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I-10 Road Trip Planner -- Phoenix, Arizona Family Fun
If you'll be traveling along Interstate 10 on your family road trip to the Los Angeles theme parks, you'll pass through the large metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona. Whether you wish to simply stretch your legs for a half hour, or stay to explore and enjoy the area for a day or two, you'll be able to find some fun family activities in the greater Phoenix area to enjoy.Though Phoenix, itself, has no major theme parks (the residents here head to Southern California for their theme park fun), there are other activities here to explore---zoos, family fun centers, museums, and shopping, for example. On this I-10 Road Trip Planner page, we'll talk about some of the fun you can have while you're visiting or traveling through Phoenix. I-10 Road Trip Planner -- Wildlife World Zoo
Let's start our exploration of Phoenix family attractions at the Wildlife World Zoo, a place my grandchildren both enjoyed---and maybe your kids will like it, too.Phoenix has 2 major zoos. The Wildlife World Zoo is the smaller of these two zoos, featuring about 2400 animals (representing 350+ species.) After paying for our admission to Wildlife World Zoo, I received my change in quarters rather than dollar bills. I soon found out the reason for having been given quarter coins---there are animal food pellet vending machines throughout Wildlife World Zoo! My first reaction to this was, "Hmmm...they'll do anything to get more money out of their guests!" But, I soon came to feel quite happy that this zoo allows guests to feed the animals. My grandchildren had such a good time interacting with the animals. (The larger zoo in this area---the Phoenix Zoo---is quite strict about visitors NOT feeding the animals...and the zoo experience there lacks the child-animal interaction that such feeding allows.) In the photo to your left, you can see a mob of deer and goats around Natali and Gabriel in the "Petting Zoo" area of Wildlife World Zoo. In another of this zoo's highlights, the Giraffe Feeding Station, (see the picture at the top of this page), visitors climb up to an elevated platform---so that they may feed the giraffes at eye level! Now THAT activity seemed to captivate every single zoo guest that I saw participating! Like the white tiger display at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, the zoo actually maintains 2 white tiger areas---a large one so that the animals can exercise, and a smaller short-stay area so that visitors can get a good view of the animals. As for the white kangaroo, he sits in a special area called the Kangaroo Walk-About, a unique area where visitors can stroll up close to the Roos. Still other highlights include: animal feedings, an animal show, a playground, and elevated walkways in parts of the zoo (so that you can see the animals well from over their fences. You actually get to see the animals closer-up at Wildlife World than at many other zoos.) For extra fees, you may enjoy a train ride, sky ride, boat ride, carousel, snack bars and a gift shop featuring a wide selection of attractive animal-themed merchandise. Practical Information--- Wildlife World Zoo address: This address is easy to reach from Interstate 10. Heading toward Los Angeles, you'll pass all the way through Phoenix on I-10 until you reach the farmlands and new housing developments on the western fringe of greater Phoenix. Simply take the Cotton Road/Route 303 exit off of Interstate 10. Head north several miles until you reach Northern Ave. You'll find the zoo sitting on the SE corner of that intersection, in plain sight. Wildlife World Zoo phone number---(623) 935-9453 Wildlife World Zoo admission prices--- Wildlife World Zoo Discounts--- Wildlife World Zoo days and hours of operation--- For further information, you may use the following link to view the
Wildlife World Zoo's official website (www.wildlifeworld.com).
