When I told my sister in law that I was taking my eldest daughter to Sunny Arizona she scoffed at me and said, “There is nothing to do there.”  I understood what she meant as, when she goes to Arizona, it is to visit family, not for a vacation.

While I knew why her opinions were a bit negative I will admit I was thrilled to find so many fun family activities near Phoenix; some purely fun, some with sneaky education and many delicious.

Our trip took us to the communities of Tempe, Chandler, Mesa and Apache Junction; each town with its own unique flavor of fabulous.

Family Fun in Chandler, Arizona

My daughter would say that some of her best fun was in the pool at the Hampton Inn.  This new hotel has all the amenities a family would want- including a refrigerator in the room and complimentary hot breakfast.  Comfy beds and free wifi won top points with me.

Chandler hosts a Third Friday Art Walk downtown which shouldn’t be missed.  Artisans of all types set up booths around the square, showcasing everything from jewelry to paintings, blown glass to cuddly creations.  Wandering through the booths is great fun!  Tip: bring cash!

Arrive early –like 5pm- and have dinner at Serrano’s, the oldest continuous family owned business in Chandler.  Be sure to try the Prickly Pear Margarita (also available without alcohol)- it’s yummy!  Finish your evening at Paletas Betty for a delicious frozen treat.

If you need to wear the kids out take them to Jump Street, an indoor trampoline park.  With a dozen massive trampolines, a trampoline dodge ball court and a special area just for kids under 7, this is really fun for kids of all ages.

For a sweet treat make a stop at Sweeties Candy, the largest candy store in the state.  You’ll find holiday themed treats as well as nostalgic candies from way back when.

Family Adventures in Apache Junction, Arizona

The highlight of Apache Junction is the Superstition Mountains.  Tales of the Lost Dutchman mine still draw treasure hunters hoping to discover his vein of gold.

At the base of the Superstition Mountains is Goldfield Ghost Town, a recreation built in the footprints of the town that disappeared overnight.  Here you can explore the town as it was in 1892, wander the shops, take a mine tour and maybe even see a gun fight.

Goldfield is also a base for Jeep, horseback riding and hiking tours along the Apache Trail, into the Superstitions or the closer Goldfield Mountains.

While you’ll find plenty of dining in Goldfield Ghost Town, a quick drive to the Mining Camp Restaurant takes you back to the days of Cook Shanties, where the miners would gather to eat.  Meals are served family style, all you can eat, with fresh rolls and sweet cactus jelly.  Take your time eating because the “Amazing McNasty Brothers” put on a fun show filled with music and good humored banter.

Museums and More in Mesa

The Arizona Museum for Youth is what I like to call “sneaky education”.  Fun activities like a life size Lite Brite, puppet theater and creation stations will keep kids entertained for hours.  For the little ones the ArtVille play place is designed for exploration that can’t be wandered away from.

For your future paleontologists a visit to the Arizona Museum of Natural History is a must.  Not only are there rooms of dinosaurs- and a Paleo Dig-  but you can explore territorial jail cells and pan for gold!

Just outside Mesa is Superstition Farms.  This working, family-owned farm offers tours starring their herd of dairy cows.  New calves are a common site in the maternity pen if you’re alert.  Cuddle a bunny or chicken, hand feed goats and pet the calf in the petting zoo, then try the farm’s Udder Delights homemade ice cream.

Turtles and Tigers in Tempe

Built inside the massive Arizona Mills shopping and entertainment center, the Arizona Sea Life Aquarium was built to engage children.  Filled with touch pools and interactive centers, this aquarium will entrance kids of all ages.  One of the most incredible displays is the Ocean Tunnel, a 360° viewing area filled with 161,000 gallons of water.

On the very edge of Tempe, in Papago Park, is the Phoenix Zoo (which totally brought back memories of my African safari trip planning that started here).  One of the top 5 zoos in the US for kids, you’ll find a animals from warm climates (sorry, no polar bears or penguins here).  Bighorn sheep roam the nearby mountain while giraffe and Watusi Cattle roam the savanna.  Don’t miss the Monkey Village where you are inside the habitat with the adorable squirrel monkeys.  Be sure to bring comfy walking shoes and a stroller for the little ones.  You can easily make a day of your trip by packing a lunch and drinks- coolers are allowed inside the zoo grounds (just don’t bring alcohol or glass bottles).

