10 Best Scottsdale Activities For Kids [2023]
string together the best scottsdale activities for kids to make the perfect family friendly vacation in the lovely state of arizona!
We went to Scottsdale, AZ for the first time this year and were absolutely blown away! It had so much to offer for adults and kids. And the weather! Oh my gosh! We went during an unusual ‘cold’ snap and got to enjoy temperatures in the 70s with straight sun or clouds. Back home it was a blustery 40 degrees and nothing but gray skies. I kept laughing because I would hear locals talking about how sorry they felt for our all of the tourists experiencing the ‘unseasonably bad weather’. I guess when you live in Scottsdale you get spoiled! Without further ado, here are the best Scottsdale activities for kids. In rain or shine!
1. Desert Botanical Garden
Ok, so a few of these are going to be in Phoenix. Getting there is quick and easy though! The Desert Botanical Garden ranks number one for our family because it was so much fun for kids and adults alike. There is something truly magical about cacti if you don’t live in a state where you see them regularly.
The Desert Botanical Garden has a few short ‘hikes’ that offer amazing views and are completely kid friendly. Even young toddlers will be able to walk and explore on their own. Just be sure to explain the importance of not touching any of the prickly cacti. I was actually pretty anxious about this but my adventurous 2-year old did just fine.
Bonus tip: I plan out all of our days with activities and nearby restaurants. While not perfectly en route, if you are staying in Scottsdale use this as an excuse to eat dinner at Doughbirds. You will thank me.
2. Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town Scottsdale is one of the best Scottsdale activities for kids because it is free!! While the city doesn’t offer a formal scavenger hunt, we made our own based off of the art-walk map. The kids loved playing I-spy and looking for the next art sculpture and I loved window shopping at all of the art galleries. It doesn’t hurt that Old Town Scottsdale is home to one of my favorite all-time ice cream shops, Jeni’s. It can’t get much better than walking around doing an art scavenger hunt while eating some James Beard award winning ice cream.
3. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
An amazing addition to your Scottsdale family vacation, and most of it is free! The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is fun for train-obsessed little ones and less enthusiastic train lovers. There is an excellent playground for all ages, a train kids can explore through, and a museum with model trains. The highlight is definitely going to be the mini-train and carousel that kids can ride on. Pro tip: go ahead and buy the multi-ride discounted tickets. I made the mistake of just getting enough for one ride. It’s like I’ve never met my kids!
4. Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Wait I thought this was a list about Scottsdale?! I know! But Phoenix is so close and has some really excellent kid friendly activities that you won’t want to miss! I’ve been to quite a few amazing children’s museums, Louisville and Cleveland are two awesome ones that come to mind, so I can say the Children’s Museum of Phoenix really is spectacular. From the multiple story ‘tree-house’ structure to the outdoor mud-kitchens with race cars, it really has it all. I especially loved that their was a room for younger toddlers where we could play when we needed a little break from all of the chaos.
This is an excellent option if you need a break from being outside, maybe you hit a ‘cold’ snap like us or its normal Scottsdale weather and you want to get away from the heat and sun. The museum is large and jam packed. I’d give yourself at least three hours so your kids can feel like they really experienced everything. Also, be forewarned the crowds here can get pretty intense. I’d aim for first thing in the morning.
Where to eat: grab tacos from Taco Boy’s just 2 minutes down the road. It doesn’t look like much but it certainly tastes good!
5. Butterfly Wonderland
Butterfly Wonderland is one of the best Scottsdale activities for kids because it is fun rain or shine! Located next to OdySea and Pangea Dinosaur Experience you can make the most of Butterfly Wonderland and get a combo ticket. We decided butterflies would be the highlight of the visit for our kids and don’t like to spend an entire vacation day on kid-only activities so we stuck to just Butterfly Wonderland. My kids were totally jealous because a butterfly decided to land on my finger while I was pointing at something. I’d give yourself about 2-3 hours to fully enjoy Butterfly Wonderland.
6. McDowell Sonoran Preserve
If you haven’t been to Arizona, then you probably don’t fully appreciate how magical the dessert and cacti are. I can’t explain it but we just couldn’t get enough of them! We chose McDowell Sonoran Preserve because it is close to Scottsdale and has multiple kid friendly hikes. The Bajada Nature Trail is a short loop that is stroller and wheelchair accessible. We had high hopes of tacking this trail onto the 4.5 mile Gateway Trailhead but my little kid passed out on the way there and we ended up being limited to stroller-accessible trails. It ended up being great! There are educational sign posts throughout the Bajada Nature Trail and my big kid loved reading off all of the desert facts and quizzing us afterwards.
You won’t find any shade here so make sure to bring your sunscreen and hats!
7. Cactus League Baseball
Baseball is one of the few professional sports where I feel comfortable bringing young kids. It is just so family friendly! And if you don’t know, Scottsdale is home to spring training for the major league so you can watch some of your favorite big-time baseball teams playing in smaller stadiums. I was blown away by how many people clearly chose Scottsdale so they could go to baseball games. I’ve never had that kind of dedication to a professional sports team!
My recommendation would be to get tickets for an afternoon game and sit out on the lawn so that little kids aren’t restricted to a seat. It’s also a pretty cheap ticket so if you have to leave early (why is baseball so long?!) you won’t feel really disappointed that you spent a ton to be there.
There are a ton of different stadiums that host baseball games so make sure you do your homework or you could be driving across town for your baseball game. We initially wanted to see the Cleveland Guardians but opted for two teams we don’t root for so we could go to the Scottsdale Stadium and stay close to our hotel.
8. Mormon Trail
Most hikers will take the Mormon Trail to Hidden Valley which is a 4-mile loop that takes you to a unique rock tunnel you can walk through called Fat Man’s Pass. We decided to just do the beginning portion of the Mormon Trail and clocked about 2-miles. My kids loved the unique rock formations and wildflowers on the trail. I loved that there were numerous places on the trail where I was able to let my toddler walk on his own without worrying about him running right off a cliff. But know that there are some steep drop offs so I’d recommend a hiking pack if you have a runner! The trade off for those cliffs are sweeping views of Phoenix.
This one is another hike you are going to want to bring sunscreen, hats, and water for! I was blown away by how hot it was in mid-March.
9. penske Racing Museum
Any Cars fans? We have Lightning McQueen everything so I when I read that Scottsdale is home to the Penske Racing Museum I knew we had to go. This can be a quicker stop on your itinerary, 1-2 hours max, but still definitely worth stopping by! Little ones might have a harder time because they can’t touch, ride, or drive the cars but our two-year old still loved seeing all of the racecars.
The Penske Racing Museum isn’t only one of the best Scottsdale activities for kids, it is great for adults too! Especially if you have a car enthusiast in the family.
10. Hotel pool!
Ok, this is a given for one of the best Scottsdale activities for kids! The hotels in Scottsdale are amazing! Even budget options tend to come with pools that include waterslides. Our favorite way to work in the hotel pool was to hit the ground running early in the morning, spend the day out exploring, grab an early dinner, and then come back to the hotel for a sunset swim. It’s the perfect way to finish up a day in Arizona!
Pair the best scottsdale activities for kids with the best hotels
Check out my top five hotel recommendations for families in Scottsdale here! You’ll be set with the best Scottsdale activities for kids and the best hotel!
