Do you know that feeling when you’re a sun-loving Phoenician? You’re soaking up the rays, channeling your inner lizard all year round, but then summer strikes in the Valley of the Sun and you suddenly shift your sensibilities to mimic a vampire! A few degrees south of Hades, Scottsdale, Arizona surely knows how to roast her residents. But hey, it’s your domain, close to Paradise Valley, and you’re a tough desert dweller. Not to worry, there’s plenty of heat-beating activities to keep the kids happy and prevent you from turning into a frazzled, sun-dried version of your once cool (both figuratively and literally) self.
Cooler than Cactus Shade: Indoor Fun
First things first, escape that magnificent ray of Vitamin D, which transforms into a formidable foe during summer months in Scottsdale. Head for the hills, or more accurately, the plush, air-conditioned oasis that is the OdySea Aquarium. Swap the heat waves for waves full of fish, and spend an idyllic few hours finding Nemo as your kids marvel at the neon flush of tropical fish. And who knows, with all those jellyfish, sharks and sea turtles, even you may be inspired to pen your marine chapter of Game of Thrones.
Next, why not keep their bodies and minds busy at the Children’s Learning & Play Festival? This annual arrangement boasts a mess of activities ranging from story times, educational talks (let them learn how solar panels work, for when their future homestead is on Mars), and stages featuring live performances of kids-favorite characters like Elsa, Batman, and goodbye sanity.
Sacred by the skin of your sunnies yet? Buckle up, we’ve got more spots to explore.
Eating Up the Heat
When ‘scorchio’ is the forecast for the foreseeable future, it’s ludicrous to think one can survive on mere H2O alone. Oh hold the diet, the summer months in Scottsdale require gelato. And I’m not talking about the free-handed, single scoop situation. Go colossal at places like Sweet Provisions. Attack the heat with an epic sundae adorned with toppings like honeycomb candy or blueberry lavender sauce. It’s a foodie paradise in the storm.
And when the mercury is still having too much fun soaring up, treat your army of minions to a cool, cultural experience at the Musical Instrument Museum. With an incredible range of international instruments, your tiny Mozarts and mini Hendrix can unleash their harmonious (or less so) talent.
Water Wonders
Alright, enough hiding. Show that sun who’s boss and run towards it – straight into a wave pool at Big Surf Waterpark. This tremendous aqua landscape is sunscreen-slathered Nirvana. With an epic wave pool and a variety of slides that range from “ooh, that’s refreshing” to “I just saw my life flash before my eyes”, it’s got summer fun written all over it.
Alternatively, return to nature by embarking on a refreshing hike at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve early in the morning. Strap on those trendy hydration packs, lather up the sunscreen, and let your offspring experience an actual living desert. By the time you’re back home, they’d be ready for their siesta and you can finally catch up on your long overdue Netflix list.
Wrapping Up
Sure, it may feel like summer in Scottsdale, Arizona is Mother Nature’s way of grounding you. But look past that sheen of sweat, embrace the offbeat (trust us, it’s the sunstroke), keep oodles of sunscreen handy and just a short jaunt from Paradise Valley, you’ve got a bushel of fun, indoor and outdoor, educational and outright ridiculous activities to keep you and your mini-mes entertained through these hot summer months. Who needs reality TV when you can watch your tots turn into Tarzans (minus the jungle, plus the desert)!
No doubt, we desert dwellers take some sort of twisted pleasure in battling the sizzling summer months. I guess it’s the survivalist in us. But one thing’s for certain, when it comes to having fun, we’ve got the heat beat.