Trip Report w/ Young Children (Apr 3-Apr10)

Question

My family (myself, wife, 4 yo son, and 2 yo daughter) just returned home after a fantastic week exploring Arizona. I am definitely the planner of my family and reading everyone’s comments on here has been invaluable in making this trip fantastic. When traveling I have found that finding information for families with young toddler aged kids is often far and few between so I thought this trip report may help some others that are in our boat. With all that said here is our trip:

Thursday April 3rd: Flew Allegiant Air from Knoxville TN to PHX. Landed around 4:30pm and picked up the car and headed north to our AirBnb in flagstaff. Got in around 9pm after stopping for dinner. We stayed in the Continental Golf Club area and could not have been happier.

Friday April 4th: Kids woke us up at 5am and we made a quick grocery run. We then got ready and headed to Sunset Crater National Monument. We picked up the America the Beautiful pass since we planned on doing several parks and monuments throughout the week. Explored the crater trails and found out our 4 yo was a firm believer that the volcano was going to erupt underneath us so there were some tears involved here. Luckily we avoided catastrophe headed to the Waputki NM that is connected by the loop trail. We explored all the major trails and ruins since almost all were under 0.5 mile hikes. After leaving there we headed down to the Bearizona attraction outside of Williams. We tend to do a lot of driving during our trips to let the kids nap during the travel time between sights so the long distances will be somewhat of a theme. The kids absolutely loved the Bearizona attraction. Having the bears, wolves and bison be literally outside their windows was all the would talk about for the next couple days. After that we drove through downtown Williams just to say we have been there but couldn’t stop since the kids were done with everything for the day.

Saturday April 5th: Grand Canyon day. We were still on East coast time so were out of the house by 6:30am heading to the Grand Canyon. Got to the south gate around 8:15am and only had 2-3 cars in line. Parking at the visitor center was no issue and we spent of the early morning walking down to the geology museum and back before the visitor center opened. After the visitor center opened we went and watched the video and visited the gift shop (always the kids favorite at these stops). Then spent the rest of the day hitting all the lookouts and trail stops along Desert View Drive. We loved being able to hop in and out quickly to see things in this park with the kids. Ended the day going up Desert View Watchtower and then getting ice cream in the 40 degree weather because the 2 yo insisted. Headed back to Flagstaff via 89 and loved the views heading that direction of the painted desert. Got back to the house around 6pm so it was a full day. Spent the evening watching the deer and elk that were grazing in front of the Airbnb.

Sunday April 6th: woke up early again and were on the road by 8am heading to the Petrified Forest. Started at the Rainbow Forest Museum and hiked the agate House trails around that area first. Spent the next 6 hours driving through the park stopping at all the hikes and lookout points along the way. The Grand Canyon was very cool but we fell in love with this park. Our kids loved the petrified wood and being able to explore a little more freely. We split the trip back up by stopping for dinner in downtown Winslow. Not worth a special trip in my opinion but since we were heading by it anyways figured why not.

Monday April 7th: We planned on taking it a little easier today after going nonstop the last few days. Started with visiting Walnut Canyon NM and hiking the island trail. Had to carry the 2 yo in a carrier but the 4 yo did the whole thing himself up and down. Was proud of him. Went and drove around downtown Flagstaff and ate lunch down there after seeing the visitor center. We had planned on going to Lovell Observatory right after lunch but both kids melted down so we ended up going back to the house for a nap. This worked out well since it allowed us to get the the observatory much closer to dark. We did the self walking tour and ended up being able to stay late enough to do the telescope viewings. In the viewings we got to see Jupiter, the moon and another star up close. The 4 yo loves space and this was his favorite stop. They also had a nice play area that the kids loved as well. Overall it was a very well done place.

