Curator’s statement
My husband and I decided to take a quick trip (3 days) to the JW Marriott in Phoenix with our kids over President's Weekend. Since the weather wasn't super warm, we ended up doing a lot of fun activities besides sitting by the hotel pool which made for a super memorable trip.
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Where to stay in Phoenix, Arizona
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Things to do in Phoenix, Arizona
Desert Botanical Garden - Take a walk around the Desert Botanical Garden right outside of Scottsdale. There are a ton of beautiful flowers amongst the various kinds of cacti.
OdySea Aquarium Scottsdale - Super unique aquarium with a main attraction of a moving room that passes through four different tanks of sea creatures including sharks, seals and stingrays.
Walk around Old Town Scottsdale - There are tons of art galleries and shops to stop into.
Enjoy the grounds of the hotel and pool - The JW Marriott had a ton of fire pits scattered around the property which was awesome because it was on the cooler side when we visited.
Play a round of golf/tennis or pickleball - My kids are a bit too young to play but there are a ton of golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts
Places to eat & drink in Phoenix, Arizona
Breakfast
The Boozy - Have a great kids option where they could choose from a combination of pancakes, eggs, french toast, fruit for their meals which they loved. Had an extensive brunch cocktail menu, all of which looked amazing.
Lunch & Dinner
Tia Carmen - We ate both lunch and dinner here. The tuna tostada was really excellent but on the lighter side for lunch. Highly recommend starting with the fried bread dumplings with honey butter. The kids loved their grilled cheese and burger. Loved the outside atmosphere where we sat under heaters next to the outdoor fireplace.
Meritage - Basically an upscale American bar-type place located next to the golf course. Perfect for the kids as they have a heated outdoor patio area with games.
Cook & Craft - High Street - Had great cocktails and was very kid friendly with lots of outdoor seating and heaters.
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Jen Disler
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For more travel tips, check out Couples Weekend in the Hudson Valley, NY.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Arizona, and our series on family travel.