Check out our list of seven super fun things to do in Phoenix, including some kid-friendly attractions.
1) Goldfield Ghost Town
Head to the Goldfield Ghost Town, just 40 miles from downtown Phoenix, to get a glimpse of what life was like in the late 1800s. The original town of Goldfield, at its height, had a boarding house, general store, a school, butcher, blacksmith, and three saloons.
The town is now a made for tourism attraction. You can tour an underground mine, ride a narrow-gauge railroad, watch a recreation of a gunfight, zipline, and other fun activities. You can even try panning for gold.
Food and drinks are available for purchase at the town saloon.
2) Desert Botanical Garden
You don’t need to be a gardener, or even a botanist, to count the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden as one of the fun things to do in Phoenix. The garden is 55 acres of walking trails, cactus, trees, and flowers from around the world.
Paved pathways throughout the garden showcase the many beautiful plants that can live and even thrive in a dry desert community. Visitors can see unusual plants, tall cacti, and over 400 rare or endangered plant species. There are even special programs for children.
Outside food is not allowed into the Desert Botanical Garden, but there is a cafe and a restaurant with food for purchase.
You’ll want to spend about two hours in the Desert Botanical Garden.
3) Phoenix Art Museum
For over 60 years, the Phoenix Art Museum has housed an impressive display of permanent and rotating exhibits.
The museum’s collection includes 20,000 art pieces, in nine collecting areas, including:
- American
- Western American
- Latin American
- Asian
- European
- Modern
- Contemporary
- Fashion design
- Photography
Plan to spend 2-3 hours in the Phoenix Art Museum.
4) Wildlife World Zoo
It’s a zoo, an aquarium, and a safari park, all rolled into one!
Just outside of Phoenix, 30 minutes from downtown, Wildlife World is a zoo, an aquarium, and a safari park all in one. One ticket provides access to all the exhibits in this 215-acre park.
Wildlife World Zoo specializes in animals from Africa and South America, with a large collection of exotic animals.
For hands-on activities, they offer:
- A giraffe feeding station, where you can purchase small pellets to feed the giraffes out of your hand.
- The Lory parrot feeding station where colorful lories eat hand-fed apple slices.
- A Kids petting zoo
- Stingray tank where kids can touch and feed the stingrays.
5) Old Town Scottsdale
Spend several hours wandering around the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood of Old Town Scottsdale, just 12 miles from downtown Phoenix.
You’ll find quaint jewelry shops, art galleries, restaurants, and the country’s most destination spas per capita.
Some of the original buildings are still standing in Old Town Scottsdale today. The Scottsdale Historical Museum is housed in the original red brick schoolhouse and the Rusty Spur Saloon was once the town bank.
Scottsdale is also home to baseball’s spring training camp, the Cactus League. The first team to hold spring training here was the Baltimore Orioles in the 1950s and 15 teams are in the Cactus League today.
6) Arizona Science Center And The Children’s Museum Of Phoenix
In the heart of downtown Phoenix, the Arizona Science Center is one of the kid-friendly attractions that families don’t want to miss. There are 300 hands-on exhibits and live demonstrations here to inspire and enrich young minds.
Permanent exhibits are dedicated to learning about the human body, weather storms, the science of flight, and the digital world.
Also at the Arizona Science Center is the Dorrance Planetarium and the Irene P. Flinn Theater. Both require separate admission tickets, in addition to the science museum admission.
Plan to spend 3-4 hours in the Arizona Science Center.
While you are in the area, plan to visit the nearby Children’s Museum of Phoenix to explore three floors of fun and interactive exhibits for kids.
While you are in the area, plan to visit the nearby Children’s Museum of Phoenix to explore three floors of fun and interactive exhibits for kids.
7) Tempe Town Lake
Just 10 miles east of downtown Phoenix, is the man-made Tempe Town Lake. It’s a great place for boating, walking, and jogging.
You can rent standup paddleboards, kayaks, and pedal boats at Tempe Beach Park. Fishing is available, and the lake is well-stocked with trout, bass, catfish, and sunfish.
However, swimming is not allowed due to concerns over water quality.
See More In The Valley Of The Sun
Explore more of the Phoenix area, on a tour that promises to be one of the top fun things to do in Phoenix!
We’ll take you on a journey through the highlights of Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Along the way, you’ll hear a few stories and learn more about the history of the area.
We’ll make sure you have time to explore on your own as well.
Call us or go online today to book a tour, and explore more of Phoenix with us!
