This fortress-like building in downtown Phoenix offers hours of fun and discovery for kids. The science center’s birthday-party packages include free admission for 20-30 guests, a decorated party room and light refreshments or pizza. Kids also get to do a hands-on activity such as making slimy oobleck or bottle rockets or learning about liquid nitrogen and how it can be used to make ice cream (yes, a tasting follows). After the party, guests can visit the Dorrance Planetarium or IMAX theater shows for $2-$3.
Details: 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. Birthday packages $285-$435. 602-716-2000, azscience.org.
Features 3 dolphins, 1 elephant, and 3 ground sprays
Normal hours of operation:
April: 10-6 p.m.
May-August: 9-7 p.m.
September-October: 10-6 p.m.
November-March: Closed
Seasonal hours
May 28- July 19
Monday – Friday 1-5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday 8-10 p.m.
(Tuesdays form 8-10 p.m. is $1 Family Night)
Saturday 11-6 p.m.
(Free Swim on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
Facility Amenities
- L-Shaped 50-Meter Pool
with Depths of 3-12 Feet - 1-Meter Diving Board
- 3-Meter Diving Board
- Water Slide
- Lazy River
- Family Play Pool,
with Zero-Depth Entry - Toddler Slide
- Turf Areas
- Shade Ramadas
- Pool Furniture
Sunday Noon-6 p.m.
Admission fees:
Ages 17 & younger: $1
Ages 18 & older: $3
Seasonal hours:
Monday-Friday 1-4:30 p.m.
Saturday 11-4 p.m.
Sundays Closed
Seasonal hours: May 23- July 26
Monday & Saturday 1-6 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday 1-7 p.m.
Admission fees:
Ages 17 & younger: $2 (children under 6 months: Free)
Ages 18 & older: $4
Basketball (lit), Picnic Area, Playground, Restrooms, Softball (lit), Volleyball (sand, lit)
As Kid to Kid, we pay cash for kids’ stuff! We buy and sell the BEST things that kids outgrow: from clothes and shoes to toys, baby equipment, and maternity wear too.
Butterfly Wonderland
Learn about butterfly metamorphoses and interact with thousands of free-flying butterflies in this lush rain-forest atrium. Butterfly Wonderland offers three birthday-party packages with either a butterflies or bugs theme. They include all-day admission (including the 3-D theater) for up to 15 children and three adults, a decorated party room and a fresh-fruit platter, birthday cake or cupcakes. Pizza is also available.
Details: 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Salt River Reservation. Birthday parties $350-$400. 480-800-3000, butterflywonderland.com.
Seasonal hours: May 23- July 26
Monday & Saturday 1-6 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday 1-7 p.m.
Sunday 1-5 p.m.
Flowrider at Rhodes- Ride session cost: $5.50 per child and $11.00 per adult for 55 minutes
Hours of operation:
Monday-Wednesday 1-8 p.m.
Thursday 1-7 p.m.
Friday 1-9 p.m. no fence 7-9 p.m.
Saturday 11-6 p.m. no fence 11-1 p.m.
Sunday 11-5 p.m. no fence 11-1 p.m.
Admission fees:
Ages 17 & younger: $2 (children under 6 months: Free)
Ages 18 & older: $4
Sea Life Arizona features a 161,000-gallon ocean-view tank with an underwater tunnel. This aquarium targets kids 12 and younger with eye-level views of sea turtles, sharks, cownose stingrays, jellyfish, clownfish, angel fish and more. They offer birthday packages for ages 4-12 that include a host, decorated party room, admission for 15-20 guests and goody bags. The birthday boy/girl also gets an annual pass to the aquarium. The $400 deluxe party includes a supervised craft, under-the-sea party games and a pirate or mermaid party host.
Details: 5000 S. Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe. Birthday parties $275-$400. 480-478-7598, visitsealife.com/arizona.
Seasonal hours:
May 30- July 31
Hours:
Saturday-Thursday 1-5 p.m.
Friday 1-7 p.m.
Aug 1-Sept 7: 1-5 p.m.
Weekends only
Admission Fees:
Ages 5 years & younger: FREE
Ages 6-17 years: .75 cents
Ages 18 & older: $1.25
This giant indoor playground filled with a giant “tree,” slides, tunnels and places to climb boasts six private party rooms. Makutu’s (ma-coo-two’s) birthday guests are greeted at the front door. Parties include more than an hour of free play and an hour in a private party room. Birthday packages include custom evites or printable invitations and pizza, drinks and arcade tokens for guests.
Details: 6919 W. Ray Road, Chandler. Birthday packages $189 for 8 kids to $399 for 20. 480-344-3740, makutusisland.com.
Operating hours vary based on schedule of events, please call for updated hours.
Note: Prior to 4:00pm on those weekdays that there is no scheduled use or maintenance of the Sports Park, BLD will make available for the public use of the fields for “non-scheduled” practices. Please call to verify availability.
(Home of Big League Dreams Sports Park)
Park Amenities
- 8 Lighted Replica Baseball Fields
- 20,000 sq. ft. indoor soccer pavilion
- Flag football fields
- Batting cages
- Stadium Club Restaurant
- Indoor Field House
- Playground
- Stadium Seating
- Softball Leagues
- Leagues/Tournaments
- Lighting
Park Policies
http://www.gilbertaz.gov
http://gilbert.bigleaguedreams.com/park-policie
About
Elliot District park is host to Big League Dreams Gilbert. The Sports park was opened in January 2008 and includes 8 replica fields, a 20,000 sq. ft. indoor soccer pavilion, flag football fields, batting cages, and a Stadium Club restaurant. Activities offered include adult softball and indoor soccer leagues, tournaments (baseball, fastpitch and softball) and special events.
