When we started this site, we wanted to share our stories of any family oriented vacations that we went on, to help other parents decide where to go.  Last year, we went on a vacation to Phoenix, Arizona and wanted to share our experiences.

For this trip, we decided to stay at the Pointe Hilton Tapetio Cliffs resort in Phoenix.  It’s in a good location, not too secluded, but definitely quiet.  This resort is all suites, which is perfect with children.  Our toddler was able to nap and sleep in the Pack and Play in the living room, while we could still watch tv in the bedroom without disturbing her.  If you stay here, it’s in your best interest to look at a resort map and decide what part of the resort is best for you to stay in, and then request that location.  We preferred the main building, but this location is huge and you may have to do a lot of walking if you aren’t happy with your location.

For kids, this resort has a wonderful water area, with several pools, kids activities, and even a water slide.  You can also rent a cabana with a refridgerator and television if you want to be somewhat shaded.  There are lots of kids at this pool, so if you have real little ones, you may choose to go to one of the smaller pools, such as the family pool near the main building.

There are also a selection of restaurants, from kid appropriate to not very kid appropriate.  Our lodging plan included a breakfast buffet at the Pointe in Tyme restaurant.  It was kid friendly, but strangely, there were no changing tables in the restrooms. 

For activities within Phoenix, we went to the Phoenix Zoo, which was wonderful.  They had fun strollers to rent with nice covered hoods, and there were so many animals out.  In the hot Phoenix weather, I’d recommend that you go to the zoo earlier in the morning when the animals are still out.  They tend to hide in the heat.  We didn’t eat at the zoo but there was food available.  There were also zoo guides hanging around at some of the exhibits giving the kids stickers with the animals on them, which was a huge hit with our toddler.

We also spent lots of time at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad park in Scottsdale, which is bound to be one of your child’s favorite part of the vacation.  There is a carousel, and a train that runs all around the park, as well as lots of room to run and a great playground!  This place was mobbed on the weekend, but was relatively quiet during the week.   It’s a great place to spend the morning, to get out your kids’ energy, or even to bring a bag lunch.

Overall, we found Phoenix to be a great vacation destination for families, and would absolutely do this trip again!