Today I’m sharing a few of our absolute favorite summer activities in Show Low, Arizona, with kids.
Show Low is part of the White Mountains in Arizona, and offers cooler summer temperatures than the Valley, and a lot of outdoor activities for families to enjoy, it’s truly one of our favorite summer spots to book weekend getaways to.
XO,
East Valley Moms
Frontier Park splash pad + playground: An incredible, accessible playground and splash pad that’s fully fenced in. The play space opened in 2023, so it’s new, plus there’s restrooms here, too. A lot of locals play here, so if you need other recommendations, there’s loads of local moms to ask.- Show Low Aquatics Center: We end up here every time we visit the White Mountains for good reason: it’s an affordable outing that kids love (hello, water slide!). This indoor pool offers pool basketball, a water slide, water play feature for littles and a zero-depth beach entry pool. Check their open swim times for the summer here.
- Show Low Lake hike + water play: This is an amazing kid-friendly hike along water (goes around the full lake). It’s flat two mile loop and offers lots of stops for waterside snack/lunch stops. Parking is free. We did see a lot of locals here making a day of water play (some were fishing, some were playing in the water, etc.)
- Petrified Forest National Forest (an hour away, nice for a day trip): This national park is part designated wilderness, part archeological site. There’s ancient petroglyphs, guided walking trails, historic sites and animal encounters—something for everyone in your family! (Mom hack: get free admission with your America the Beautiful pass, too!) Get our full guide to the Petrified Forest here.
Standup Paddleboard at Fools Hollow Lake : Fool Hollow Lake is a wonderful spot to enjoy the weather and beauty of this part of our state. Weather permitting (May-October), you can swim, bike, hike, or fish at this great little spot. JT Wildlife Outdoors has services available right at the boat dock as well so you can rent kayaks or stand up paddleboards along with life vests (available in all sizes) for reasonable prices. Pack a picnic lunch and bring a pop up tent/seating and you can sit right along the water front!
Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside are easily overlapped when planning adventures; for more ideas for this summer, here’s our favorite Pinetop Lakeside summer activities with kids.
Where to stay in Show Low with Kids
Arrow Creek Lodge is an incredible vacation rental (sleeps 18!!) that backs to the national forest and offers ample on-property amenities to keep families entertained at the lodge so you don’t need to jam-pack your itinerary to keep kids entertained.
Amenities kids will love at Arrow Creek Lodge: The Bunkroom
We’ve stayed at a lot of rentals, and this bunkroom was unrivaled–from the eight-bed bunkroom making every night a sleepover for kids, this huge bunkroom boasts incredible energy burners for kids including:
- 8 foot mountain mural transformed into a rock climbing wall with grip heights of varying difficulty (gymnastics tumbling mat below)
- Built-in cabin playhouse with play kitchen, dress up station, and make-believe toys
- 5-foot playground rated tube slide into the bunkroom
- Curated selection of forest and animal books to inspire love of nature and the national forest
Is Arrow Creek Lodge good for multiple families to stay?
Yes! Arrow Creek Lodge is ideal for multiple families wanting to vacation together.
There’s four king bedroom suites, all with en-suite bathrooms, plus the eight-bed bunkroom for kids (featuring eight twin size beds).
The lodge is three stories high, creating a lot of varied living spaces for kids and adults and multiple families to each have their own space, plus two outdoor areas on property (wrap around patio and a walkout forest deck with a firepit).
In addition to a gourmet kitchen fully stocked with kitchen gear to make any meal you can imagine, there’s a butlers pantry and a bar in the basement
Stay tuned for a full blog post highlighting all the amenities of Arrow Creek Lodge in Show Low, Arizona, soon as well!
If you’re looking for more itineraries to exploring the area, checkout our Pinetop-Lakeside summer guide with kids or our year round things to do with kids in Pinetop Lakeside here.
For more family-friendly travel guides click here.
