Finding family fun in Scottsdale, Arizona

On the banks of the Lower Salt River just east of Scottsdale, we ride straight into a golden Arizona sunset.  

Saddled on horseback, we weave through the saguaro cactus-studded Sonoran Desert as the sinking sun paints the majestic Bulldog Cliffs just ahead in shades of crimson and gold.    

Experience Arizona by taking a horseback ride with Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch. Photo by Mauri Elbel

Out here, tucked in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest at the foothills of the Goldfield Mountain range, the world is untamed. Wild. Rugged.  

Outside of the sounds of our horses’ clip-clops, there’s nothing but silence. There’s something rejuvenating about being an arms-length’s away from civilization –– riding through a foreign Wild West landscape where 40-foot saguaros stretch into the Sonoran sky and baby bobcats dart across dry arroyos. 

I can’t help chuckle at the irony of what we were doing less than an hour ago –– swinging golf clubs and eating nachos at Topgolf Scottsdale. (Also a fun experience, albeit a starkly different one.)  

I think that’s what our family loved most about Scottsdale. Yes, this Phoenix metro-area city is swirled with luxury resorts, art, architecture, fine dining, high-end shopping, and boundless entertainment to suit every age and interest. But it also sits smack-dab in the sun-drenched Sonoran Desert where escaping to nature comes easy. 

Until early January, we’d never been to Scottsdale. In fact, surprisingly, no one in my family had ever explored Arizona. But when our middle son’s soccer team had a New Year’s tournament scheduled in Phoenix, we decided to make a family trip out of it and ring in the new year with a weeklong Arizona vacation, splitting our time between Scottsdale and Sedona. 

RELATED: Red Rock hikes, star-studded nights and endless adventures in Sedona, Arizona

If you’re considering a family trip to Scottsdale, here are seven ways to experience the endless family-friendly fun on offer.  

Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia is inspired by the rich heritage of Andalusia in southern Spain. Photo by Mauri Elbel

Book a luxurious Scottsdale stay 

Scottsdale lives up to its reputation as being a hotbed for opulent resorts, and travelers have their pick of world-class properties boasting sprawling spas, palatial pools, chef-driven dining concepts, jaw-dropping mountain backdrops and near-constant sunshine.   

We posted up at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, and we had to literally drag our kids away when it was time to head to the airport and fly back to reality. This desert luxury retreat nestled at the base of iconic Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley proved to be a stunning home base for exploring all Scottsdale has to offer, and a place we equally enjoyed when we were just lounging at the resort and soaking in the postcard-worthy views.   

The evening we checked in, we were too tired to venture out. We indulged in a multicourse dinner at Prado, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant, starting with wood-fired tapas like patatas bravas and crispy Brussel sprouts with jamon and local chevre cheese before feasting on dishes inspired by Spain’s Andalusian region. Our favorites included the pan seared diver scallops, seafood paella, and lomo Ibérico rosemary pork tenderloin.   

From our bedroom balconies the following morning, we awoke to a framed view of iconic Camelback Mountain, which guests can hike right from the property –– the popular and challenging Echo Canyon Trail is located just behind the resort and a steep 1.2-mile-climb will get you to the summit.  

One afternoon, when it was a frigid 29 degrees back in Austin, we basked in the Scottsdale sunshine, swimming in the three sparkling (heated) pools and playing games of Cornhole and giant Jenga while sipping cocktails and enjoying a delicious lunch, served poolside. My only regret of our stay was not taking advantage of the resort’s 31,000-square-foot Joya Spa, but that just leaves me with a reason to return.   

RELATED: Hermosa Inn, Paradise Valley, Arizona 

OdySea Aquarium, located in Scottsdale, holds more than 2 million gallons of water and is the largest aquarium in Arizona. Photo by Mauri Elbel

Find fun for the whole family at Arizona Boardwalk 

If you’ve got kids in tow, make a beeline for Arizona Boardwalk. Situated on 35 acres, this multimillion-dollar amusement district houses everything from the largest aquarium in the southwest to the biggest butterfly pavilion in the country. At Scottsdale’s all-in-one, family-friendly entertainment mecca, you have your pick of eight major attractions: OdySea Aquarium, Butterfly Wonderland, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Laser + Mirror Maze, Pangaea Land of the Dinosaurs, Museum of Illusions, Cyber Quest, and The UFO Experience.  

We chose to tour the OdySea Aquarium, the 16-acre oceanic home to more than 30,000 marine animals. It’s the largest aquarium in the Southwest and the fifth largest in America, spanning 200,000 square feet over two levels offering up-close views of hundreds of marine species. Even in the lobby’s restrooms, you can wash your hands while watching giant sharks and schools of colorful fish glide by. Be sure to take a spin on the OdySea Voyager, a 20-minute rotating aquarium experience that cruises past 50-foot viewing windows teeming with everything from playful sea lions and goliath groupers to five species of sharks and rehabilitated sea turtles.  

