Phoenix is an ideal travel destination boasting abundant sunny days, breathtaking desert beauty, vibrant culture, and hospitable people. Arizona‘s capital has never failed to entertain visitors with its various attractions. Whether you want a desert escapade or indoor activities, this city has them all. Moreover, it is known for being family-friendly and has many kid-friendly activities. These include but are not limited to water parks, wildlife zoos, cultural centers, museums, and aquariums. You can even venture beyond the stereotypical and find new ways to explore this city. We have compiled them all in this list of the best things to do with family in Phoenix.
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- Top 10 Hotels to Stay in Phoenix
- Top 12 Popular Restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona
- Top 14 Things to Do in Phoenix, Arizona
- Take Your Kids To Phoenix Zoo
- Cheer D-Backs At Chase Field
- Spot Sharks At SEA LIFE Aquarium Arizona
- Play With Legos At LEGOLAND Discovery Center Arizona
- Go For Family Camping In The Tonto National Forest
- Float Over The Sonoran Desert
- Go Hiking In Papago Park
- Marvel At Exhibits Of Musical Instrument Museum
- Visit The Children's Museum of Phoenix
- Enjoy Thrilling Rides At Castles N' Coasters
Take Your Kids To Phoenix Zoo
- Address: 455 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 7 AM – 1 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Who doesn’t like zoos? Kids especially love interacting with and watching animals. Phoenix Zoo is an ideal destination for taking your children to meet diverse wildlife. It houses 3,000 animals of over 400 species, including the African lion, Amur leopard, Masai Giraffe, Asian elephant, Andean bear, bald eagle, Bornean orangutan, and Ostrich. In addition, it offers natural habitat to endangered species like Komodo Dragon, Linne’s two-toed sloth, cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, narrow-headed garter snake, and desert pupfish.
Phoenix Zoo hosts several kid-friendly activities to create opportunities for families to discover, connect, and learn. For example, All Ages Bird Walks is ideal for bird noticers and bird watchers of all ages. Next, the Family Nature Walks takes visitors on a 60-minute zoo expedition, where they will touch, smell, and examine nature. Children can also join the Camp Zoo and partake in various exciting adventures. The zoo offers summer, winter, fall, and spring camps for children of all ages.
Cheer D-Backs At Chase Field
- Address: 401 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States; Google Map
- Contact No: +16025148400
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Can you think of an activity suitable for an entire family? Well, of course, it’s a visit to legendary Chase Field, the home field of the Arizona Diamondbacks. This state-of-the-art ballpark is suitable for hosting events at any time of the year. It can continue rain or shine thanks to its retractable roof, which comprises 9 million pounds of structural steel. It also features a signature swimming pool and the Coors Light Strike Zone.
Chase Field has a non-smoking policy and designated smoking areas. Visitors are forbidden from smoking in any of the seating areas. They must also manage their strollers if they bring any. Other rules include the prohibition of alcohol, drugs, and other illegal substances, respect and consideration for other fans, not entering the field of play, and wearing appropriate attire. This ballpark has zero tolerance for abusive behavior, including using derogatory language or hate speech.
Spot Sharks At SEA LIFE Aquarium Arizona
- Address: 5000 S Arizona Mills Cir Suite 145, Tempe, AZ 85282, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 11 AM – 5 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Your kids will enjoy SEA LIFE Aquarium Arizona, an indoor attraction with multiple exhibitions. The most famous are the ten shark exhibits, which feature seven shark species, including epaulette, black tips, and bamboo sharks. You can catch them swimming overhead at the Ocean View Exhibit, Arizona’s only 360-degree ocean tunnel, which houses 20 species of different sea creatures.
Sea Turtle Rescue Reef is the latest addition to the aquarium, featuring rescued sea turtles. Here, you will learn about sea turtles’ threats and SEA LIFE’s attempt to protect them through rescue and rehabilitation. Next, the Bay of Rays is the home of stingrays. Its coral exhibit houses real corals and clownfish. Other attractions include an Interactive Touchpool, a Shipwreck Exhibit, and a Temple of the Seahorse.
Play With Legos At LEGOLAND Discovery Center Arizona
- Address: 5000 S Arizona Mills Cir STE 135, Tempe, AZ 85282, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 11 AM – 5 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram, Official X
The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is spread all across America, including in Arizona. It is among the top kid-friendly attractions, with activities for adults. For instance, its 4D Cinema invites visitors of all ages to indulge in 4D Lego Movies. Families can ride Merlin’s Apprentice together and participate in several workshops. Speaking of which, visitors will learn from a Master Model Builder and get insider tips and building secrets.
LEGO City Play Zone is dedicated to kids and features climbing walls, slides, and a jungle gym. Little visitors can also burn off some energy at the LEGO Construction Site. Next, the little ones can let their imaginations run wild at DUPLO Farm. This attraction inspires interactive social play and encourages kids to have fun. If you visit on weekends, you can meet your favorite LEGO characters at Meet and Greets.
Go For Family Camping In The Tonto National Forest
- Address: Arizona 85263, USA; Google Map
- Things To Do: Hiking, Camping, ATV Tours, Aerial Tours
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official X
Seeing the Tonto National Forest among the best things to do with family in Phoenix might be surprising. It is 600,000 acres of wilderness featuring diverse wildlife, flora, and fauna. In addition, it invites visitors to discover and venture on an adventurous journey. This forest allows families to bond and indulge in outdoor activities. They can hike, watch diverse native plants, animals, and fish, enjoy mountain biking, and indulge in several water activities.
