Scottsdale's Family Fun: 5 Days of Adventures on a Budget
Discover endless family fun in sunny Scottsdale, where memories are made!
19 July 2023
Sophie Watts
US Travel Writer
Scottsdale, located in Arizona, offers an ideal family-friendly destination with a blend of outdoor activities, cultural experiences, and luxurious resorts. Families can explore the vast Sonoran Desert through hiking and biking trails, visit the Phoenix Zoo, or embark on a thrilling hot air balloon ride. Additionally, Scottsdale boasts an array of family-friendly resorts with pools, spas, and recreational amenities ensuring an unforgettable vacation for the whole family.
Travel plan
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- Check into the delightful Arabian-inspired Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel, where luxury meets whimsy.
- Embark on a wild desert adventure with Arizona Off-Road Tours, where 4x4 vehicles navigate rugged trails like a llama on roller skates.
- Visit the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, where kids can ride a mini-train while grown-ups pretend they're the conductor. All aboard!
- Get your creative juices flowing at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, where eccentric installations will make you ponder the meaning of life.
- Dine at the Farm at South Mountain, nestled in a tranquil grove, where organic ingredients morph into edible masterpieces. Food for the soul!
- Rise early to embark on a hot air balloon ride with Hot Air Expeditions; soar above the cacti-dotted landscape like a bird on a mission to find breakfast.
- Dive into the refreshing waters of the Desert Botanical Garden, where colorful flora will bedazzle your eyeballs and activate your inner garden gnome.
- Visit Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, where architectural wonders blend with the rugged desert backdrop. Scribble your own dream house plans!
- Enjoy an outdoor picnic at McDowell Mountain Regional Park, surrounded by jagged peaks and playful critters who might just steal your sandwich.
- Feast upon succulent steaks at Mastro's City Hall Steakhouse, where the ambiance is as sizzling as the USDA Prime cuts. Meat sweats guaranteed!
- Step back in time at the Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, where you can channel your inner cowboy, or cowgirl, and learn about the Wild West.
- Explore Old Town Scottsdale, where quirky art galleries, souvenir shops, and Southwest-inspired boutiques will tempt both your inner shopaholic and art connoisseur.
- Indulge in a scrumptious lunch at Citizen Public House, where even your pickiest eater won't be able to resist bites of their famous Original Chopped Salad.
- Unleash your inner Picasso at The Brush Bar, where a wine-fueled painting session will make you discover hidden artistic talents you never knew existed!
- Savor the flavors of the Southwest at The Mission, where modern Latin cuisine will transport your taste buds to culinary nirvana. Ole!
- Discover your inner adrenaline junkie at OdySea Aquarium, where swimming with sharks, touching stingrays, and screaming at the creeps in the SeaTrek adventure awaits.
- Unleash your inner warrior at iFly Phoenix, an indoor skydiving facility that defies gravity like a ninja on a trampoline. Goodbye, fear of heights!
- Embark on a thrilling ATV excursion with Desert Wolf Tours, where zooming through the Sonoran Desert will make you yell "yeehaw" louder than a cowboy at a rodeo.
- Relax and rejuvenate at the luxurious Joya Spa, where a massage will unknot your muscles like a wizard's spell, leaving you floating like a cloud.
- Savor a fabulous farm-to-table dinner at FnB Restaurant, where local ingredients steal the spotlight and transform into delectable concoctions. Bon appétit!
- Visit the Butterfly Wonderland, a tropical paradise where thousands of colorful butterflies flutter around like the neon lights of a disco dance floor.
- Enjoy a family-friendly hike at Camelback Mountain, where stunning vistas and a challenging climb will make you feel like the king or queen of the desert.
- Lunch at The Rusty Spur Saloon, a nostalgic cowboy watering hole where boots, hats, and good ol' country tunes will transport you straight to the Wild West.
- End your trip on a high note with dinner at Sassi, an Italian oasis nestled in the Sonoran Desert, where homemade pasta and moonlit views create an unforgettable farewell feast.
- Bid Scottsdale goodbye, promising to return soon and live, laugh, and explore with the same passion as a saguaro cactus embraces the desert sun.
Length of stay
Type of trip
How to get there
Plane
The best way to get to Scottsdale, United States by plane is to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport which is located 10 miles away from Scottsdale. There are many airlines that operate frequent flights to Phoenix from major cities around the world.
Car
The best way to reach Scottsdale by car would be to rent a car and drive to the city. Scottsdale is located in Maricopa County, which is connected to major highways like I-10, I-17, and Loop 101.
Train
Unfortunately, there are no direct trains to Scottsdale. The nearest Amtrak station is in Maricopa, which is 38 miles south of Scottsdale. From there, you can take a bus or hire a car.
Boat
Since Scottsdale is an inland city, there are no boat services that connect to it directly.
Bus
Scottsdale is well-connected by bus. Greyhound operates regular services to Phoenix from many cities around the US. From Phoenix, you can take local buses to reach Scottsdale.