementary age children, and many other unique and fun musical activities.
Arizona Science Center
600 E. Washington St.,
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-716-2000
The Arizona Science Center is a must-see in Phoenix. The center not only has hundreds of hands-on learning exhibits, it also includes a 5-story IMAX theater and a planetarium. A family can easily spend hours in the Science Center and not experience all of the amazing things they have to offer.
Whether you are visiting for a day or new to the area, Phoenix has many activities that you can enjoy with the family. This article was brought to you by the North Phoenix Pediatric Dentists at Children’s Dental Specialty Group.