Tonto National Forest has many recreational spots, including the scenic Saguaro Lake. It offers swimming, boating, picnicking, kayaking, paddle boarding, and horseback riding. Since there is so much to this forest, you better set up a camp and spend a day or two here. Tonto offers everything from open-air to tent, RV, dispersed, group, and campground camping. Also, you must buy passes to access most of the recreation sites.
Float Over The Sonoran Desert
Amusement parks and kid-friendly attractions are so overrated. How about you try something new? For example, take your children on an unforgettable hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert. These rides are entirely safe and suitable for visitors of all ages. You are good to go unless you have an extreme fear of heights. These rides are usually 3 to 4 hours long and will take you to watch stunning sunrises or sunsets.
You will overlook the vast Sonoran Desert landscape, wildlife, and unique vegetation. You might even catch sight of early-morning hikers down below. Hot air balloon rides are a convenient alternative to hiking and off-road tours. Exploring the Sonoran Desert on foot in summer is challenging, especially with high temperatures and lack of shady areas. Likewise, ATVs and UTVs are fun but are difficult to maneuver. Hence, travel in comfort and enjoy hot air balloon adventures.
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- Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Phoenix with Breakfast
- Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
- Sunset Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Phoenix
Go Hiking In Papago Park
- Address: 625 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 5 AM – 11 PM
- Things To Do: Yoga, Picnicking, Hiking, Mountain Biking
The Papago Park is spread across 1500 acres in Downtown Phoenix and Tempe. It is more than an open space; it houses many attractions, golf courses, museums, baseball fields, and lakes. The beautiful Desert Botanical Garden is located inside the park. It features thousands of trees, flowers, and cactus species. Two 18-hole golf courses allow golfers to play and compete in friendly matches. Also, did we mention the iconic Phoenix Zoo is located inside the park?
The best activity inside the park is hiking. It features east-side and west-side hiking trails that bikers can also use. The latter leads to the 2.3-mile Double Butte Loop, which takes 45 minutes to complete. If you prefer a short hike, the Hole-in-the-Rock is your destination. This 0.2-mile hike only takes 30 minutes to complete and is a photogenic spot. Many tourists come here to snap pictures with beautiful sunrise or sunset in the background.
Check Out These Handpicked Activities:
- Magical Sunset Yoga Experience, Unique Views
- Amazing 2-Hour Guided Hiking & Yoga At Papago Park
- Private Guided Yoga Session At Papago Park
Marvel At Exhibits Of Musical Instrument Museum
- Address: 4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
The world’s only global Musical Instrument Museum is an ideal family destination in Phoenix. Its 200,000-square-foot building houses over 16,000 instruments and memorabilia from over 200 countries and regions. You might be familiar with some instruments, such as guitars, banjos, violins, and pipe organs. However, most instruments are something you have never heard of, including Componium, Bible regal, Muchosa, Ondes Martenot, and Violano Virtuoso.
The museum has categorized its collections into six galleries: the Geographic Galleries, Artist Gallery, Orientation Gallery, Experience Gallery, Collier Stem Gallery, and Mechanical Music Gallery. MIM has a music theater where various concerts and musical events occur yearly. Likewise, the MIM Kids Programs are designed for children from toddlers to 12 years old. It includes Mini Music Makers, Musical Adventures, MIMkids Resources, and Junior Museum Guides.
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Visit The Children’s Museum of Phoenix
- Address: 215 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85034, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 4 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
What could be a better family destination than the Children’s Museum of Phoenix? It is designed for children ages birth to ten. While museums typically forbid visitors from touching any display, the Children’s Museum lets you touch everything. It houses over 300 play experiences in its 48,000 square feet across three floors. Moreover, members and children under the age of 1 can enjoy free entry.
This museum has exhibits and experiences for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and students. It has created several programs for children in the 0 – 5 age range, focusing on early childhood education and school readiness. Children over five can participate in many play and learning experiences, such as music, yoga, and art. The Children’s Museum of Phoenix also hosts camps for children aged 5 – 8. The younger visitors can join the camp during spring, winter, or fall breaks.
Enjoy Thrilling Rides At Castles N’ Coasters
- Address: 9445 N Metro Pkwy E, Phoenix, AZ 85051, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
We can’t conclude our list of the best things to do with family in Phoenix without adding an amusement park. The family-friendly Castles N’ Coasters guarantees fun for all ages. This 14-acre amusement center houses two roller coasters, four outdoor 18-hole miniature golf courses, several rides, and an indoor video game arcade. The latter features over 150 arcade games, including classic and modern games.
Begin your adventure with a ride on the thrilling Desert Storm. It will test your courage by taking you through vertical drops, loops, and spins. Still not scared? Then, how about riding the Sky Diver? This attraction is perfect for thrill seekers, taking passengers 100 feet above the ground. Afterward, cool down with a log ride called Splashdown. Don’t go yet; more rides, including Patriot, Carousel, Magic Carpet, Sea Dragon, Free Fall, and Bumper Boats, are left to try.
Phoenix’s neighborhoods, Downtown Phoenix, Camelback East, Paradise Valley, North Mountain, and Ahwatukee Foothills, are the best for families. Each features family-friendly attractions, parks, playgrounds, top-notch public schools, and absolute safety. Downtown has many family hotels offering comfort and satisfying amenities. It is also home to top restaurants serving delicious food and southern hospitality. Moreover, you will find many kid-friendly activities all over the city. Overall, you will only be satisfied with your Phoenix trip.
