Attractions and Amusement Parks in Phoenix

13th Floor Haunted House

2814 W. Bell Rd. North Phoenix

602-456-2250

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

12 articles

Arizona Science Center

600 E. Washington St. Central Phoenix

602-716-2000

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow

This downtown Phoenix museum is pretty much guaranteed to bring out the nerd in anyone. Whether or not you think you care about science, the Arizona Science Museum offers hands-on experiences that make learning about gravity and electric circuits fun for visitors of all ages. With more than 164,000 square feet of space, the museum offers more than enough to entertain the kids for a day – which isn't to say the adults won't enjoy the trip, too. In fact, according to the museum more than half a million guests come to do so each year. Popular permanent exhibits include “All About Me,” an exploration of the body's inner workings that lets guests walk through a “working” stomach and watch surgeries be performed. You can lie on a bed of nails, build your own electric circuit or ride the Evans Family SkyCycle on any given day as well as enjoy the museum's planetarium and IMAX theater.

1 event 124 articles

Arizona State Fairgrounds

1826 W. McDowell Rd. Central Phoenix

602-252-6771

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow

We may not have the newest fairgrounds here in Arizona, but we do have plenty of history behind our west Phoenix locale. The story of the fairgrounds goes way back to the time before statehood in 1912, when a group of volunteers created the Arizona Territorial Fair Association in 1905, bought the current property and developed it. Today at the Arizona State Fairgrounds you'll find a racetrack and the 14,870-seat multipurpose indoor arena, Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The saddle-shaped building was constructed between 1964 and 1965 and hosts concerts and sporting events throughout the year. The fairgrounds also hosts the Arizona State Fair every fall as well as the Maricopa County Fair. The Arizona State Fair is considered one of the top five state fairs in the country and draws well over a million attendees each year.

72 articles

Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center

122 E. Culver St. Central Phoenix

602-241-7870

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Sponsor

13 articles

Desert Botanical Garden

1201 N. Galvin Parkway East Phoenix

480-941-1225

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Parks and Outdoors, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

200 articles

Dorrance Planetarium

Arizona Science Center Central Phoenix

602-716-2000

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Museums, Sponsor

1 article

Fear Farm

6801 N. 99th Ave. Glendale

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Music Venues, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow

Spread over a dozen or so buildings of various sizes and 25 acres of cornfield, this attraction will give you a full night of entertainment. The old-school haunted house is well worth the drive from wherever you're coming from since, unlike most other haunted houses these days, Fear Farm is almost 100 percent real people doing the scaring. They aren't relying on any of that animatronics stuff here. Look forward to chainsaw wielding clowns, a blood-splattered asylum and plenty more. And these actors and talented too. They're willing to go the extra mile to make sure you and everyone you're with gets completely scared out of your minds. For example, we've seen a dude with a chainsaw chase a victim, er, guest all the way out to the parking lot.

42 articles

Golfland Sunsplash

155 W. Hampton Ave. Mesa

480-834-8319

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

Years ago, having a large pool with a wave-maker and a slide or two was good enough to call yourself a "water park." But thanks to establishments like Mesa's Golfland Sunsplash, modern water parks more resemble amusement parks, with a variety of rides and water slides seemingly engineered by thrill-seeking adrenaline junkies. Sunsplash boasts attractions like the Master Blaster Water Coaster, Thunder Falls (a raft ride that starts nearly seven stories high and features three huge drops), the Stormrider (a massive drop into the water from about 70 feet), and the Sidewinder (a half-pipe slide that allows riders to zip from one end of the bowl to another). Of course, there's the standard wave pool (all 450,000 gallons of it), but Sunsplash also offers a separate "activity pool" for water sports, a toddler pool for the wee ones, and even the Endless River (which ends after about 800 feet) for emulating tubing at the Salt River. There's also a great miniature golf course, with miniature buildings and obstacles, and hundreds of driving and fighting games, pinball machines, and more at their impressive arcade.

