Funnest things to do with Families in Tempe Arizona

If you are looking for a place to get away from the freezing temperature of winter or the unpredictable weather of early spring, consider taking a family vacation to Arizona. Chandler and Tempe, affectionally considered “Sunny Arizona,” are both just outside of Phoenix, and they are both filled with a variety of family-friendly activities to do that are fun!

1. Arizona Mills Mall – If you and your kids have had enough of the hot Arizona sun, you can take a day to enjoy some fantastic indoor activities. Arizona Mills, located in Tempe, is the largest mall in the state, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s only a place to shop! In addition to over 150 retails stores, Arizona Mills also offers a plethora of activities to entertain you and your children.
2. Legoland Discovery – This is a wildly popular attraction for both children and adults! You can take your family to a 4D movie in their cinema (although this particular venue is not recommended for infants). Then, visit the Dino Explorer section and build a pre-historical creature, or just relax in the Legoland Cafe while your children play in the Lego City Play Zone. Keep in mind that your children cannot wear shoes in the Play Zone, so make sure your munchkins have a pair of socks to wear in this attractio
3. At Legoland Discovery, you can also take a tour of a Lego factory, try your hand at building and racing a Lego car, and visit the Lego Mini-Land. This interactive attraction is sure to fascinate Lego lovers of all ages.
4. Sea Life Aquarium – For a different experience, you can also visit the Sea Life Arizona Aquarium. There are many different exhibits that you and your family are sure to enjoy, and the cool, peaceful aquarium offers a nice contrast to the hot Arizona sun!- While visiting the Sea Life Aquarium, you can enjoy watching sharks and a rescued sea turtle swimming through their large tank. Or, you can learn all about seahorses or rays while watching them frolic and dart around. There is also an interactive Tide Pool so you and your kids can have a hands-on experience with starfish, sea urchins and more!
5. Old-School Gaming With a Modern Twist – One of the most popular attractions in the Arizona Mills complex is Tilt. At this gaming center, you can challenge your children to video games you played as a child, or you can let them test you on more modern games! If you tire of the games and you just want to give your kids some fun, you can take a seat in the Taproom and sip on a cold beer or refreshing non-alcoholic drink!  One thing to note before you go to Tilt is that you have to use a card loaded with points to play each game. While the cards are more convenient than packing around pockets full of tokens, it is also easy to spend a lot of points in a short amount of time! Pay attention to how many points each game uses to be sure you have enough points to last the entire time you are there.
6. Burn off That Energy! – If you are looking for a way to burn off the excess energy, you should definitely head to Chandler, Arizona to visit the Kids that Rip Family Action Sports Center (KTP). Here, you will find so many fun activities that you can easily spend an entire day here. That is if your body can take it!  KTR has 60,000 square feet of things to keep your family jumping! You can see who can jump the highest on one of their trampolines, have a family-style Ninja Warrior challenge on their challenging course, or compete for the fastest time through their obstacle course. These, and many other physically challenging activities are guaranteed to send you back to your hotel exhausted and happy.  If you get hungry or need a cold drink to carry you through to the next activity, KTR has a cafe on-site, as well as snacks and drinks that will provide enough energy to get you back out on the floor in no time!
7. Since Tempe, Chandler and the surrounding areas have such a variety of activities, it is important to choose a place to stay that is centrally located to the majority of them. There are two hotels in particular that will make your Arizona vacation easier by providing a good night of sleep before each adventurous day!

For Airplane and Flying Enthusiasts

1. If you need a break from all the physical activity, one entertaining thing you can do is watch airplanes while you are sitting down for lunch! The Chandler Municipal Airport boasts of a diner-type cafe where you can sit at the window and watch small planes or helicopters take off and land while you can eat. There are even patio seats available if you want to sit outside and enjoy the sun while you have your meal.

 

Get Back to Nature

1. While tourist attractions and family activites like laser tag and lots of adventure are part of any successful vacation, you should also take the time to explore what nature has to offer. Chandler, Arizona has the Veterans Oasis Park, which is situated on 113 acres and includes a 5-acre lake and native and abundant vegetation.  You can watch for one of the 150 + types of birds that have been seen in this park, or even take a birding-watching tour with a member of the Desert Rivers Audubon Society.
2. These tours are only available from November-April and are held only on the first Saturday of every month.   If you are not in town during the prime bird-watching months, there is also an Environmental Education Center at the Veterans Oasis Park. Here, you can explore exhibits about water preservation, orienteering, gardening and more! You can also stroll along one of the four miles of nature trails and simply enjoy the time spent in nature.

Watch Some Spring Training, Professional, Minor league or Spring Training Baseball

1. For the sports-lovers in your family, the Cactus League Baseball Spring Training facility opens in the springtime. For baseball lovers, watching the players practice and work to get ready for the season is an extremely rewarding activity. You and your children could have the opportunity to meet the players and even watch a few practice games!
2. Or Go to a Play!
3. If sports isn’t your thing, though, you can also attend a performance at Childsplay. This is a professional theater company which performs in the Tempe Center for the Arts. This live theater company focuses on plays that focus on young audiences, so your smaller children will still be able to enjoy them! Everyone should go to at least one live performance in their lifetime, and Childsplay makes it fun for the whole family!

Family Friendly Hotels in Chandler/Tempe

• The Phoenix Marriott Tempe at The Buttes is a luxurious hotel that has a guest rating of 4.3 out of 5. The hotel itself is snug next to a mountainside, and the views are stunning. Each room includes wi-fi, high-quality bedding, and pillowtop mattresses, and air-conditioning and cable, and a mini-fridge and coffee maker. There are a variety of dining options, from room service to restaurant delivery, and continental or buffet breakfasts.  You can also relax by the gorgeous pools, one of which has waterfalls and a water slide! Or, take advantage of the spa services that are offered at this hotel and pamper yourself after a day of sightseeing. Whatever your interests, this hotel is within driving distance of the most popular attractions, but is also so comfortable that you might not want to leave the grounds at all!

 

• The Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort is another 4-Star hotel that makes returning to the hotel an extension of your trip rather than just being a place to lay your head. You can easily keep up your daily fitness routine by availing yourself of their full-service fitness center or relax by the pool to cool off after a long day.  In addition to playing golf, you and your family can also go horseback riding, hiking, play miniature golf, or even try some indoor roller skating! All of the activities and more are near the Crowne Plaza, so you can easily combine relaxation with fun!

 

• However, no matter where you choose to stay in Tempe or Chandler, your vacation will be one of the most memorable of your lives. You and your children will be talking about the different things you did for years to come, and you may even find yourself booking another vacation in order to see some of the things you missed the first time.

 

Yippee-Kay-Aye, Cowboy! – If you want to go back in time to experience a taste of the Wild West, Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse is the place to go! Located in the Gila Indian Community at Wild Horse Pass, this picturesque town has a wide variety of activities for your entire family to enjoy.  The attractions include old-time gunfights, a quaint Main Street filled with retail shops with a Western flavor, and rides on a mechanical bull. You can also visit the climbing wall, pan for gold, or take an old-fashioned burro ride! When you want to take a rest from walking, hop on a stagecoach or board the train for a spin around the town!  Although admission to Rawhide is free, as is parking, you may want to consider purchasing a Town Pass. These wristbands allow unlimited access to all of the attractions, and are a steal at only $14.95 per person! You also have the option of buying single passes to each activity for $4.95.  If you want to make a day of it, you can also plan on eating at one of the restaurants or stopping at one of the vendors for snacks or a cold drink. Rawhide is a Western attraction that will help you create great memories of your family vacation!