Tuesday April 8th: today we headed back down to Phoenix. My wife’s one request was to stop at Montezumas Castle so we started there. The kids loved the ruins and we even saw a fox hanging out in the castle ruins. We then headed to Tuzigoot NM since we had some time we needed to kill before checking into our Airbnb in Phoenix. The ruins were near but would not make a special trip out there unless you need to kill time. We then went and checked into the Phoenix house and got ready for the diamondbacks game that night. My wife and I are trying to see all the major league ballparks and this one made #20 for us. We bought seats right behind the orioles bullpen and the kids loved being able to look down into the bullpen and see all that action. We met an ex Orioles player next to us and he got my son a ball from the bullpen guys. He was beyond excited. Overall loved Chase field and had a great time there.

Wednesday April 9th: We debated on what to do this day but settled on crossing off Saguaro NP. We decided to do the west side of the park since we had limited time so we started at the Red Hills visitor center. We did the loop road and stopped at the scenic view trail and nature loop. We then headed over to the desert museum outside of the park. Kids were beyond done with everything by this point so we sped walked this attraction. In hindsight we should have skipped it but oh well. We then headed back to Phoenix while the slept. We spent the evening packing and relaxing on the back patio.

Thursday April 10th: checked out of the Airbnb and headed to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Museum. Kids loved riding the train and carousel and I enjoyed the budget friendly aspect of it. The miniature rail area was cool as well. Then we headed to the airport and are currently boarding for home.

Hopefully this can help some people with small children see what is doable. Overall the kids did fantastic and are thoroughly worn out. I appreciate all the kindness we have received while here and cant wait to come back sometime down the road!

Answer

Thank you for sharing your detailed trip report! It’s a fantastic example of how to structure an Arizona trip with young children while balancing sightseeing, driving, and downtime. Your approach of using driving time for naps and pacing activities according to your kids’ energy levels is especially helpful for families with toddlers.

Here’s a summary of highlights and takeaways that other families might find useful:

Flagstaff Base: Staying in the Continental Golf Club area worked well, providing a quiet and comfortable home base while being centrally located for day trips to Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and the Grand Canyon.
Sunset Crater & Wupatki: Short trails under 0.5 miles are perfect for toddlers. Bringing a stroller or carrier for the 2-year-old is essential.
Bearizona: Kids loved the drive-through animal experience. Excellent for a mid-day break, allowing children to remain engaged without long hikes.
Grand Canyon: Arriving early (around 8am) reduces parking stress and allows for calmer exploration. Hop-in/hop-out along Desert View Drive worked well for short attention spans. Ice cream at the Watchtower was a fun way to keep the kids happy.
Petrified Forest National Park: Children can enjoy open exploration of trails and scenic points. Break up the drive by stopping in Winslow if needed.

Other notable tips and experiences:

Walnut Canyon: Island Trail is manageable for young children with a carrier for toddlers. Your 4-year-old completing the trail independently is encouraging for other families.
Observatory visits: Evening telescope viewings are a unique experience and can be scheduled around kids’ naps if needed. Playing in observatory grounds beforehand helps manage energy levels.
Montezuma Castle & Tuzigoot: Quick and easy stops along the route to Phoenix. Ruins are interesting for kids, and wildlife sightings add extra fun.
Chase Field: Incorporating a baseball game worked as both entertainment and a special experience. Seats behind the bullpen gave excellent kid-friendly engagement.
Saguaro National Park: West side loop and short trails are manageable. The Desert Museum can be optional if kids are too tired.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Museum: A great final stop with low cost and hands-on activities for young children before heading to the airport.

Overall insights for families with toddlers:

Plan early mornings to take advantage of children’s natural energy and avoid crowds at major attractions.
Use driving times to facilitate naps; split longer drives into smaller legs with interesting stops.
Balance high-energy activities with rest periods or home base downtime.
Choose attractions with short trails, interactive exhibits, or scenic drives to accommodate younger children’s attention spans.
Bring a carrier, stroller, or other support for children on hikes and for longer walks.

In summary, your trip demonstrates that with careful planning, pacing, and flexibility, a week in Arizona with a 2- and 4-year-old can be both feasible and immensely rewarding. Sharing this itinerary will definitely help other families looking to experience Arizona’s highlights without overwhelming their young children.

Trip Report w/ Young Children (Apr 3-Apr10)

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