17 articles

Kiwanis Recreation Center

6111 S. All-America Way Tempe

480-350-5201

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Parks and Outdoors, Sports and Recreation, Best Of, Sponsor

We give extra props to this Tempe outdoor facility because of everything around it — tennis and volleyball courts and shaded picnic areas for starters. Located in the 125 acre Kiwanis Park, the rec center's other amenities include indoor wave pool, fitness center, gymnasium, corporate ramada area and classrooms. Since almost all outdoor activities must be done at night during the Arizona summer -- if you want to avoid being miserable -- it's a good thing the 15 tennis courts at Kiwanis Park in Tempe have lights, which stay on until 10 p.m. Of course, even summer nights here are hot, so you'll probably still work up a sweat. That's no problem if you're playing at Kiwanis, because the tennis courts are located right next to the community pool.

9 articles

MacDonald's Ranch

26540 N. Scottsdale Rd. North Scottsdale

480-585-0239

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

3 articles

Out of Africa Wildlife Park

4020 N. Cherry Rd., Camp Verde Outside the Valley

928-567-2840

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

Step out of the car Out of Africa Wildlife Park, 100 acres of wilderness at the base of Mingus Mountain range in Camp Verde, and you might think you've arrived at the Masai Mara region of Kenya or the Serengeti of Tanzania. And that's a good thing too since the residents of this wildlife park include bears, mountain lions, tigers, leopards, giraffes, zebra, wolves, wildebeests, deer and more. Out of Africa is just a two hour drive from Phoenix and offers a variety of animal shows, activities and opportunists to interact with some pretty exotic animals. It's not a zoo and it's not a theme park so don't expect either. You'll be walking on uneven terrain and dirt paths at this rustic park, but it's worth the one-of-a-kind experiences. The garden setting will put you mere feet from tigers, lions, bears and wolves – so close you'll be able to smell the panther's breath.

1 article

Rawhide Event Center

5700 W. N. Loop Rd., Chandler Ahwatukee

480-502-5600

Steakhouse, Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor, Menu, Slideshow

1 event 116 articles

Reid Park Zoo

1100 S. Randolph Way, Tucson Outside the Valley

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Sponsor

1 article

Rockin' R Ranch

6136 E. Baseline Rd. Mesa

480-832-1539

American, Barbecue, Steakhouse, Attractions and Amusement Parks, Music Venues, Sponsor, Menu

2 articles

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix

4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd. Glendale

623-201-2000

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

11 articles

Taliesin West

12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. North Scottsdale

480-860-2700

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

32 articles

Tempe Center for the Arts

700 W. Rio Salado Parkway Tempe

480-350-2822

Art Galleries, Attractions and Amusement Parks, Performing Arts Venues, Best Of, Sponsor, Slideshow

This 88,000 square foot performing and visual arts center serves the cultural community of Tempe with multiple performance and outdoor venues. Located on the banks of the Tempe Town Lake, the facility opened in September 2007 and cost some 65 million dollars to construct. The largest theater space seats 600 people in an impressive wood-clad auditorium while the smaller Studio Theater accommodates 200 people in a black box theater space. The center's gallery can open into the lobby allowing for a seamless flow from one space to the next. There's also a lake side multipurpose room, an outdoor amphitheater and two entrances to the center. The Tempe Center for the Arts is home to a number of performance groups based in Tempe including Childsplay, ConderDance, Tempe Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Wind Symphony and Desert Dance Theater. The design also includes several public art pieces including “Fireplace– trueNorth” by Mayme Kratz and Mark Ryan as well as “Aurora” by Brower Hatcher.

4 events 292 articles

Wildlife World Zoo

16501 W. Northern Ave. Litchfield Park

623-935-9453

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of, Sponsor

If we were an animal, we'd like to be pampered by the gentle folk at Wildlife World Zoo, which since 1984 has seen its collection grow to some 1,300 animals (that's Arizona's largest family of exotic creatures). We're proud that the place is honored by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association as one of the two nationally accredited privately owned zoos in the United States. WWZ doesn't just put its panthers on display, it educates us about what makes each animal unique, and what we must do to preserve them. There are no concrete sidewalks, just natural caging, like a modern-day Noah's Ark of penguins, giraffes, zebras, tigers, oryxes, lions, deer, kangaroos, gibbon apes, monkeys, camels, white rhinos, white tigers, African lions, African wild dogs, maned wolves, lemurs and so much more. To WWZ, we say, you go, grrr!