I-10 Road Trip Planner -- The Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo is the large, "full-service" zoo in greater Phoenix, Arizona. You'll find all the "typical" zoo animals here---lions, tigers, elephants, bears, hippos, rhinos, etc, etc. This is a very BIG zoo. The animal enclosures are very large; the various animal exhibits are separated by quite a bit of space; and there are also lawns, lakes, and trees used to make the zoo attractive and beautiful. What this all means for YOU is that you'll walk a whole lot! As for myself, I was exhausted after several hours at the zoo, and we still hadn't seen a number of major exhibits. Even though I'm a cheapskate, I found myself willingly forking over my cash for Disneyland-priced cold beverages to refresh us, and I also paid for a narrated bus tour so that we could see the rest of the zoo. (Happily, the narrated bus tour turned out to be interesting, informative, and well worth the money.) In the photo to your left, you see Natali viewing a bear through a glass window. In the photo to your right, you see one of the Phoenix Zoo's "star" attractions---Monkey Village. At Monkey Village, you can actually walk through an enclosure amongst the monkeys---and take close-up shots, like this one. Phoenix Zoo Address--- Phoenix Zoo phone number---(602) 237-1341 Phoenix Zoo Admission Prices--- Discounts for the Phoenix Zoo--- Phoenix Zoo days and hours of operation---The zoo is open 364 days a year (closing only on Christmas). Fall, winter and spring, the Phoenix Zoo's hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Summer hours are from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm weekdays/4 pm weekends. (Most summer days reach temperatures over 105 degrees, which is why the zoo chooses to open and close early during the summer months.) You can use the following handy link to look over the
Phoenix Zoo's official website (www.phoenixzoo.org).
I-10 Road Trip Planner -- Castles 'n' Coasters
While Phoenix can't boast of having a theme park, the metro area does offer families a number of "family fun centers"---entertainment venues which offer activities such as batting cages, go-carts, bumper boats, miniature golf and arcade games.The largest of the Phoenix area family fun centers---which actually has a few thrill rides as part of its entertainment mix---is Castles 'n' Coasters. (In the photo to your left, you're looking at one of Castles 'n' Coasters lovely miniature golf courses.) Castles 'n' Coasters offers the following rides--- ***Sky Diver---a 120 tower-style free fall ride In addition to the rides, Castles 'n' Coasters offers the following attractions--- Castles 'n' Coasters address---9445 Metro Parkway East The Castles 'n' Coasters phone number---(602) 997-7576 Castles 'n' Coasters prices---these vary, depending on whether or not you purchase your activities separately, or whether you buy a wrist band. The Phoenix edition of the Entertainment Coupon Book offers 5 coupons for Castles 'n' Coasters, including buy-1-get-1-free individual activity savings, as well as wristband savings. Also, the park's official website has a printable coupon for $5 off the price of an all-day wristband. For further details, use the following link to see the
Castles 'n' Coasters official website (www.castlesncoasters.com).
I-10 Road Trip Planner -- other Phoenix family fun centers
The Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park in Scottsdale, Arizona is another good amusement center in the greater Phoenix metro area. In the photo on your left, you see Natali and Gabriel enjoying a refreshing ride on the bumper boats at Fiddlesticks park.The Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park offers the following attractions--- Fiddlesticks has a second location in Tempe, Arizona (which is also part of the Phoenix metro area.) The Tempe location doesn't have the kiddie rides or the laser tag, but it does offer adults some extra fun for themselves on a golf driving range. The Fiddlesticks Family Fun Center address in Scottsdale is--- The Fiddlesticks--Scottsdale phone number is--- (480) 951-6060 Fiddlesticks--Tempe phone number---(480) 961-0800. Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park prices--- ***Golfland ***Crackerjax As you may have noted while reading this page, Phoenix family attractions advertise heavily in the Entertainment Coupon Book---which means great discount coupon savings for you! In addition to the many coupons for Phoenix activities that you'll find in this book, you'll also find savings at hundreds of restaurants in all parts of the Phoenix metro area. To check out the savings available in the Phoenix Entertainment Coupon Book you may use the following link to visit the
Entertainment Book's official website.
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See pictures, get details about Phoenix, Arizona family attractions in this I-10 Road Trip Planner! Updated March 8, 2008. Related I-10 Road Trip info--- 
Another highlight of the Wildlife World Zoo is its collection of white animals. There are white tigers, a white (albino) kangaroo, a white crocodile (only on loan to the zoo, unfortunately), a white rhino, and---as you can see---a beautiful white peacock. (A zoo staff member informed me that peacocks do come in the color white; that this one is not an albino.)
Practical Information for the Phoenix Zoo---
There are also several "kiddie" rides at Castles 'n' Coasters. They are---
The Fiddlesticks--Tempe address is---
