Each year, we try to plan a few family vacations, and spring break in 2025 brought us to Scottsdale, Arizona. Tony and I had both been to Arizona before, but this was our first time experiencing it together as a family.
I had visited the Grand Canyon as a child and still remember riding a mule to the bottom. It was one of the most memorable trips from my childhood. It’s something I would love to experience again someday with Noelle and Lincoln.
This trip, though, was less about big bucket-list adventures and more about enjoying the beauty of Arizona at a slower pace. We wanted a good mix of relaxing pool time, a little hiking, and a few fun local spots to explore.
Scottsdale ended up being a great fit for our spring break. It gave us sunshine, beautiful scenery, and enough to do without ever feeling too busy. It was one of those trips that felt both fun and easy, exactly what we needed.
Our Home Base for This Vacation
Our home base for this vacation was the Sheraton Desert Oasis Vacation Club. The resort was in a great location, which made it easy to get to many of the sightseeing spots on our list. It was also only about a 25-minute drive from the Phoenix airport, which made arrival day feel simple and manageable.
We had connecting rooms, which gave us so much extra space and made a big difference for this trip. Our side had a master bedroom, a whirlpool tub, a full kitchen, a living room, and a patio. The connecting room gave Noelle her own bedroom, plus a kitchenette and living area. That living area quickly became Lincoln’s little private hangout during the vacation. Having the extra space made the trip feel more relaxing, especially since everyone had room to spread out at the end of the day.
The resort also had outdoor grills, which was a nice option to have, even though we usually went out for dinner each night.
One of the biggest reasons we loved this resort was the balance of space and family-friendly amenities. The space was roomy and comfortable, and the pool area was wonderful. The kids especially loved the two playgrounds and the resort activities. They gave us plenty to do during our downtime.
A Few Favorite Spring Break Adventures
As much as we loved our downtime at the resort, we also wanted to get out and explore a few fun spots around Scottsdale. Between butterflies, beautiful desert scenery, and a family mystery game, these were some of the highlights of our trip. One of our first outings took us to Arizona Boardwalk, where we visited Butterfly Wonderland and ClueVille. On another day, we made our way to Hole-in-the-Rock for some classic desert views.
Butterfly Wonderland
Butterfly Wonderland felt like stepping into a living museum all about butterflies. As North America’s largest butterfly conservatory, it was such a fun and unique stop for our family.
The experience began with a captivating 3D movie where we learned all about how Monarch butterflies migrate. It was fascinating to hear just how far they travel during their lives. My grandmother never liked butterflies because she always said, “Those things just don’t know where they’re going”. Clearly, they do.
After the movie, we made our way into the indoor butterfly garden. It felt almost magical stepping into the space these butterflies call home, with them fluttering all around us. The kids had the best time watching them land nearby and trying to get them to walk onto their fingers.
We spent a few hours there just taking it all in. We watched the butterflies, let them land on us, and enjoyed how peaceful and beautiful the whole space felt. Afterward, we wandered over to see the reptiles, which was a fun change of pace.
Lincoln especially loved collecting all the hidden fact cards throughout the exhibit. It was so fun hearing both kids talk about their favorite butterfly moments and what they learned. The timing of this stop felt especially perfect. Lincoln was learning about caterpillars in his 5K class, and Noelle already knew quite a bit about butterflies too. Listening to them share facts and observations made the whole experience even more entertaining.
ClueVille
ClueVille was such an unexpected surprise. We had never taken the kids to an escape room before. The escape rooms in our area always seemed a little more geared toward older teens and adults. This one, though, was designed with kids in mind and ended up being so much fun for the whole family.
ClueVille offers four different themed escape rooms: Alien Invasion, Old Wizard, Secret Potion, and Detective Agency. We let the kids each pick a room to explore, which made it even more fun.
Our first room was Old Wizard. The kids had to search for clues, unlock padlocks, and solve puzzles and riddles throughout the room. It was even better because it wasn’t just one room. There were actually two rooms, with a secret passage they had to figure out how to open.
We originally booked just one room, but we ended up loving it so much that we decided to do another. The second room we tried was Alien Invasion, set up like an abandoned spaceship. The mission was to help Rusty the Robot get back home. Between the black lights, hidden clues, and more codes to solve, we all escaped and saved Rusty.
The kids easily could have stayed there all day. We ended up promising them we would come back someday to try the other two rooms.
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Hole-in-the-Rock
The first time I visited Hole-in-the-Rock was back in 2021, when it was just my sister and me. I loved the view from the top, and the hike itself was very manageable. Because of that, it felt like the perfect place for Noelle and Lincoln to have their first little taste of hiking up a mountain.
