Family Bucket List: Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale, Arizona 

This photo of Scottsdale is courtesy of TripAdvisor

How to Get There?

Drive time: 15.5 Hours*
Flight time: 2 Hours, 25 Minutes*

Where to Stay? 

Splurge: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
Save: Best Western Plus Scottsdale Thunderbird Suites

What to Do?

Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the country. They are extremely committed to conservation and want to inspire their guests and motivate them to care for the natural world. Tickets will cost around $20 for an adult, and $10 for a child 13 and under. They have several different educational programs for kids - starting at 18 months old! The programs do come at an additional cost. One of the coolest things I want to add to our to-do list is Lunch with a Keeper… you get to eat pizza with the zookeepers, ask all the questions you can think up, and then get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Zoo!

MacDonald’s Ranch 
It doesn't get more Western than this, guys. Horseback rides, stagecoach rides, cookouts… and even a pumpkin patch during the fall! Admission is $10 during the week, $12 on the weekend… and kids under the age of 2 are free. (Bring a can of food and get $1.00 off your ticket price!) You can visit the petting zoo and meet miniature donkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, miniature ponies… and lots of other critters. You can pan for gold in the Gem Mine - along with a prospector to show you how to do it. (& you get to keep what you find!!!) There's also a Hay Maze - stacked one bale high so don't worry about losing the little ones. There's games, an old western town, hayrides… train rides… and even a mechanical bull for children and adults.

Butterfly Wonderland
Three. Thousand. Butterflies. … AND reptiles. It is the largest indoor butterfly pavilion in the country - providing an ideal tropical rainforest habitat where thousands of butterflies from around the world fly freely. Tickets are about $22 per adult, $15 for children aged 3-2… and kiddos 2 and under are free. Butterfly Wonderland is a part of Odysea in the Desert… a destination that includes 3 world class live animal attractions and over 15 dining and shopping establishments. You're sure to stumble on a fun event when you make a trip out there… like Free Movies in the Desert (Frozen is showing on December 9th!)

And that's not all… it was hard stopping at these three attractions! You can also check out the Musical Instrument Museum, Goldfield Ghost Town, Children’s Museum of Phoenix, CrackerJax, Old Town Scottsdale... there is so much to see and do!

*Drive Time is from Collin County, Texas... and Flight Time is from the DFW Airport!

My Family Bucket List series is a list of places that you wouldn't necessarily think to have on the top of your "bucket list" - I hope to provide a little background information on fun places to visit that are more affordable and more attainable to the average family!