- 8 Replica Fields- The playing fields are built as scaled-down replicas of famous ballparks and include Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Sportsman’s Park, D-Back Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Ebbet’s Stadium and the Polo Grounds. All are designed to accommodate youth baseball, youth fast pitch softball, and adult slow pitch softball.
- Stadium Club Restaurant – The Stadium Club restaurant offers a wide variety of food and beverages that you can enjoy before, during or after your game. Everything from burgers and dogs, to sandwiches and salads is offered; with all sorts of tasty beverages! The Stadium Club offers the perfect view of all 8 replica stadiums, has 12 televisions to watch your favorite sporting event, and also has an arcade to keep the kids (and adults!) occupied.
- Field House- 20,000 sq. ft. field house is air-cooled and hosts indoor soccer leagues and tournaments as well as large banquets, team building and other group events.
- Playground equipment- Playground equipment is conveniently located next to the South Stadium Club Restaurant and replica fields and is protected by netting from foul balls. It’s a great place for the little ones to entertain themselves so mom and dad can enjoy watching or playing a game!
- Batting Cages- Need some practice swings before your big game? Big League Dreams has four slow pitch and four baseball batting cages. Each cage is token operated and can also be rented for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Bats and helmets are offered free of charge.
- Stadium Seating- Big League Dreams uses stadium-style seating for all of its replica fields. Each field has approximately 200 seats; all of which offer a perfect view!
- Leagues/Tournaments-Big League Dreams offer Adult Softball, Indoor Soccer, Youth Baseball and Fast Pitch Softball leagues and tournaments year round. Visit http://www.bigleaguedreams.com for more information. …Play Ball!
Open Wednesdays from 4pm-8pm. Check out the vendor trucks, homemade goodies, handcrafted soaps and several other vendors.
Open on the second Monday of the month at Sunbird Golf Resort from 10am-2pm. Stop by and see the vendors with olive oils, honey, fresh produce, breads and more!
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- Basketball Courts
- Grills
- Lighting
- Picnic Tables
- Playground
- Soccer Field
Fat Cats family entertainment center opened recently in Gilbert. In addition to 20 bowling lanes, it offers an arcade, a pirate-themed glow-in-the-dark mini golf course, a six-screen movie theater and more. Basic birthday packages include bowling and shoe rental for guests, a group photo and balloons. Add-ons include pizza, glow golf, game cards and movie tickets.
Details: 4321 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert. Birthday party packages $14.99-$19.99 per guest (eight minimum). 480-369-4542, fatcatsfun.com.
Fat Cats family entertainment center opened recently in Gilbert. In addition to 20 bowling lanes, it offers an arcade, a pirate-themed glow-in-the-dark mini golf course, a six-screen movie theater and more. Basic birthday packages include bowling and shoe rental for guests, a group photo and balloons. Add-ons include pizza, glow golf, game cards and movie tickets.
Details: 4321 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert. Birthday party packages $14.99-$19.99 per guest (eight minimum). 480-369-4542, fatcatsfun.com.
This national chain restaurant and arcade offers several kids birthday-party packages for groups of 10-30 that include two to three family-style entrees, french fries, unlimited soft drinks and a $10-$20 “power card” for each guest to play games.
Details: 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe; 480-281-8456. 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix; 480-538-8956. Birthday parties $17.99-$24.99 per person.daveandbusters.com.
Consisting of over 10,000 acres, the southeast Valley park is a fine example of the lower Sonoran Desert. The park ranges in elevation from about 1,400 feet to over 2,500 feet. Goldmine Mountain is located in the northern area, with a spectacular San Tan Mountain escarpment in the southern portion of the park. The vegetation changes from creosote flats to dense saguaro forest. Various types of wildlife may be observed, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. Amenities are slated for future development.
Don’t forget to stop by the Visitor’s Center to pick up educational tidbits, purchase souvenir items, visit with park staff, and see the wildlife exhibits or tortoise habitat. Restroom facilities are available and additional amenities are slated for future development.
Park Hours
Sunday-Thursday: 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
365 days a year!
Desert Mountain Park is located on the southeast corner of Hawes Road and Ocotillo Road. This award-winning park features the following amenities:
- Two lighted multi-purpose fields
- Four lighted Little League fields
- Two playgrounds (one designed for 2-5 year olds, one designed for 5-12 year olds)
- One interpretive playground
- Two sand volleyball courts (with a sprinkler system to wet down the sand)
- Two lighted basketball courts
- Eight picnic ramadas (one large-group ramada)
- One amphitheater (with picnic ramada seating for 150-200 people)
- Demonstration garden
- Equestrian staging area
- Wash trail access
- ADA access
- Ample parking
- Total acreage: 33 acres
- To reserve a picnic ramada or ballfield, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 480-358-3700.
Park Information
- Off-leash dog area *Closed Thursdays for maintenance
- First-come, First-serve Ramada
- 4 lighted soccer fields (by permit only)
- 2 lighted youth baseball fields (by permit only)
- 2 lighted youth softball fields (by permit only)
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Picnic Tables/Barbecues
- 40 acres