🌵 Saturday Day 1: Arrival & Into the Sonoran Desert
We landed in Arizona and immediately headed south, eager to kick off the trip immersed in the Sonoran Desert.
The drive itself set the tone — wide open landscapes, towering saguaro cacti, and that unmistakable desert light. The Sonoran Desert has a presence to it that feels both vast and alive, and it didn’t take long for everyone to feel like we were somewhere completely different. This was no beach town.
It was the perfect, low-pressure start to the trip — just getting our bearings and soaking it all in.
🔭 Sunday Day 2: Science, Space & Aviation
🌌 Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium
Our morning started at the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium — a great interactive stop that blends science exhibits with an excellent planetarium show that both educated and thoroughly entertained us all.
The planetarium show was a highlight. One visual really stood out — a depiction of Earth’s orbit crowded with ~15,000 active satellites and over 36,000 pieces of debris.
It led to a great discussion: how does NASA navigate through all of that?
The answer: constant tracking, predictive modeling, and carefully timed launches. It was one of those moments where education and awe came together perfectly.
✈️ Pima Air & Space Museum
Next, we headed to the Pima Air & Space Museum — and this turned out to be a standout experience.
This place is massive — one of the largest aviation museums in the world — with hundreds of aircraft spread across indoor hangars and outdoor exhibits.
Highlights included:
- Walking among rows of historic aircraft
- Seeing iconic planes like the SR-71 Blackbird
- The sheer scale of the outdoor “aircraft graveyard”
For kids (and honestly adults), it’s incredibly engaging because you’re not just looking at planes — you’re walking through aviation history.
For me, I saw the Curtiss C-46 Commando, flown by my father during WWII, while he was in the 10th Airforce, flying over the hump bringing supplies to China. I also got a picture of his uniform which I remember seeing in his closet when I was a very little girl.
Seeing the first and second Airforce One plane was also very cool. I remember pictures of President Kennedy getting on board the sky blue prop plane that was quickly replaced by a jet version a few years later.
🏜️ Monday Day 3: Desert Life & Open Space
🌵 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
After a relaxed morning, we made our way to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
This isn’t your typical museum — it’s part zoo, part botanical garden, and part natural history experience, mostly set outdoors in the desert itself.
What worked especially well:
- Going through the indoor exhibits
- Walking trails through real desert habitat
- Up-close encounters with desert wildlife
- Plenty of space for kids to explore without feeling confined
🥾 Scenic Overlook Stop
On the way, we stopped at a scenic overlook for a short hike.
These quick stops ended up being some of the best parts of the trip — giving us time to stretch, explore, and take in the vast desert views without committing to a long excursion.
🕳️ Tuesday Day 4: Underground Wonders & the Old West
🪨 Kartchner Caverns
We started the day heading south to Kartchner Caverns State Park. We purchased tickets for the 9:30 tour, which was required. The drive from our VRBO was just under two hours, but it was interesting to see the terrain changing as we went.
Note: These are pictures from Karchner State Park – no photography is allowed in the caverns.
Unlike many caves, Kartchner is still “alive,” meaning the formations are actively growing.
The guided tour was fantastic — educational, visually stunning, and engaging for the kids. Massive formations and delicate structures made this one of the most unique experiences of the trip.
Kartchner Caverns State Park was discovered in 1974 by two amateur cavers, Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts, who kept its location secret for years to protect its fragile formations. They eventually partnered with the State of Arizona to preserve the cave, which opened to the public in 1999.
Today, the caverns are meticulously maintained using advanced conservation practices — including sealed, humidity-controlled doors, carefully designed pathways, and limited tour sizes — all to preserve the cave’s delicate, still-growing formations and prevent damage from light, airflow, and human impact.
There is a very good short video worth watching at the main caverns pavilion. We watched it after the tour, but I recommend seeing before you head out if you have time.
The kids also enjoyed the gift shop they purchased a few rocks a souvenirs.
🤠 Tombstone: Reliving the Old West
From Karchner, we headed to Tombstone and the famous OK Corral!
Tombstone is pure Old West — wooden boardwalks, saloons, and live reenactments that bring history to life.
We spent a few hours:
- Having lunch at Big Nose Kate’s restaurant, which was excellent both for the food and the entertainment,
- Walking the historic streets and doing a little old west shopping.
- Watching a reenactments of the famous shootout at the OK Corral between Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp and his brothers against the outlaws. This was a bit hokey but the kids really enjoyed it.
- Soaking in the atmosphere of a true frontier town
It’s touristy — but in a fun, immersive way that works especially well with kids. In addition, there is a stage coach to ride, silver mine to explore and other old west attractions.
Tombstone was home to over 5,000 people at its peak during the mining boom. Today, there is only 1,500 living in Tombstone and the surrounding area. Most work in the tourism industry in one way or another,
🚗 Wednesday Day 5: North to Sedona
⛰️ Lookout Mountain Stop
On the drive north, we stopped at Lookout Mountain Preserve, just north of Phoenix to stretch are legs and break up the trip..
This was a perfect break:
- Fresh air
- Light hiking
- Expansive desert views
A simple but highly worthwhile detour. There were several Native American Indians sell jewelry, which I wish I had taken advantage of.
