Phoenix Arizona Vacation Ideas

The McKormick rail yard is nice...you can ride the mini train/visit the museum you can even have a picnic there. there is a nice park with water sprinklers and a large sunshade to sheild the sun. We also went to golfland it was fun has putt putt and water park. if you look at the chamber of commerce website you may luck out and find something exciting happening when you are there. We just missed the mud event...they get clean dirt and make mud for the kids to play in...sounded cool anyway?

If you can plan a trip to Sedona, do it....it's beautiful.....I think it's about a 6 hour drive from Phoenix, maybe closer..........we went and saw the crater, and of course the Grand Canyon which is very cool........you could spend at least a whole day there...........
If you are a member of AAA....get some tour books from them.........they are great....and a map too.

Be sure to take sun screen.........heats different there.....

Enjoy and have a great time, don't grab a cactus........you might be laughing at that, but my daughter, who was told the same thing, slipped down and a hill and guess what she stopped her fall with..........yep, you got it...........OUCH....

So here is a tone of things to do while in Pheonix

Go to Sedona- its about 2 hrs north and it has great shops, you can go a little more north and check out slide rock. About another hour is Flagstaff and there is great sledding areas for the kids depending on snowfall.

In William, AZ (about 2 1/2 hr north) you can do teh Grand Canyon Railroad. In the winter they do the Polar Express (we take our daughter every year) It is amazing anf theey have a hotel package or you can drive up and back. @ trains per night, one at 6 and one at 8, its about a 2 hr train ride with Santa and very unforgettable.

In Pheonix there are great museums downtown, the Science museum would probably be great for your kids

Pheonix Zoo is wonderful aslo Wildlife Worls Zoo

Down in Tempe they have and indoor tree house called Matukus Island, very fun

Jump Street in Glendale, indoor trampolline park, very fun

If you think your girls would like it, just north of Pheonix in up Scottsdale Rd is an English Tea house, called English Rose. They do afternnon tea and the girls can wear dresses and hats. They have a kids tea with lemonade, it is way cute and a nice outing.

I know they just opened an Aqarium but I cannto remeber where it is.

ASU Gammage Theatre I believe is having the Grinch That stole Christmas at that time, great theatre and very inexpensive.

There are many orchards and farms that you can visit and pick fruits or veggies which is always a nice outing,

If I think I anything else I will let you know, or if you have specific ?s about anythign I posted let me know.

Hi Jil---Just had my first visit to Sedona last April. Will go again in a heartbeat. It, and the Grand Canyon, are worthy of week long trip in and of themselves.

Enjoy. D.

My son just recently moved back to MI from Phoenix. He definitely recommends Superstition Mts. The Sleeping Indian Chief rock formation is there.
Camelback climbing. There's the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest. Although they aren't in Phoenix, it's not something to miss if you're in Arizona at all!

We stayed here when we went to Sedona. Very cute nich town.

http://www.amararesort.com/

Do you know what area your sister lives in?
I've lived all around the valley and work in 2 Scottsdale Hotels, so I'm pretty chocked full of tourist-ey info :)
I would suggest:
McCormick-Stillman train park in Scottsdale
Taliesin West(Frank Lloyd Wright architecture school-more for the adults though)
Desert Botanical Gardens/Phoenix Zoo
Jump N Shout in Mesa(full of bounce houses and playplaces, pretty cheap too!)
Jumpstreet- they have one in Glendale and one in I think Gilbert or Chandler
As You Wish pottery is great for an indoor activity. It's a paint your own pottery place- great for creative/artistic kids
Arizona Science Center is awesome for all ages
Phoenix Children's Museum
I hope that helps! -- If you'd like, you can even stop by most any area hotel and they usually have brochure racks for attractions. Of course, you can also PM me and I'll be able to give you pretty much the same info that's on those racks LOL!!!!!

wow.....I just realized I rattled off the same stuff as Kristy V- I'm sorry!!
I think the Aquarium Kristy V. was referring to is the one at the Wildlife World Zoo on the West side of town... I've heard it's nice but I haven't been to that particular zoo since they opened the aquarium.
Also, Lisa, the mud event is Mighty Mud Mania at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale, this year was my son's 2nd year to attend, WE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! I highly reccommend taking your kids if you ever get a chance, it's awesome- they turn the park basically into a big mud pit with obstacle courses, games, etc...all categorized into 3 age groups :)

Absolutely go to Sedona and pull over at the bridge and clumb down into Oak Creek Canyon. On the way to Sedona stop off at Montezuma's Well (a hot spring with old dwellings - excellent detour and fun walk) and/or Montezuma's Castle (not a castle but pretty cool). In the Phoenix area (south Mountain) go check out the Mystery Castle (again not a castle but I think your girls are old enough to enjoy the tour and the stories).

Also, you could check out hte local theatres - lots of great community theatres in the valley with a lot of kid friendly shows.

Enjoy your trip, it's a great time of year to go.

Hi J.:
I love Phoenix! Your kids would probably like Pinnacle Peak. It's a restaurant that is family friendly. Buy everyone a neck tie from the Dollar Store and wear them to Pinnacle Peak. When you get there they will cut them off of you and give you a marker to write on them with and then hang them from their ceiling! It's a fun place here is the link to their site http://www.pppatio.com/home/default.asp. Also Raw Hide is fun and the kids will love it! It's an old west town and they have shops and do shows the link for that is: http://www.rawhide.com/. Have a great trip!

PS I agree with all the other responses Sedona is awesome!! If you have the chance to make the drive you should do it!