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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Spring Break in Arizona - What to do with the Kids?

If you're heading to Arizona for spring break (like me!) I thought I'd pass along a few ideas:


BASEBALL
It's Cactus League Spring Training (okay, you already knew that). Phoenix (and surrounding areas) feature 15 MLB teams in 10 stadiums, incluidn ghte LA Angels, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, LA Dodger, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland A's, San Diego Padres, SF Giants, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks (who don't get to leave home for their training!). Tickets are as low as $5. More about Cactus League Spring Training here. And here's the Scottsdale CVB guide to spring training.


HOTELS
Lots of specials, deals and packages, including the ones below. I did a family-friendly Scottsdale area hotel round-up some time back - you can read it here.
-Westin Kierland Resort & Spa - visit during spring training and get special programs/activities like Kierland Kampfires, Phoenix Zoo presentations, Kids in the Kitchen, Digital Kid's Club and more. Plus, there's the Adventure Water Park (900 foot lazy river, 110 foot long waterslide), the OK Corral with lawn chess, basketball, game tables, car race tracks and more. Starwood Preferred Guests (you can sign up for free) can get a parent's night out with a free Kids Pajama Party (you eat out at their deseo restaurant, they get free activities/babysitting).

ACTIVITIES
Dude ranches are a popular option - read my review of Tanque Verde Dude Ranch in Tucson here. You can sign up for a la carte rides at many stables as well. A lot of hotels have horse stables/rides, even if you're not staying there. Book in advance, though because they're popular. Find a list of stables in the Valley of the Sun here.

If you're in Tucson, visit the Tucson Children's Museum.

In Phoenix, check out the Arizona Science Center downtown.

I love, love, love Bath Junkie. They just opened a new store in Gilbert, outside of Phoenix. At Bath Junkie, you can create your own scented and colored bath products, including shampoos, scrubs, lotions and more. My daughter and I went for a girls' afternoon and had a blast. With 200 scents, you can mix/match and spend time just smelling and guessing what they are. They also carry a big selection of cute soaps and other bath products (robes). 


We went to the Musical Instrument Museum last time we were in town - it's huge and very interesting - even for the kids.

A visit to the Valley of the Sun isn't complete without seeing the Desert Botanical Garden, where you'll learn all about the various plants that grow here.

Go for a hike! Head to Squaw Peak (aka Piestewa Peak) or Camelback Mountain. Bring water!

For other adventure outdoor activities, head to this Scottsdale website, with info on hiking, jeep tours, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, etc.

1 comment:

  1. Here is something fun for your local readers to do over Spring Break! Remember how much fun you had dancing around to great disco songs when you were little? If so, then you will love dancing the afternoon away with your own little ones at Baby Loves Disco! Bring them to the hottest (and most fun!) dance party around for kids and families – the Baby Loves Disco’s “We Are Family” Tour presented by H&M (you’ll even get the chance to win some great H&M gear!) Grab a tattoo, get a mini manicure, make a sock puppet or a family tree, and then grab your egg shakers! There will be prizes and more at this great family event! For families in the Santa Rosa, San Jose, Berkeley, Oakland, Roseville and SF areas, there is a party for everyone starting March 24.

    You can check out the schedule at http://www.babylovesdisco.com. Some events are free, while others will require tickets. If you do attend an event that requires a ticket, make sure to enter promo code MOM when you purchase them. If you are one of the first 100 people to buy tickets to the bay events (any event), you will get the full Baby Loves Disco soundtrack emailed to you (in the form of a download link) for FREE!

    Baby Loves Disco, the internationally acclaimed family dance party phenomenon, will launch its 2012 “We Are Family” tour, which will run from March through November, producing more than 100 events this year. At Baby Loves Disco, real DJs spin G-rated dance tunes, while hundreds of parents, grandparents, and kids dance and groove along. There will be all kinds of creative fun to enjoy! Games, dance contests, crafts, kid-friendly spa services. and goody bags are all part of the admission fee. Giant video screens not only show music videos, they also allow dancers to check out their moves on the big screen.

    I work for Miles Of Marketing and this information was provided to me by them (www.milesofmarketing.com). We are a group of moms passing along great information like this to other moms! Make sure to share this information with your friends and family so that everyone can enjoy getting groovy, disco style!

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