Our Favorites in Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale is not only where we live, but it is hands down our favorite city in the United States. Fargo, North Dakota will always be “home” but we love just about everything in Scottsdale. The only thing it needs is our family and Fargo friends. After traveling to AZ for vacation and my husband’s work, we quickly found a place in AZ to make a home. When I say quick, I mean quick. We moved here with the intention of commuting more between Scottsdale and Fargo, but we just felt like we were where we were meant to be when we made the move. So, let’s get to our favorite things to do! I often get asked for recommendations, so I thought I would compile a list!

Family Friendly Activities

Here are some of the top family-friendly things to do in Scottsdale:

Butterfly Wonderland: If you're looking for an enchanting experience, Butterfly Wonderland is a must-visit. This indoor rainforest habitat is home to thousands of butterflies, and visitors can walk through a climate-controlled environment to see them up close as they flutter around. There are also interactive exhibits, a 3D theater, and an aquarium featuring fascinating underwater creatures. Kids will love the chance to get close to nature, and it's a beautiful, educational experience for the whole family. My kids love that butterflies will land on you. They also like getting the brochure that lists all the type of butterflies so that they can check off the ones they see!

Scottsdale's McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park: This park is a hidden gem for families in Scottsdale. The train park is an old-fashioned train-themed park that has activities for the kids and park space to play. They are even getting a splash pad. You can ride a small train around the park, hop on the carousel, or explore the model railroad displays. The park is also home to picnic areas, playgrounds, and beautiful green spaces, making it perfect for a day outside. My kids go here so often that we ended up buying an annual pass. The train park also has themed rides and events over Halloween and Christmas.

OdySea Aquarium: The OdySea Aquarium, one of the largest in the Southwest, is a fantastic place for families to dive into the world of marine life. Kids will love the interactive touch pools where they can pet stingrays and starfish, and they’ll be awestruck by the floor-to-ceiling tanks that house sharks, sea turtles, and thousands of fish. The aquarium also features an amazing 3D theater and a unique rotating exhibit that makes it a must-see for families with younger kids. I personally don’t like aquariums or the fishy smell, but my kids absolutely love this place! So, we go a lot. It is located in the same complex as the Butterfly Wonderland, along with a bunch of other exhibits, so you could easily spend all day there.

KTR: Indoor Action Sports Playground offers a variety of fun activities in their huge indoor playground that are all perfect for every age group. Their indoor playground offers a trampoline park, indoor skate park and plenty of games. KTR is the local recreation center that brings outdoor sports indoors! This is the perfect place for your kiddos to get some crazies out and even adults too, especially when it is summer in AZ.

Phoenix Children’s Museum: The museum’s exhibits are thoughtfully designed to be unique, to arouse curiosity, and to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of their visitors. They provide open-ended, imaginative play to all of the guests. You can explore 3 floors of hands-on interactive exhibits designed for children ages birth to 10. We get to the museum right when it opens and will stay until it closes. There is so much for my kids to explore!

Enchanted Island Amusement Park: Located in Phoenix, Enchanted Island is filled with charm and magic, offering nine rides and a variety of popular attractions geared toward children aged 1 to 10. Ride the historic Encanto Carousel or pedal-boat across the fish-filled lagoon or test your skills playing arcade games and don’t forget to bring your swimsuit to play in the splash zone.

Uptown Jungle: With a couple locations in Phoenix and one in Mesa, you will get all-inclusive play on trampolines, rock walls, obstacle courses, mega slides, ninja courses and more. You will experience the ultimate family friendly entertainment! My kids are obsessed with this place. It is even fun for adults!

LegoLand Discovery Center: LegoLand Discovery Center offers indoor attractions such as rides, play areas, and a 4D cinema. This place is perfect for my opposite children: Mase loves to let his imagination loose and will spend the whole time building and creating with Legos. While Addi is running around, burning off energy in the Lego City Play Zone where she can climb walls, go on slides, and play on the jungle gym. We love this place because we can sit back and watch our kids do what they love most, build and run crazy! You can find LegoLand Discovery Center in Tempe, AZ which is a 20-minute drive from Scottsdale!

Our Favorite Restaurants

This is hard because there are so many good restaurants in town, but I will break down our favorites by type. Also, keep in mind that we generally only eat out for date nights/events/special family nights. We usually cook at home (or Doordash). So, most of these are unique and/or upscale places and a bit of a splurge. Scottsdale restaurants are not cheap, so keep that in mind when booking! They are all also gluten friendly!

            Sumomaya (Mexican-Asian fusion)

·      Sumomaya is fun for a group or for an upbeat date night.

·      Located on Scottsdale Road in central/north Scottsdale

            Uchi (Japanese)

·      This is a new restaurant and so good! If you go, do it omakase style. We loved everything we had!

·      Located in Old Town

            Isabella’s Kitchen (Italian/American)

·      If you are looking for a good lunch spot, this is it. It overlooks the Grayhawk golf course. They have a wide-open green space for kids to run.

