# Weekend getaways from Phoenix with kids Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/phoenix/weekend-getaways/ > The best trip within about five hours of Phoenix for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on. Some weekends only have something farther out, and those are marked as a long drive. After the weekends there are 3 day trips that work any weekend. Last checked: 2026-10-29. ## Weekend of Oct 30–Nov 1 Nothing verified within reach is worth the drive this weekend. ## Weekend of Nov 6–8: Las Vegas (about 6 hr, long drive) Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a drive-through, so the kids can stay in pajamas in the back seat. It's priced per car. - **Glittering Lights**, Fri Nov 6, From 5pm, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. $39 cash or $44 by card per vehicle. Opens 11/06; runs through 01/03. A 3-mile drive-through with 6 million lights. Take I-15 exit 54 (Speedway Blvd.); GPS can send you to a closed gate. Santa Tram rides are $25 a person on select nights. Official page: https://glitteringlightslasvegas.com/fact-sheet/ ## Weekend of Nov 13–15 Stay close to home: nothing within a few hours beats what's on in Phoenix. Santa at Chandler Fashion Center (Fri Nov 13, Varies by day; Christmas Eve 9am–6pm, Chandler Fashion Center, Macy’s Court; https://www.shopchandlerfashioncenter.com/) ## Weekend of Nov 20–22 Nothing verified within reach is worth the drive this weekend. ## Weekend of Nov 27–29 Staycation is your best option: Phoenix is the regional pick this weekend. Las Noches de las Luminarias at Desert Botanical Garden, with paths lined in luminarias from 5 to 9:30pm. Kids 2 to 17 are $18.95. ## Weekend of Dec 4–6 Staycation is your best option: Phoenix is the regional pick this weekend. Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden runs Friday through Sunday. ## Other family getaways within 5 hours We don't post event listings for these places. Check the official page for hours and what's on. - **Slide Rock State Park**, Sedona, AZ (about 2 hr 30 min from Phoenix). Swim in Oak Creek at Slide Rock State Park, just north of Sedona. Official page: https://azstateparks.com/slide-rock - **Flagstaff**, Flagstaff, AZ (about 2 hr 45 min from Phoenix). Lowell Observatory on Mars Hill, where Pluto was discovered, runs stargazing for visitors. Official page: https://www.flagstaffarizona.org/ - **Grand Canyon Railway**, Williams, AZ (about 3 hr from Phoenix). The Grand Canyon Railway has left from Williams since 1901, and it runs The Polar Express rides for the holidays. Official page: https://www.thetrain.com/ - **Tombstone**, Tombstone, AZ (about 3 hr 30 min from Phoenix). Stand where the 1881 gunfight at the O.K. Corral happened. Official page: https://www.okcorral.com/ - **Queen Mine Tour**, Bisbee, AZ (about 4 hr from Phoenix). The Copper Queen Mine Tour takes families underground into a historic copper mine. Official page: https://www.queenminetour.com/ - **Grand Canyon National Park**, Grand Canyon Village, AZ (about 4 hr 15 min from Phoenix). The South Rim of a canyon a mile deep, with a Junior Ranger program for kids. Official page: https://www.nps.gov/grca/ - **Palm Springs Aerial Tramway**, Palm Springs, CA (about 5 hr from Phoenix). The aerial tramway has the world's largest rotating tram car, climbing more than two and a half miles up Chino Canyon. Official page: https://www.visitpalmsprings.com/ ## Day trips any weekend - **Boyce Thompson Arboretum**, Superior (about 1 hr 15 min from Phoenix). Desert trails past cactus gardens, a small lake and a creek, set under a big rock cliff. The main loop is about a mile and a half. Hours: Daily 8am–5pm October through March, last admission an hour before close. Cost: Adults and teens $24.95, kids 5–12 $10, under 5 free. Official page: https://www.btarboretum.org/visit/ - **Out of Africa Wildlife Park**, Camp Verde (about 1 hr 45 min from Phoenix). A tram takes you out through the free-roaming Serengeti area, and the big cat feedings are the part kids talk about afterward. Hours: Daily 9:30am–5pm, admissions close at 4pm; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cost: Adults 13+ $42.95, kids 3–12 $27.95, seniors $40.95. Official page: https://tickets.outofafricapark.com/attraction/single/4852/1021 - **Tonto Natural Bridge State Park**, Payson (about 2 hr 15 min from Phoenix). One of the largest natural travertine bridges anywhere, with viewpoints along a paved path. Some lower trails have been closed after flooding, so check the park page first. Hours: 9am–5pm, last entry 4pm; trails close an hour before the park. Cost: Adults 14+ $10, youth 7–13 $5. Official page: https://azstateparks.com/tonto ## FAQ **Where can we go for a weekend from Phoenix with little kids?** Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Phoenix are Las Vegas. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages. **What are good day trips from Phoenix with kids?** Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior (about 1 hr 15 min), Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde (about 1 hr 45 min), Tonto Natural Bridge State Park in Payson (about 2 hr 15 min). Hours and prices are on each card, checked on the official pages. **Which cities are within an easy drive of Phoenix?** Tucson (about 2 hr). Times are normal driving times without traffic. **What other family getaways are within 5 hours of Phoenix?** Slide Rock State Park (about 2 hr 30 min), Flagstaff (about 2 hr 45 min), Grand Canyon Railway (about 3 hr), Tombstone (about 3 hr 30 min), Queen Mine Tour (about 4 hr), Grand Canyon National Park (about 4 hr 15 min). We don't post event listings for these, so check the official page for what's open before you go. **Why is the same city picked more than once?** Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety. **Are the times and prices current?** They're what each official page showed on Oct 29, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.