Before departing Arizona Boardwalk, flutter over to Butterfly Wonderland, Scottsdale’s newest world class attraction which boasts the largest butterfly pavilion in the country. Here you can feel the delicate wings of a butterfly flutter past your face, observe the most dynamic stage of a butterfly metamorphosis, and enter a lush rainforest atrium where thousands of butterflies from around the world fly freely.  

Arizona has some of the prettiest sunsets. Photo by Travis Albrecht

Saddle up and paddle through the surrounding Sonoran Desert 

One of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip was saddling up on horses –– Scout, Thor, Durango, Wayne, Houlihan –– at Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, which sits just east of Scottsdale. But out here, on the banks of the Lower Salt River where towering saguaro cactus stand in the shadow of the thousand-foot Bulldog Cliffs, it’s like slipping back into a scene from the Old West. It’s a beautiful way to experience the Tonto National Forest, and as we rode through the stunning Sonoran landscape behind Lottie Connolly, the ranch’s stable manager, she filled us full of information about the land, flora and fauna and history.   

Paddle tours cover about 4 miles of distance in approximately 2.5 hours with breaks and beach stop for snacks and stretching. Photo by Riverbound Sports Paddle Company

Craving another Arizona adventure? Book a kayaking experience with Riverbound Sports Paddle Company –– an authorized outfitter operating under permit through 

Tonto National Forest. Paddle tours on the Lower Salt River cover about 4 miles and take about 2.5 hours. The tours take place year-round, with each season bringing a completely different setting, but this time of year, paddlers can expect to see everything from native cacti and bald eagles to wild horses and blue heron. When we were there in early January, the water temperatures were chilly, but the sunshine was blissfully warm –– be sure to wear clothes that can get wet and dry easily. Riverbound Sports will take care of everything else, from all of the gear and dry bags to life jackets and a parking pass for your vehicle.   

Experience the charm of Old Town Scottsdale, home to unique landmarks, trendy shops, and vibrant dining options. Credit Experience Scottsdale

Stroll, sip and shop in Old Town Scottsdale 

We continued the cowboy vibe in Old Town Scottsdale where we fueled up at Belle’s Nashville Kitchen, a locally owned and operated honky-tonk bar and restaurant tucked in the building where the legendary Lulu Belle’s operated from the 1950s through the early 1990s. There’s live music from talented local artists every night of the week, signature craft cocktails, and a menu chock-full of comfort dishes like Nashville original hot chicken which can be ordered in three spice levels –– Baby Bird, Mother Clucker, and Poultrygeist –– as well as honky-tonk fries, Kool-Aid pickles, and a grilled mac n’ cheese sandwich. I loved sipping the Belle’s Fashioned (Belle Nashville’s take on an Old Fashioned) while listening to local singer-songwriter Joannah Zamora sing George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning.” 

But whether you come for a meal, cup of coffee, or to shop, it’s worth spending some time in Old Town, which blends Old West charm and urban chic throughout nine walkable neighborhoods sprinkled with shops, restaurants, art galleries, nightclubs, public art installations, world-class museums and historic sites from the late 1880s.  

Located inside Scottsdale Fashion Square, Wonderspaces presents an evolving lineup of extraordinary art installations and signature cocktails. Photo by Mauri Elbel

Wander Wonderspaces inside Scottsdale Fashion Square  

Tucked inside Scottsdale Fashion Square, you’ll find the first permanent location of Wonderspaces, a popular interactive series of rotating art installations. Discover more than a dozen experiences, including “Portraits in Pink, Blue and Silver,” an interactive kinetic artwork created by BREAKFAST Studio using their Flip-Disc medium that records clips of visitors interacting with the work and “Rules” by artist Paola Ibarra Llano that explores how connections are created between people who share a physical space. If you’re 21 or older, you can wander through the ever-evolving interactive show while sipping signature cocktails from Wonderspaces’ full bar. While there, don’t miss perusing the high-end shops at Scottsdale Fashion Square, a retail powerhouse sprinkled with luxury retailers including Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Cartier and newly opened Versace.  

Desert Botanical Garden is a living museum of over 50,000 plants representing more than 4,000 different species. Photo by Mauri Elbel

Explore through Desert Botanical Garden 

On our way to the airport, we made one last stop at Desert Botanical Garden, a living museum comprised of more than 50,000 desert plants representing more than 4,000 different species. An Arizona icon for 85 years and counting, this 140-acre oasis nestled amid the red rocks of the Papago Buttes features five thematic trails that connect visitors to the wonders of desert plants around the world. We decided to grab dinner before our flight at Gertrude’s, the on-site restaurant featuring seasonal menus and local ingredients. We loved the mushroom toast with fresh foraged mushrooms and microgreens, the Gertie burger served with crispy fingerling potatoes, and the lamb mole enchiladas filled with shredded lamb and smothered in mole sauce.