Phoenix is a mecca for kid-friendly attractions. Top-notch museums and animal exhibits, craft rooms, sports or activity zones, and parks are peppered throughout the Valley for year-round fun. But admission rates and tickets can add up in cost pretty quickly, often making fun outings a pre-planned and budgeted activity.
Luckily, the Valley has plenty of free attractions that kids will love. During the cooler months, popular family hikes draw crowds, and train-themed parks and museums in Scottsdale and Chandler see visitors of all ages. During the summer, keeping cool is high priority for all parents, babysitters, and nannies, which is accomplished by taking the kids to play in the area’s many splash pads or by visiting several indoor museums. Plus, candy and teddy bear factory tours are perfect afternoon pastimes anytime of the year.
Next time the kids say those magic words, “I’m bored,” load up the car and head to one of these free, fun things to do in Phoenix!
Cerreta Candy Company
Address: 5345 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale, AZ 85301
Hours: Monday – Friday, tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Phone: 623-930-9000
One of the Valley’s best places for sweet treats also conducts free, 30-minute factory tours. Cerreta Candy Company is a family-owned business in downtown Glendale that has been in operation for more than 40 years, making fudge, barks, brittles, and toffee, among other specialties. Kids (and adults) love following Cerreta’s guides through the candy-making facility for insights into how favorite chocolates are made. Tour times are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. VIP and birthday party tours can be scheduled for a fee.
Stuffington Bear Factory
Address: 1717 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006
Hours: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Tours at 1 p.m.
Phone: 602-225-9513
Classic teddy bears — and the occasional bunny — are stuffed and sewn inside Stuffington Bear Factory in Phoenix. Organized birthday parties and private tours are hosted here, and so are free, daily drop-in tours. Bring your kids for a fun 20-minute tour past the bears-in-the-making, Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. Learn about the USA-made materials, manufacturing process, and history of the beloved teddy bear. Kids may want to bring their allowance in order to take home a fluffy new friend.
Pinnacle Peak Park
Address: 26802 N. 102nd Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85262
Hours: Hours vary slightly based on season. Visit the website for information.
Phone: 480-312-0990
In North Phoenix, Pinnacle Peak Park features a fun hike up a mountain cluttered with enormous boulders. Kids will likely want to take photos next to some of the monstrous rocks, often rivaling them in size, while venturing along the moderate trek. The 1.75-mile (one way), out-and-back trail is well groomed and ideal for family hikes. An expansive paved parking lot is located at the trailhead, which tends to fill up during winter weekends. Just like for other hiking areas in Phoenix, the recommended seasons are late fall, winter, and early spring, and plenty of water and sunscreen are musts.
Papago Park
Address: 625 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85008
Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. (or sunset, whichever comes first)
Phone: 602-495-5458
The massive sandstone buttes of Papago Park can be seen from different parts of the Valley and look like a natural jungle gym. A collection of trails ranging in length from one-tenth of a mile to just over 3 miles offers relatively gentle and easy hikes. View the city skyline and snap a photo with the kids at the iconic Hole in the Rock, or visit the pyramid-shaped tomb of Gov. George W.P. Hunt. The Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo are visible from within Papago Park, too.
Splash Pads
Address, Hours & Phone: Vary by location. Click link above for details.
Splash pads are a kid’s best friend during the warmer months in Phoenix. The Valley has several dozen of these refreshing installations, located from Anthem to Chandler, and everywhere in between. Each is different from the next. Water often juts upward in alternating patterns from fountains in the ground, buckets dump the cool stuff from overhead, and large rings spray those who climb through. These parks provide a fun and free way to stay active and cool in the summer. Bring plenty of sunscreen to reapply when the kids ask for extra playtime.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Address: 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250
Hours: Hours vary based on the attraction and month.
Phone: 480-312-2312
This 30-acre park in Scottsdale is host to many families and birthday parties throughout the year, particularly in the cooler months. Within the park are ramadas and playgrounds, perfect for a picnic and an active afternoon of play. For a $2 fee, kids and adults can ride the Paradise and Pacific Railroad on a miniature train or the Scottsdale Charros Carousel. Also on-site is the Scottsdale Railroad Museum (open seasonally; $2 admittance for adults and free for children under 13) and the Model Railroad exhibit (free).
Arizona Railway Museum
Address: 330 E. Ryan Road, Chandler, AZ 85249
Hours: Saturday & Sunday, noon – 4 p.m. (Closed June – August)
Phone: 480-821-1108
Another way to explore trains and the history of Arizona’s railways is at the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler. This primarily outdoor exhibit is open seasonally (the beginning of September through the end of May) on weekends. Families can take a self-guided walk through the display yard and admire the thoughtfully preserved, historical railway equipment. They can then wander inside the building to view smaller artifacts from the state’s railroad days. A fee of $2 per person ($5 for a family) gets you inside several passenger cars and a caboose.
Arizona Capitol Museum
Address: 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Saturday (October – May), 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Phone: 602-926-3620
Beyond the railways, Arizona is filled with a culturally colorful history. Kids can learn more about Arizona’s past — from its political and social events to environmental and economic timelines — at the Arizona Capitol Museum. The museum spans four floors with 20 exhibition areas and is located inside a portion of the Arizona State Capitol Building. It is free to explore, but there is a suggested donation of $1 to $2.
The recently opened, on-site Common Grounds Café is the perfect place to take a break between exhibits. Before you leave, stop by the museum shop on the first floor to browse state-inspired merchandise, and then walk over to the outdoor Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza (one block east) to learn about prominent figures in Arizona’s history and to honor the lives lost in wartime.
ASU Art Museum, at the Nelson Fine Arts Center
Address: 51 E. 10th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Thursday, open until 8 p.m. during academic semesters
Phone: 480-965-2787
Seasonally rotating art exhibits are displayed on three floors of the ASU Art Museum at the Nelson Fine Arts Center, located on the main campus of Arizona State University. Get out of the heat and take the kids to experience different artistic styles. Plus, designated family fun days are scheduled throughout the year, and Creative Saturdays allow kids of all ages to create a masterpiece of their own.
The Nelson Fine Arts Center building itself is a geometric piece of work worth admiring. It was designed by architect Antoine Predock and won the American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 1989. The Paul V. Galvin Playhouse is also housed inside and hosts ticketed dance concerts, theater productions, and film screenings. The museum’s admission is always free, and complimentary parking is provided in the ASU Art Museum-marked spaces at the northeast corner of Mill Avenue and 10th Street.
Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Address: 215 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, AZ 85034
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 602-253-0501
Time it right and you can visit one of Phoenix’s best children’s attractions for free. On the first Friday of each month, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Children’s Museum of Phoenix offers complimentary admission. Kids can spend time inside the Art Studio, build with blocks, hang out in the Book Loft, test gravity in the Grand Ballroom, and create meals in the Texture Cafe. Active adventures may be found pedaling tricycles, meandering through the Noodle Forest, and climbing atop the Schuff-Perini Climber for a bird’s-eye view of the museum. The hands-on learning and imaginative-play exhibits are appropriate for babies, toddlers, and children up to 10 years of age.
