Phoenix and Scottsdale Attractions
Phoenix and Scottsdale Attractions
 | Arizona Desert Mountain Jeep Tours Scottsdale, AZ • 800-567-3619 Enjoy a guided tour of the Sonoran desert by Jeep, rolling by and sometimes over the red-rock boulders, through gullies to ridge tops for scenic views. Guides, often wearing 10-gallon hats as well as cowboy chaps and boots, point out the various cacti and critters while relating Native American and western lore. Some tours add gold panning or cookout dinners as well as nighttime runs. On these, the night vision scopes enable you to spot bats, scorpions and maybe even wild pigs. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Arizona Science Center 600 East Washington Street Pheonix, AZ • 602-716-2000 The Arizona Science Center features hundreds of hands-on exhibits. Pedal a bicycle across a cable suspended 15 feet high, learning why the laws of physics won't allow you fall. More highlights: lie on a bed of nails, climb a rock wall, learn about digital technology and view undersea wonders on a five-story tall IMAX screen or trace the constellations in the Arizona sky at the high-tech planetarium. During "Starry Storytime," young kids hear legends about the stars and planets. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Deer Valley Rock Art Center 3711 Deer Valley Road Glendale, AZ • 623-582-8007 The sheer numbers and accessibility of the ancient petroglyphs -- more than 1,500 -- at this 47-acre, outdoor preserve are impressive. Forget about cave crawling or difficult hikes, an easy quarter-mile trail shows you the spirals, deer, hunter and other figures. At the visitor center, find out more about what the petroglyphs mean. At selected times, rangers offer storybook tales for young kids as well as talks and guided hikes for older children and families. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12) |
 | Desert Botanical Gardens 1201 North Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ • 480-941-1225 Follow the trails that wind through this garden's 14 acres to discover the diversity of desert plants. A good place to start is the Desert Discovery Trail with its cacti from North and Central America. The Sonoran Desert trails showcases the area's vegetation. See acacia trees, organ pipe cacti, mesquite thickets, chaparral and prickly pear cactus. Along the way, kids can grind corn and twist agave fibers to make twine or brushes. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Green Zebra Adventures 14821 N Hiawatha Hood Rd Scottsdale, AZ • 866-703-2622 Green Zebra Adventures runs ATV tours just outside of Arizona City in the Fort McDowell mountainous terrain and Sonoran Desert. These off-road tours give you the feeling that you can drive anywhere with no obstacles in your way. Guests are taught on a mild road before heading out on their own in their Tomcar. The activity takes a total of four hours and hotel pickups are provided in the morning and afternoon. Kids ride at half-price, but to participate, children must be at least 4 years old. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Heard Museum 2301 North Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ • 602-252-8848 The Heard presents a spectacular collection of Native American art that enables you and your children to appreciate the Native American worldviews. At the downtown facility browse 10 galleries that feature sculpture, pottery, beadwork, baskets and jewelry as well as a noted collection of Hopi katsina dolls. All 21 federally recognized tribes in Arizona present information in the "We Are Arizona's First People" gallery. In "Every Picture Tells a Story," kids learn about Native peoples in seven geographic regions from the plains to the Arctic tundra, the desert, the Colorado River, the Rio Grande, Northwest Coast and the forests of the Great Lakes. Kids can climb in a canoe, make bandolier bags and find out what various patterns on bowls signify. The museum's shop is one of our favorite places to browse -- okay buy -- Native American jewelry and pottery. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Hike Camelback Mountain Phoenix, AZ Red-rock Camelback Mountain, an area landmark, rises 2,704 feet above sea level. On one trip, my teenage daughter and I hiked to the top, an arduous journey, especially along the narrow ledge barely wide enough for one foot. However, once we reached the top, and especially after we came back down, we gained a sense of accomplishment. With grade schoolers, try the easier Ramada Loop, a 1/8-mile trail that gains about 100 feet in elevation. Remember to wear a hat, put on sunblock and bring along plenty of water. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Musical Instrument Museum 4725 East Mayo Boulevard Phoenix, AZ • 480-478-6000 While Phoenix's newest museum, opened April 2010, may sound like a snore, the 19,000-square-foot facility is magical. We could have spent all day at MIM, going from gallery to gallery, donning headphones to hear songs and watching videos of dancers and performers. The museum's exhibits present instrument and music from all over the world, including Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, U.S, and Europe. See one of the drums used in opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, learn about Hip Hop rhythms in the USA, bagpipes from Scotland and lots more. In the "Experience Gallery," play African drums, finger a harp, shake gourds from Guinea and strike an enormous gong from Thailand. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Over the Rainbow Balloon Flights Pheonix, AZ • 602-225-5666 From hundreds of feet up in a hot air balloon, the Sonoran desert spreads out as a bowl rimmed by the city's sprawl. The view is terrific, if costly. You might spot jackrabbits, deer or even a coyote. Balloons take off early in the morning, when air currents are the most calm. The optimum months to float over the city range from November through April. That's when the outdoor temperatures are moderate. Summer's hot weather combined with the heat of the balloon's burners can detract from the experience. Take only those children who are unafraid of heights and who can see over the basket's rim. Among the area's outfitters are Hot Air Expeditions and Over the Rainbow. Best For: Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Phoenix Zoo 455 North Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ • 602-273-1341 Young kids especially appreciate the Phoenix Zoo. At Harmony Farm, kids can pet live goats and meet the giant Percheron horses. At the Fisher-Price Little People Discovery Farm, geared to ages 18 months to 5 years, tots can feed Fisher-Price animals. Kids can also ride a real camel ride, feed Jambo and the other long-necked wonders at the Giraffe Encounter, wander through the Monkey Village where squirrel monkeys scamper along the vines and trees, and learn about parrots, owls, vultures and toads at animal shows. In addition, see elephants and lions along the Africa trail, and meet rattlesnakes and other local critters along the Arizona trail. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9) |
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