This is just a handful of the fun family vacation activities you’ll find near Phoenix.  Next time you fly in for a trip to the Grand Canyon take a day or two to explore Sunny Arizona!

Photo credits: Jody Halsted

Jody Halsted shares her family’s
travels, tips and favorite travel
products at her Family Rambling site.

Disclosure:  I would like to thank the SunnyAZ CVB for hosting us and arranging our itinerary for this trip.

The Apache Trail in Arizona is one of the most spectacular scenic drives in the country, if not in the world. It is also one of the most intimidating, hair raising drives. The original Trail was intended as a delivery route for materials required in the construction of Roosevelt Dam, which began in 1905. Back then, the rough graded single lane road seemed to hang precariously from the sheer faces of the rocky canyons from which it was carved. Only an occasional pullout was provided for passing, and even in places where the road widened, torturous twists in the roadway made it impossible to know if oncoming traffic was around the next bend. Although the present day Apache Trail has been widened and improved, the going is still not that easy. The road twists and turns and features twenty unpaved miles between Tortilla Flat and Roosevelt Dam, including the contorted and breathtaking 900 foot descent of Fish Creek Hill. But for those with an adventurous spirit and no fear of heights, traveling the Apache Trail is a “must do.”

To get to the Trail, take U.S. 60 east out of Phoenix. At the town of Apache Junction, take cutoff for AZ88/Idaho Road. A short way down this winding, paved portion of the road is the ghost town of Goldfield, which sprang into existence in 1982 when high grade gold ore was discovered in the area. Just five years later the vein began to play out and miners abandoned the town. Goldfield stood empty and decaying until 1984, when Robert F. “Bob” Schoose, a long time ghost town, mining, and treasure-hunting enthusiast, purchased the site of the original mill and began restoring the town. Once again thriving, Goldfield has a brothel, bakery, leather works, jail, and a livery. Visitors can take an underground mine tour, ride the only operating narrow gauge railroad in Arizona, and enjoy the authentic looking street filled with people in period costume, horses and wagons, and sometimes authentic gunfighter presentations.

A few miles further is Canyon Lake, one of three man-made reservoir lakes that were formed by the construction of the dam. Canyon, Apache, and Roosevelt Lakes provide some of the most outstanding water recreation in Arizona, so some day trippers may want to stop for a refreshing swim, cast a fish line, or hop aboard the Dolly Steamboat for a 90-minute narrated boat trip. From Canyon Lake, it’s only a few more miles to Tortilla Flat, a real town with six inhabitants. Like the Trail itself, the town of Tortilla Flat owes its existence to the construction of the dam; it served as a stagecoach stop for freight haulers on their way to the construction site. Today this classic western town is a great place to shop for souvenirs or stop for lunch. Since this town has its own post office and voting district, visitors can honestly claim they have been to the smallest town in Arizona.

The faint of heart may wish to turn back at this point because the pavement ends at Tortilla Flat, but daredevils who continue will be rewarded with vistas of sheer canyons, shimmering blue lakes, and stately saguaro cactus. At the end of the road is the most spectacular sight of all – Roosevelt Dam itself.

Originally, Roosevelt was the world’s largest masonry dam, built with stone blocks to a height of 280 feet and measuring 723 feet long at the crest. In the mid-80′s engineers determined that the dam could not safely release water during a maximum flood event and would be unstable in a strong earthquake, thus the original dam was encased in a new concrete block structure that now stands 357 feet high and is 1,210 feet long.

Although the look of the dam was significantly altered by the modifications, it is still an astonishing piece of engineering. Just before reaching Roosevelt Dam, the pavement resumes and a fine rest area with clean facilities, a picnic table, and an overlook with an excellent view of the dam is provided. Once at the dam, visitors have the choice to go back the way they came or continue in a circle route that leads back to Apache Junction via modern, paved roads.

Photos not otherwise attributed courtesy of Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel of Hole In The Donut Travels