5 articles

Ahwatukee Holidays

4813 E. Pearce Rd. Ahwatukee

Attractions and Amusement Parks

Air Apparent

850 S. McAllister Ave. Tempe

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Best Of

James Turrell's Air Apparent is still quiet. Though the artist continues to enjoy international recognition for his work with light, his installation at ASU's Tempe campus near the light-rail stop on Rural and Terrace remains a relatively undiscovered gem in the desert. Air Apparent is one of many Skyspaces, which Turrell has been making since the '70s. Designed with the help of local architect Will Bruder to be an immersive art experience, Air Apparent is a structure that frames the sky with programmed LED lights to optimize color perception at sunrise and sunset. If it sounds a little out there, it's because it is. Turrell's biggest project, the Roden Crater, is a series of tunnels under an extinct volcanic cinder cone in northern Arizona. The man is clearly onto something. Until the crater opens to the public, you can find us in Air Apparent, thinking about the sky.

2 articles

Allen & Beth Coughenour's Holiday Lights

5335 W. Alice Ave. Glendale

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Historic Landmarks

3 articles

Arcosanti

13555 S. Cross L Rd., Mayer Outside the Valley

928-632-7135

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Music Venues, Best Of, Slideshow

You probably think of those clever little copper bells whenever you hear the name of this place, but Arcosanti is about much more than rusty musical souvenirs. This high-elevation experimental town began construction in 1970 in central Arizona (about 70 miles north of Phoenix) by architect Paolo Soleri, who used a concept he dubbed “arcology.” His plan—to prove that local urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the negative impact of city-dwelling on the earth—combines adaptive reuse and “green” ecology long before either was considered fashionable. The ongoing construction of this never-ending city is home to between 50 and 150 people, but visitors come from around the globe to visit the tilted concrete panels cast in a bed of desert silt on which this popular tourist attraction rests. They ogle the bronze-cast apse, built in the form of a semi-dome; the intricate and organic architecture; and the fun-and-educational five-story visitor’s center, café, and gift shop (where you can snag a bagful of those Arcosanti bells!). Also worth seeing: the community’s oddball home elevations, storefronts, and stunning outdoor amphitheater. Too tired to head back to town? A two-bedroom "Sky Suite" is available for overnight guests.

37 articles

Arizona Bike Week at WestWorld

16601 N. Pima Rd. North Scottsdale

480-644-8191

Attractions and Amusement Parks

8 articles

Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa

2400 E. Missouri Ave. East Phoenix

602-955-6600

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Music Venues, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Opened in 1929, this swanky resort at the base of Squaw Peak exudes old-timey Arizona charm and elegance. Albert Chase McArthur built it in "Mayan Revival" style, hiring his former mentor Frank Lloyd Wright as consultant. Former Columbia Pictures mogul Harry Cohn had a fatal heart attack here.

78 articles

Arizona Celebration of Lights

2209 N. 99th Ave. Avondale

888-926-7404

Attractions and Amusement Parks

1 article

Arizona Center

455 N. Third St. Central Phoenix

602-271-4000

Attractions and Amusement Parks, Retail, Slideshow

This downtown gathering spot has become an institution since its opening in 1990; highlights include shopping, people-watching, dining, nightlife, special events and similar urban amenities.

10 articles

Arizona Renaissance Festival

12601 E. US-60, Gold Canyon Apache Junction

520-463-2600

Attractions and Amusement Parks

3 articles

Arizona State Fairgrounds -- Qwest Community Stage

1826 W. McDowell Central Phoenix

602-252-6771

Attractions and Amusement Parks

The gone-to-seed home of the Arizona State Fair in the fall, the Maricopa County Fair in the spring and various special events at melted-horseshoe-shaped Veterans' Memorial Coliseum (where Bruce Springsteen filmed his video for the song "Rosalita" in 1976) and other permanent facilities the remainder of the year.

1 article