14 Free Things to Do with Kids in Phoenix, Arizona
Heading to Phoenix? You won’t want to miss my list of 14 actually fun things to do in Phoenix for free! I’m including a variety of activities from museums, hikes, history, an old west town and more.
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Visit the Arizona State Capitol There is free parking and free admission to the museum. You can go on a self-guided tour and see what state government offices looked like during territorial days. There is also a fun miniature train exhibit and a UUS Arizona exhibit.
Go to the Phoenix Art Museum. This museum is free on Wednesday from 3 pm to 9 pm, the 2rd Sunday of each month from noon to 5 pm, and on the 1st Friday of each month from 6 pm - 10 pm. We love the firefly exhibit which is a mirrored room filled with tiny lights plus there is a great selection of art on display.
Get outside and enjoy Papago Park. Check out our favorite trail there, Hole in the Rock. It’s a very short and easy hike with a hole at the top and great city views.
Enjoy the desert beauty at the Desert Botanical Gardens. The gardens are free on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Active military with ID and kids under 3 are always free. Desert plants at their best. Gorgeous place to see huge cacti plus a large variety of desert plants.
Experience the Old West at Goldfield Ghost Mine. Visit this old west replica town where you can see a gun flight and pan for gold. Additional activities such as zip lining, desert jeep rides, mine tours, and train rides are available for an additional fee.
Take photos or a hike in the Superstition Mountains. Our favorites with kids are the Hyrogliphics Trail, Wind Caves, and Peralta Trail. If you are up for a bigger hike without kids, Flatiron via Siphon Draw is one of my favorites. Here’s a great list of some wonderful hikes in the Superstition Mountains.
Support local artists and explore art with the Artlink First Friday Event. Head out for an evening where you can enjoy local art galleries for free. There are food trucks available if you want to get some dinner while you’re out. This is one of the largest 1st Friday art walks in. the country.
Hike Camelback Mountain. This is a very popular hike because of it’s location right in town and the great views at the top. But be warned, this is not an easy hike to do with young kids. I’d recommend it for good hikers around ages 10+. It is steep and involves rock scrambling. Parking can be tricky because the lot on the Echo Canyon side is always packed. If you hike from the Cholla Trail side, you park on the street and sometimes have to park a mile or more away from the trailhead.
Bike, hike, or take pictures in South Mountain Park. South Mountain Park is a huge mountain area filled with many trails. Two of our favorites are Telegraph Pass and Fat Man’s Pass. We’ve done both with young kids. I’d say ages 5+ but you’ll need to gauge the abilities of our family.
Race car fans? Visit the Penske Racing Museum. This is located in an auto mall and has cars, trophies, and racing memorabilia on display from the Indy 500.
Play at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. This is free on the 1st Friday of the months of May through August from 5 pm to 9 pm. Our kids’ have loved exploring and playing here.
Go on a self-guided mural tour. How many of these murals can you visit? We love finding murals! THey are the perfect photo backdrop. Take a drive around town and see how many murals you can find.
Hit up one of the many splash pads around town. Jana from Phoenix with Kids shares a great list of Phoenix area splash pads. Sometimes you just need to get wet to cool off in the summer. Splash pads are a great way for kids of all ages to play.
Visit the Heard Museum to enjoy traditional and contemporary art from Indigenous North America. This is free on First Fridays (except March) from 4 pm to 8 pm.
There you have it! A fun and free list of great things to do in Phoenix. Please let me know if you get to do any of the things on this list. I’d love to hear about your experiences.