Hole-in-the-Rock is a natural geological formation in Papago Park. It’s located not far from the Phoenix Zoo, which makes it a great little stop if you’re already in the area. There’s no admission fee, and there’s plenty of free parking, which made it an easy outing for our family.
A Quick Family Hike
The trail itself is short and well marked, taking only about 7 to 10 minutes to reach the top. It was just enough of a climb to feel like a fun little adventure without being too difficult for the kids. Once we made it up, the view was absolutely worth it. The kids loved looking out over the surrounding Phoenix area and taking it all in from above.
Of course, Noelle was the more adventurous one and wanted to climb through the hole itself. We managed to do that, and she thought it was very cool. After seeing other people go farther down on the other side, Noelle wanted to keep going too. I wasn’t comfortable with how steep it was, and it was a good reminder to use your best judgment with kids.
I also loved that this was such a simple, low-stress outing. It didn’t take up much of the day, but it gave us a chance to enjoy Arizona’s natural beauty and do something active together as a family. If you’re looking for an easy stop with a nice view and a little adventure, this is a fun one to add to your trip.
A Few Favorite Arizona Eats
Food was part of the fun on this trip too, and we had a few memorable meals along the way. From a laid-back dinner with desert views to a fun hibachi night and an over-the-top dinner show, these were some of our favorite Arizona eats.
Kasai
Kasai ended up being such a fun family dinner spot. Noelle already loves hibachi, so we had a good feeling this one would be a hit, and it absolutely was. Lincoln also made quite an impression by eating most of Tony’s steak, which made it pretty clear that next time he may need to order his own.
The chef was a huge part of the fun. He had a great sense of humor, kept the table laughing, and made the whole experience feel lively from start to finish. We all took our turn trying to catch food flipped our way, and Noelle proudly managed to catch a piece of broccoli in her mouth.
The restaurant was definitely lively, but in a fun way. It was large and energetic, yet the spacing between the tables kept it from ever feeling too crowded. We also all loved the pineapple Dole Whip at the end, which felt like a fun little reminder of Disney World.
Overall, Kasai was very family-friendly and one of those dinners that felt like more than just a meal. It gave us good food, a lot of laughs, and a really fun night together.
Medieval Times
Medieval Times was one activity I planned ahead of time, and it was such a fun choice for our trip. We liked the idea of a dinner show that felt completely different from the other restaurants and outings we had that week.
I had a feeling the kids would love it. When they were younger, we took them to a pirate adventure show in Myrtle Beach, and they had so much fun with that one. So I thought going to Medieval Times would be another big hit, and it definitely was.
We were cheering for the red and yellow team, and Noelle especially got into the excitement of it all. Lincoln spent much of the show looking around and taking everything in. Meanwhile, Noelle was fully invested in the cheering and the storyline. She especially loved all the drama with the blue team betraying the king and queen. The actors did such a good job that the kids really thought it was real.
The food ended up being better than I expected, which was a nice surprise. The kids also loved that there was no silverware and that everyone ate with their hands. It made the whole experience feel even more true to the Medieval Times theme. Lincoln, however, wanted nothing to do with the tomato soup, especially once the staff called it “dragon’s blood”. Since he is not much of a soup fan to begin with, that pretty much sealed the deal.
Even though our knight ended up losing, it was still one of the most memorable parts of the trip. It was exciting, family-friendly, and something completely different from the rest of our Arizona adventures.
Isabella’s Kitchen
One of our favorite meals from the trip was dinner at Isabella’s Kitchen. The relaxed outdoor setting made it feel like such a fun and easy place to spend our last evening in Arizona. Located at Grayhawk Golf Club, it had beautiful desert views and plenty of space for the kids to move around. That made the whole experience feel even more relaxed.
We grabbed a table near the fire pit, shared chips and salsa, and tried a few different pizzas. Meanwhile, the kids enjoyed stretching their legs a bit. It was one of those meals that felt simple in the best way: good food, a beautiful setting, and everyone happy.
Looking back, this trip gave us exactly what we needed out of spring break. It gave us one more chance to slow down, enjoy the Arizona sunshine, and soak in those last vacation moments before heading home.
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Final Thoughts on Our Arizona Spring Break
Looking back, this trip gave us exactly what we needed out of spring break. It was sunny, relaxing, and filled with the kind of simple family moments that stay with me the longest.
From pool time and fun adventures to memorable meals and beautiful desert scenery, Scottsdale turned out to be such a fun place for our family. It had just the right mix of downtime and exploring. That made the whole week feel easy and enjoyable from start to finish.
It’s no surprise we wanted to come back again. Arizona gave us such a special spring break in 2025, and it became a place our family would love returning to.
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