Arizona Museum for Youth – A child-oriented fine arts center features tri-annual changing art exhibits and hands-on gallery activities. 35 N. Robson St., Mesa. (480) 644-2467

Arizona Science Center – An “interactive” science center that features over 100 exhibits on dinosaurs, energy, life sciences and food technology. Changing exhibits and on-floor demonstrations. Ice cream parlor is located in museum. Permanent interactive learning displays. Also, family class in movie-making, creating illusins, and making threee-dimensional glass.  Located at 174 E. Adams St., Phoenix, (602)256-9388

Desert Botanical Gardens – One of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of desert plants. The one-third mile Desert Discovery Trail winds past thousands of plants, including more than half the cactus, century plants, and aloe species in the world. Short trails branch off to interpret other aspects of desert life: the uses of plants by people, interactions among plants and animals, desert wildflowers, and landscaping and gardening in the desert. All the trails have interactive signs and guidebooks that identify and explain the plants and have been graded for wheelchair access.

Lighting on the main trail and late closing hours allow for the unusual experience of strolling through the desert at night. A variety of guided trail tours, bird tours, demonstrations, and family activities. Children receive the Garden’s Desert Detective Game Sheets to use along the Garden’s trails. In summer the Garden opens at 7 a.m. and offers early morning and evening activities, to “beat the heat.”
Located at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix.
Sammy Saguaro Club, self-guided tours. (602)941-1217

Buffalo Museum of America – An impressive tribute to the American buffalo. Gemmie E. Baker, a South Dakotan who fell in love with the buffalo & began collecting the memorabilia. Contains: Life-size fake buffalo; a singing buffalo family; a prop from “Dance s with Wolves”; Buffalo Bill’s Sharps rifle; mural of Buffalo Bill and his yellow ticket wagon.
Film on the buffalo and the Plains
Adults: $3; Seniors: $2.50; Children 6-17: $2.
Located at 10261 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. (602)951-1022

Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force

Museum preserving a complete collection of combat aircraft in flying condition.

Luke AFB Airpark

Cowboy Adventures (866) 913-7787) Don Donnelly Stables: “Where the Pavement ends and the West begins” Must be 8 years and older for these horseback rides. The Superstition Mountains are the backdrop for the horseback riding experience. Come on out for a taste of the “Real West” on the back of a good horse! Dedicated to making the experience fun and exciting. Whether it be a half day, all day, an overnight ride or even just an hour or two, it is intended to fill your memories with cowboy adventures of the “Real West”.

Big Surf Nine speed slides and assorted children’s slides, wave pool. A large aquatic playground, features sandy beaches, waves and concession. Golfland Entertainment has miniature golf, laser tag, bumper boats, Indy race cars, video games, etc.
Located at 1500 N. McClintock Road, Tempe, 480-947-7873

Castles and Coasters Four miniature golf courses and 10 major rides including a Double-loop Rollercoaster and Water Flume. Snack bars and over 300 video games.

Cracker Jax Three miniature golf courses, go carts, bumper boats, kiddie go carts, kiddie bumper boats, volleyball courts, batting cages, tee-deck range, clubhouse with arcade and food. Located at 16001 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. (480) 998-2800

Deer Valley Rock Art Center View more than 1,500 petroglyphs along a quarter-mile path through a desert preserve. Indoor exhibit interprets the petroglyphs from different point of view.
3711 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix. (602)582-8007

Encanto Park’s Enchanted Island Facilities include a renovated carousel, train ride, amusement rides and an adventure play area for older children.602-254-1200

Desert Palms Equestrian Center 480-473-1905

Camp Charles Pearlstein Activities include drama, music, sports, horseback riding,hiking, camping, overnights, photography and journalism. Special Judaic education programs, carnivals, Shabbat celebrations. Owned and operated by Temple Beth Israel, Arizona’s only Jewish resident camp.
Grades 2-11
Camp location: Prescott, AZ. 480-951-0323

Explore the Arizona Trail at the Phoenix Zoo Where else can you learn the different sounds that coyotes make, or why jackrabbits have big ears, or how spines help desert plants survive? All in one easy-to-explore place that’s conveniently located in the heart of the Valley of the Sun!

Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park:Rookie Go-Karts and our Dragon Kiddie Ride are

designed especially for younger children 36-hole miniature golf, windy go-cart track, bumper boats, batting cages and golf lessons.
1155 W. Elliot Road, Tempe. (480)961-0800

GolfLand Waterworld Safari: 16 water rides, Serengeti Surf Wave Pool, Pythons Serpentine Body Slides, Jungle Jim’s Childrens Play Pool, Cobra Rampage, Kilimanjaro, etc. 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Phoenix, Phoenix, 85310

Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting Features steamers, hand and horse drawn vehicles and motor-powered fire engines from around the world.
(602)275-3473

Mesa Southwest Museum – History of the Southwest from dinosaurs to ancient Indian civilizations to the settlement of the West. Accessible, hands-on fire safety.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park Big cats and reptiles in their natural habitat. Nine shows including “Tiger Splash.” Visitors witness peaceful coexistence between mand and world’s most magnificent land predators. You will get closer than you ever thought possible to lions, tigers and other Big Cats. Cub petting, giant python, primitive playground, gift shop and snack bar.
LOCATION: 2.5 miles west of I-17 on Hwy 260 in Camp Verde, exit 287 toward Cottonwood. Turn left on Verde Valley Justice Center Rd. (25 minutes south of Sedona). 928-567-2840

Cactus Balloon Flights Hot air balloon flight , hot air balloon ride company in the southwest that provides hot air balloon flights, hot air balloon rides for Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona and the entire Valley of the Sun: 623-476-8670

Rawhide Theme town of the Old West. Street shows, gun fights, burro rides, stagecoach rides, saloon, steak house, petting zoo, roaming animals, cookouts, shooting gallery, shops, museum and entertainment.

Schnepf Farm in Queen Creek Located just south of Chandler, children can pick their own sweet peaches during the community’s Peach Festival. And, there’s an annual Potato Fest every Memorial Day Weekend, with potatoes in every imaginable way, including Potato Sack Races, Hay Rides and Live Entertainment. (Queen Creek farmers ship 160 million pounds of potatoes each year.)   (480) 987-3100

Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix Spread among its 25-acre facility, Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix features Maximum Velocity, a dueling water coaster (the world’s first). Riders “race” in side-by-side tracks. Other thrill rides include Tornado, a funnel ride, Serpentine Complex, a bowl ride, Mammoth Falls, a half-pipe ride, and Desert Racers, a six-lane mat racing slide. For guests who prefer their thrills slightly toned down, Wet ‘n’ Wild offers Raging Rivers, a family raft ride. Check out the slide show of the fun.

For those with a weaker heart, the park offers Cactus Cooler, an 1100 foot long lazy river, and Monsoon Bay, a large wave pool. And for younger kids, there’s Boogie Board Beach, an interactive water play structure with a tipping bucket and smaller kiddie slides, and Soak ‘em Playayground, a play pool with pint-sized slides.
4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. (623)581-1947

Wildlife World Zoo More than 350 species of exotic animals, rare birds, indoor small-mammal exhibit. NEW: Giraffe Feeding Station & Exhibit, Children’s Petting Zoo & Playground and Prairie Dogs. Baby White Tigers (Randi, Gonzo & Schilling) plus Australian Boat Ride, Merry-Go-Round Carousel Ride, Lory Parrot Feeding, Touraco Bird Feeding.