Best Family Activities in Phoenix

When the whole family can participate, outings are even more fun—and memorable. For some inspiration for things to do that will please the entire brood, check out this list:

Operation City Quest

Families bond when they have to accomplish a task together. And what better task than a scavenger hunt with more than 100 objects to uncover and photograph. Designed for collaboration and players of all ages (kids age 12 and under play free).

Epic Escape Game

Built for kids 12 and up, this family activity give parents and their teenage brood much-needed and rarely found time together, as they team up to solve puzzles and escape a room in just under one hour.

Valley Youth Theater

Since 1989, this stage has fostered the acting aspirations of kids age 7–19 in professional-level family-friendly productions of such shows as Alice in Wonderland, Charlotte’s Web, and How I Became a Pirate.

Castles N Coasters

From mild rides to wild thrills, this amusement park has something for just about everyone in the family. And when you all want to enjoy having your two feet on the ground, you can putt around 18 holes of mini golf.

Great Arizona Puppet Theater

In this landmark building, puppeteers spin stories that address Arizonian themes to educate and engage spectators, young and old.

Spotlight On: Enchanted Island Amusement Park

Nestled within Encanto Park’s 222 acres of lush greenery—among the trails and lagoon, the boat house and golf courses—lies Enchanted Island Amusement Park. Here’s a sampling of the traditional rides you’ll find at this park:

• For little kids: Toddlers pretend to captain their own spaceship as they rise and fall on the Mini Enterprise, while they put their pretend driver’s licenses to good use on the Kiddie Cars ride.
• For older kids: The Parachute Tower takes riders on a gentle float up and down to get a sky-high view of the park; the tamer turns of the Dragon Wagon serves as a good warm up to more intense roller coasters.
• For big kids and adults: Strap into the harness and try to scale to the top of the Giant Climbing Wall.

Best Kid-Friendly Museums in Phoenix

For families who want a cultural adventure, opportunities abound in the city of Phoenix. Whether you want a little science, a history lesson, or a chance to gawk at great artwork, here’s a list of museums you won’t want to miss:

Rosson House Museum

For an idea of what Phoenix was like in the 1900s, take a guided tour of this historically restored home.

Musical Instrument Museum

More than 6,800 instruments gathered from 200 countries and territories around the world populate the exhibits in this museum, where audio and video displays showcase what they sound like and how they’re played. The Experience Gallery allows guests to get hands on with some of these instruments.

Phoenix Art Museum

Since the museum’s opening, more than 400 exhibitions have rotated in and out, but the museum’s core collection includes works by Monet, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Frida Kahlo. Once a month, the museum hosts Make It! workshops for little ones to try their hand at art inspired by current exhibits.

Hall of Flame Fire Museum

Learn about the history of firefighting as you explore displays of historical firefighting equipment that dates as far back as 1725, such as an 1844 fire engine from Rhode Island and 400 firefighting helmets from around the world.

Children’s Museum of Phoenix

In this museum designed for kids up to age 10, the most striking feature is possibly the Schuff-Perini Climber. Soaring towards the ceiling, the structure was crafted from standard building materials, found objects, and unexpected items, such as a flying bathtub.

Heard Museum

With a collection focused on Native American art, cultural interpretations, and history, the museum’s signature exhibit showcases nearly 2,000 Southwestern artifacts, plus a sculpture garden.

Spotlight On: Arizona Science Center

With over 95,000 square feet sprawled over multiple floors, adults and children alike find space to expend mental and physical energy. Here are just a few of the 300 permanent exhibits to explore:

• All About Me: Explore a model of the stomach big enough to walk through as you learn about the human body and its functions
• My Digital World: Learn the science behind digital communication technology by creating digital art and trying out the on-site ham radio
• Get Charged Up: Wonder at the power of physics with hands-on exhibits. Experience why lying down on a bed of nails doesn’t hurt, by actually lying down on a bed of nails, and see for yourself how levers work in a game of tug-of-war

Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in Phoenix

Rustler’s Rooste

Diners can choose one of two ways to get from the upstairs lounge to the dining area below: take the stairs (yawn) or the slide (yay). Even better: for a nominal fee, the restaurant’s Slide Rider club grants members 10 and younger a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree, all year long.

Chelsea’s Kitchen

With farmer’s market produce, fresh-ground burgers, and lots of gluten-free selections, parents rest easy knowing that whatever dish their children choose will be nutritious.

The Farm Kitchen at South Mountain

This 10-acre farm is the home to three restaurants, the most kid-friendly restaurant being The Farm Kitchen, where after a picnic lunch, kids can cavort on the grass while their parents relax.

Spotlight On: La Grande Orange Pizzeria

Meat-lovers, vegetarians, and vegans can dine together happily at this pizzeria with both inventive and traditional ingredients adorning the pies. Here are a few of the options you’ll find:

• The vegan dalai lama proves a pizza can be tasty without animal products, as it is beefed up by cashew cheese, roasted tomatoes and yellow peppers, and hearty kale and brussels sprouts.
• The mother earth pizza is layered with dairy cheese, as well as a garden’s worth of veggies: olives, artichokes, broccolini, and mushrooms.
• The fallen angel is a fresh take on a classic, with housemade sausage, shaved fennel, and roasted peppers atop a base of cheese and red sauce.