·      Located in North Scottsdale

            Sophia’s Kitchen (Italian)

·      Sophia’s has some of the best gluten free pasta. The kids love this place too! It is cute and rustic.

·      Located in North Scottsdale

            The Italiano (Italian)

·      This place is relatively new and more of an upscale Italian restaurant. It is more of a traditional Italian restaurant. It isn’t as gluten friendly as Sophia’s, but so unique and great if you don’t have a gluten allergy.

·      Located in North Scottsdale

            Le Ame (Parisian Steakhouse)

·      Le Ame is in the Global Ambassador hotel. The food is so fresh and delicious. I am drooling just thinking about it. If we lived closer to this area, we would go all the time. It’s a bit of a hike from our home, but still worth it! If you go here, stop at the rooftop restaurant/bar after dinner for a nightcap. The views are outstanding!

·      Located in Phoenix

            Maestros Ocean Club (Seafood and Steakhouse)

·      This is a high-end restaurant with mainly seafood, but they also have steaks, sushi, and more. We love to sit in the bar area because on some nights (mainly weekends), they have live music. We love the entertainment, and it makes it less formal of a dinner. They have my fav beef carpaccio in town.

·      Located in Scottsdale in Kierland

            Dominicks (Steakhouse)

·      This is by far my favorite steakhouse in town. The quality of steaks is unmatched. The appetizers and veggie sides are outstanding. However, it is very high end, so be prepared to spend a lot. This is our special event date night. The food, environment, location, service, is all so great.

·      Located in Scottsdale in Scottsdale Quarter

            Ocean Prime (Steak and Seafood)

·      Ocean Prime is upscale, so be prepared for high prices. The food is delicious, and the environment is very upscale/classy. Although they are a steak and seafood restaurant, I personally think they are more focused on the seafood. We mostly love the restaurant because of the proximity to activities after dinner. In that same area is a comedy house, speak easy, martini bar, piano bar, and more. You can walk to all of it!

·      Located in North Phoenix in High Street

Nobu (Japanese)

·      This place is pricey, but the vibe is so fun. It is a great place to order shareables, so you can try a variety of items. The food is so good and the fish tastes so fresh!

·      Located in Scottsdale 

            Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen (Italian)

·      Everything on their menu is gluten free, and you would never guess it! The kids and Matt love it too! They have delicious pasta, pizza, salads, and apps. I even can have their cheesy bread, and it is so good.

·      Located in North Scottsdale

Toro (Asian-Lation fusion)

·      This is our kids’ favorite restaurant in town. It overlooks TPC golf course, and the food is delicious. It is family friendly since it is part of the Princess resort.

·      Located in North Scottsdale

Fun for Adults/Date Night Ideas

Puttshack: If you love mini golfing, drinks, food and high-energy vibes you will LOVE Puttshack! Whether you’re going for the competition or to kick back with your friend crew, it will be your favorite hangout spot while visiting Scottsdale! Even Mason loves to mini golf here!

Topgolf: Whether you’re an aspiring golf pro or picking up a club for the fist time, Topgolf is fun for everybody. Topgolf is a sports entertainment complex that features an inclusive, high-tech golf game that everyone can enjoy. The food is so good, and they even have a bunch of gluten free options! They are so family friendly and provide fun for hours!

Spa Day: My personal favorite is the spa at the Princess. When you book a spa treatment at the Princess, you get access to their rooftop spa pool. Even on chilly days, it feels warm. They have delicious food, cold beverages, and a calm and peaceful atmosphere. I also love the one at the Sanctuary. It’s hard to go wrong with a spa day; however, make sure you book far in advance. During busy season, you could need to book a month or more in advance.

Old Town: If you have never been to Scottsdale, this is a must! Old town has food, drinks, specialty stores, and more! You could spend all day there. If you like wine, make sure to stop at Wine Girl. They have so many options for wine, and the cutest atmosphere! Some of our favorite restaurants in Old Town are Bourbon and Bones, the Mission, and Uchi. If you like karaoke, don’t forget to stop at Grapevine. It is a dive bar with the best karaoke experience in town! Looking for a historic bar, stop by the Rusty Spur!

Scottsdale Quarter/Kierland: We love this area for dinner and then strolling. It is an outdoor shopping complex. Our kids love it too! Our favorite restaurants there are Obon, Greenhouse, Maestros Ocean Club, Culinary Dropout, and Sorso (my fav wine bar in town). This is also where Puttshack is located, so it is the perfect spot for dinner and then mini golf after. They also have a nice movie theater (my fav in town), a splashpad area if you have your kiddos with, and shops. Culinary Dropout has bean bag toss and often has live music.

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Final Thoughts

Scottsdale offers a variety of activities that will keep the entire family entertained, whether you’re exploring or relaxing. There really is something for everyone. So, pack your bags and be prepared to want to come back often, or even move here!

If you have other favorites in the area, comment below so people can get more ideas!