🏜️ Bell Rock in Sedona
By afternoon, we arrived in Sedona and headed straight to Bell Rock.
Bell Rock is perfect with kids — approachable, fun to climb, and surrounded by incredible scenery. It was very crowded when we arrive around 3 pm. We were very lucky to get a parking spot.
This was our first real introduction to Sedona’s red rocks, and it did not disappoint. With Bob hanging back, the rest of us followed the many worn paths that led up the mountain.
The trail quickly gave way to large, slick boulders, but we managed to climb about halfway up—just before the terrain turned vertical and no longer safe for recreational climbing. The kids loved scrambling over the rocks, though we had to keep them close as the level of difficulty and risk was more than they could fully appreciate. A fine layer of red dust coated everything, making the rocks surprisingly slippery and easy to lose your footing on.
Note: Our Grand Kids were 9 and 13 which was perfect age to navigate the less steep areas. This is not a place to bring anyone under seven for sure unless you are going to stay at the lower levels and enjoy the scenery.
🌊 Thursday Day 6: Creekside Adventures Instead
🥾 Slippery Rock / Creek Exploration
We attempted Cathedral Rock early… but even 8:00 AM wasn’t early enough — parking was full. We needed to be there by 7:30 to get parking and the shuttle bus to Cathedral rock. They no longer allow parking on the mountain during busy periods.
So, we pivoted to the creek area near Slide Rock State Park. Great decision!
This ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.
The kids:
- Climbed rocks
- Explored both sides of the creek
- Hiked along the water
- Took lots of pictures
Even without swimming, it was an absolute win. We spent about two hours and headed back to the hotel to pickup Bob around 10 am. This turned out to be perfect timing as there were a lot of people arriving and it would soon be very crowded.
🏨 Thursday Afternoon: Scottsdale & A Great Finish
We drove down to Scottsdale and checked into Great Wolf Lodge Arizona — a perfect transition for the kids after several active days.
Dinner that night was at La Hacienda — a fantastic Mexican restaurant with a great atmosphere and excellent food.
🏨 Great Wolf Lodge: A Fun Finish for the Kids
We wrapped up the adventure portion of the trip with a stay at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona — and for families, this was a perfect way to finish.
After several days of hiking, driving, and exploring, the kids were more than ready for something completely different — and this delivered.
The indoor water park is the main attraction, with:
- Multiple water slides for different age levels
- A wave pool and lazy river
- Interactive water play areas
The biggest advantage? It’s all contained and easy — no driving, no planning, just walk downstairs and let the kids go.
That said, it’s worth setting expectations:
- It’s busy — especially in the afternoons and evenings.
- It’s not a luxury experience — it’s designed for kids focused on energy and fun, not relaxation.
- Food options are convenient , but expensive and not great.
- It is worth purchasing the Wolf Adventure Pass otherwise you will be constantly adding on additional charges for anything that is not water related.
- The lodge is not comfortable for adults: the only place to sit and relax is at the pool or in your room. There is no adult lounge area inside and no comfortable chairs to relax in other than the pool
For us, it worked exactly as intended — a high-energy, kid-focused experience that gave everyone a chance to unwind in a different way after a very active trip. However, we have been there and done that – will not return. Your kids will love it though.
✈️ Saturday: Heading Home
An early flight home wrapped up an incredible trip — one that balanced adventure, learning, and just the right amount of downtime.
🌄 Final Thoughts: Why This Itinerary Works
This trip worked so well because it combined:
- Educational experiences (planetarium, air & space museum, caverns)
- Outdoor adventure (Sedona hikes, desert exploration)
- Fun, immersive stops (Tombstone, resort time)
- Well-timed pacing (activity balanced with rest)
- A nice VRBO with a pool that allowed us to spread out and relax in the afternoons and evenings.
Arizona delivers variety in a way that few destinations can — making it an ideal family adventure.
FYI:
Here are a few tips from our vacation to Arizona:
- Plan your days ahead and take the time to plot your drive time.
- Purchase tickets to all parks and attractions ahead of time. They sell out fast!
- Plan extra time when heading to your destinations. Arizona traffic can be congested.
- Research temperatures during your trip. Temperatures were perfect during our trip, but the week before set record highs of near 100 in southern Arizona
- Visiting MT Lemmon – the program is totally dependent on having clear skies. Have a backup or be prepared to push it later in the week. They are only open a few days a week. Buy tickets in advance – they will refund your money if the program is cancelled due to weather.
🎒 Explorer Packets: Keeping the Kids Engaged
One of the best decisions we made for this trip was creating simple “Explorer Packets” for the kids. Each packet included fun challenges, scavenger hunts, and questions tied to the places we were visiting — from spotting desert plants and animals to answering trivia about caverns, space, and the Old West.
They turned out to be a huge hit. The kids stayed engaged throughout the trip, always on the lookout for the next thing to check off, and it added an extra layer of excitement to every stop. It also sparked great conversations and a little friendly competition along the way — making the entire experience more interactive and memorable for everyone.
Please feel download if you would like to see the Explorer Packet for Kids.