We took a family trip to Phoenix, Arizona….in the summer! The temps were above 100 each day but it’s a dry heat. HAHA. That means you don’t sweat, but your skin does burn so pack tons of sunscreen. We also brought cooling towels. Keep in mind if you go in the summer, some things close around mid day or don’t happen at all because of the heat.
We stayed in a VRBO, and being able to get in the pool or hot tub everyday was the highlight for the kids. We could also cook food and eat breakfast there everyday. One thing on our kids MUST DO list was to see the Grand Canyon by train. They heard about this on ABC Mouse! We were able to see plenty of animals from the train and were entertained by musical cowboys and train robbers.
Driving to Williams to catch the train was about 2 hours from Phoenix. The Grand Canyon Railway brings you to the Grand Canyon and you have 3 hours to explore before it returns you to Williams. We had hoped to check out Williams afterwards because it looks just like the Disney Cars town – but I had altitude sickness!
There’s plenty to see and do once you get to the Grand Canyon! The shuttle buses and tours were down due to COVID, so we spent our time at the Historic Village and some of our family went on a short hike. If you have older kids, I would recommend skipping the train and checking out the mule rides. You must be 9+ to ride a mule.
We hoped to check out the Phoenix Zoo, but summer hours were only until 1 PM due to heat. They do have a carload drive thru, stay in your air-conditioned car, option, but I heard it just wasn’t the same. It’s pretty pricey, but if you have a membership to John Ball Zoo or another reciprocal zoo, you get 50% off tickets! We decided to check out Papago Park’s Hole in the Rock next door instead. It is a very short hike that kids can do (1/10 of a mile) and the view is incredible. There is a little reptile park at the base, a beautiful fishing hole, and a pathway with native plant markers to walk. You can check out the Arizona Heritage Center but we missed it because it’s only open until 2 PM.
We grabbed some lunch and headed over to the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. Only the outdoor area is open due to COVID. I would recommend coming in the morning because there is not much shade. And you better have brought water and those cooling towels! Only Kaylee and I were able to make it though the whole outdoor trail!
The kids wanted to find some gold and we wanted to see some cowboys. We didn’t want to make the drive to Tombstone. We chose to hit up Goldfield Ghost Town since it was much closed to Phoenix. The kids loved exploring this town and going into a real mine….just like Minecraft! They wanted to buy pickaxes but that’s the one thing the shops don’t have! They have a nice scenic train ride, a mine tour, gold panning, shooting gallery, a real church, a reptile exhibit, and a mystery spot where gravity seems to have gone crazy! The only bummer was the they don’t have cowboy gunfights until November due to heat!! Afterwards we wanted to check out The Lost Dutchman Visitor Center, but it closes at 3:30 PM. You have to wake up early in the morning if you want to do everything in Arizona!
If you have a membership at the Grand Rapid Public Museum (or another science museum), you can get in free to the Arizona Science Center. It was a fun way to spend the day out of the heat, but I am spoiled by the GRPM. This museum felt like it needed a little more upkeep as some items were missing or broken. There was plenty to do there though with 4 floors! Their favorite parts were the slide that “toots” when you emerge and the 5 minute Forces of Nature Immersion Show: What does it feel like to be in the middle of a hurricane, tornado, wildfire, volcanic eruption or monsoon?
We wanted to make a quick trip to McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. However, my kids LOVED it and stayed until it closed at 1 PM (summer hours). The Scottsdale Railroad Museum (closed) and The Model Railroad Exhibit are free, along with the playgrounds. The Model Railroad Exhibit is amazing and huge! You need to purchase tickets to ride the mini-train and the big carousel.
After lunch, we popped over to Lego Land Discovery Center and we also stayed there until it closed! Make sure you check the movie times when you come, they have different short 4D movies that play at different times. We saw the last movie but the kids wanted more. Purchase your tickets with the Kids Go Free with Adult Ticket ! My kids wanted everything in the gift shop, but they have a build your own mini-figure station that made a perfect low cost souvenir. If you have time, Lego Land is at the Arizona Mills Mall and they also have an aquarium, a Rainforest Café, a two story arcade and more!
Need more to do? I used the Phoenix with Kids page to find things! I also wanted to take a few more day trips but with little kids and a fun pool, there just wasn’t enough time! Maybe next trip!
Sedona SlideRock State Park – swimming hole
Bearizona – Drive-Thru Wildlife Park
Rustler’s Rooste – Restaurant
Mattel Theme Park – Opening 2022!