8 Best Family Resorts in Scottsdale for Sunny Desert Getaways
When LA is stuck in June Gloom or your kids have a three-day weekend in February, Scottsdale is the getaway that almost never disappoints. It's about a 90-minute flight from LAX, the sun is basically guaranteed from fall through spring, and the big resorts here are built around pools the way Hawaii resorts are built around beaches.
We're talking sand-beach pools, three-story water slides, lazy rivers, FlowRider surf machines, and kids clubs with tortoises and Lego walls. This guide to the best family resorts in Scottsdale and Phoenix covers what each resort does best, current resort fees (which add up fast in Arizona), and the parent details that make the difference between a relaxing trip and a very expensive nap schedule.
Quick Picks: The Best Family Resorts in Scottsdale at a Glance
Best overall and best at Christmas: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Best for toddlers and nature lovers: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
Best close-to-the-airport luxury: The Phoenician
Best freshly renovated pool scene: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Best water park: JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge (AquaRidge) and Arizona Grand (Oasis Water Park)
Best for teens: The Westin Kierland, thanks to its FlowRider
Best for history buffs and grandparents: Arizona Biltmore
Heads-Up: Arizona Resort Fees Are Real
Almost every major resort in greater Phoenix adds a nightly resort fee on top of the room rate, and most charge for parking too. The fees below come from each resort's own website as of September 2026, but they change, so confirm when you book. On the bright side, some fees include genuinely useful perks, like water-park wristbands for the whole family.
The 8 Best Family Resorts in Scottsdale and Phoenix
Area: North Scottsdale
Kids club: Camp Trailblazers (paid; ages and pricing vary by season, so confirm with the resort)
Resort fee: $55 plus tax per night; parking extra
Best for: Kids 5–12, multigenerational groups, and holiday trips
If we had to pick one Scottsdale resort for most LA families, it's the Princess. There are six pools, and two of them are made for kids: Sunset Beach has 9,000 square feet of real white sand, and Sonoran Splash has two 200-foot water slides (42-inch minimum) plus a zero-entry area for little ones. The pools are heated in winter, so a January swim is completely doable.
What we love: The sand beach, the slides, and Christmas at the Princess, which runs November 20, 2026, through January 2, 2027, with an ice rink, s'mores, and millions of lights. Overnight guests received free admission last season, so ask whether that perk continues this year. There's even lagoon fishing for kids.
Know before you book: The resort fee, paid parking, and a separate charge for Camp Trailblazers stack up. The holiday season also brings big crowds on weekend evenings.
Parent tip: Book a mid-week stay during the holiday festival. You get the lights and ice skating with shorter lines than on Saturday night.
Area: Camelback corridor, Scottsdale
Kids club: Funicians Club (fees and ages not published; some craft time is free)
Resort fee: $55 per day
Best for: Toddlers through tweens who want a big pool complex close to the airport
The Phoenician sits at the base of Camelback Mountain and is one of the closest luxury resorts to Phoenix Sky Harbor, about nine miles away. That short drive is a gift when you're traveling with a toddler.
What we love: Two acres of pools with a 197-foot water slide (42-inch minimum), a Kids Zone with a treehouse and splash pad, and an adults-only pool for date-afternoon swims. The Funicians Club has a fish tank, a Lego wall, and a resident tortoise, and there's a 2,100-square-foot game room for rainy (or scorching) afternoons. Families can even book an in-room camping tent.
Know before you book: The property is large and tiered, so expect a lot of walking with a stroller. Kids club ages and pricing aren't published online, so call ahead.
Parent tip: Teens 14 and up can join a guided Camelback Mountain hike, which makes a great early-morning parent-and-teen outing before the heat kicks in.
Area: Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale
Kids program: Camp Hyatt seasonal programming
Resort fee: $55 per night
Best for: Toddlers through tweens and families who want casitas
You may remember this resort as the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch. It reopened as the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale in November 2024 after a $115 million renovation, so it feels fresh in a way many desert resorts don't.
What we love: Two and a half acres of water with 10 pools, a sand beach with zero-entry, a three-story water slide, and a splash pad. For larger families, 18 casitas with kitchenettes and the two-story Gainey House are a smart alternative to connecting rooms. Summer brings Camp Hyatt activities like canoe races, archery, and dive-in movies.
Know before you book: Camp Hyatt ages and fees aren't posted online, and the water slide has set hours (it has been open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Parent tip: Summer rates drop dramatically, and the resort ran a "Kids Eat Free" promotion in summer 2026. If you can handle the heat, it's a great-value pool week.
Area: North Scottsdale, at Pinnacle Peak
Kids club: Kids For All Seasons, ages 5–12, complimentary (reservations required)
Parking: $30 self, $45 valet
Best for: Families with babies, toddlers, and nature lovers
This is the quiet, desert-luxury pick. Casitas are scattered across the foothills of Pinnacle Peak, and the vibe is more hiking boots than lazy river.
What we love: The complimentary kids club, one of the best baby-gear programs we've seen (cribs, bottle warmers, diapers, and more on request), and a separate shallow kids' pool alongside the main bi-level pool. Both are saltwater and heated year-round. Guided hikes and horseback riding make the Sonoran Desert feel like part of the vacation, not just the view.
Know before you book: It's about 35 minutes from the airport and farther from Scottsdale's attractions than other resorts. There's no water slide, so kids who want a water park should look elsewhere.
Parent tip: Ask about the Jerome two-bedroom suite with a private spa pool. It's a game changer for families who want nap time without leaving the pool.
Area: North Phoenix
Kids program: Children's recreation and a game room (no formal kids club listed)
Best for: Tweens and teens who want a real water park
Desert Ridge is the resort for kids who think a vacation isn't a vacation without a lazy river. AquaRidge WaterPark covers 140,000 square feet, with the Canyon Creek lazy river, three slides, and Splash Island for small kids.
What we love: The resort fee includes water-park wristbands for four, which takes the sting out. The Musical Instrument Museum is nearby, and there's an adults-only pool for parents who need a break from the splash zone.
Know before you book: There's no formal kids club, and the water park keeps limited hours (it has been open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting). The biggest slide requires kids to be 48 inches tall.
Parent tip: Arrive at AquaRidge right at opening and grab a shaded spot near Splash Island if you have little ones.
Area: Kierland, Scottsdale
Kids club: Westin Family Kids Club, ages 4–12
Resort fee: $50 per day
Best for: Teens and tweens who want to surf
The FlowRider is the headline here. This surf simulator lets kids 42 inches and up bodyboard and older kids (52 inches and up) try stand-up flowboarding. Teens will happily spend an entire afternoon wiping out and trying again.
What we love: The Adventure Water Park with a 900-foot lazy river and a 110-foot slide, campfires with s'mores on Friday and Saturday nights, and a shuttle to Kierland Commons for easy dinners and shopping.
Know before you book: The resort fee applies, and the water park is part of the resort's pool complex rather than a separate gated attraction, so it can feel busy on holiday weekends.
Parent tip: Sign up for FlowRider sessions early in the day. Slots go fast when school is out.
Area: Phoenix, near the Tempe border
Kids club: None listed
Resort fee: Yes (includes water-park wristbands and self-parking; confirm the current amount)
Best for: Thrill-seeking tweens and teens, and value-minded groups
Arizona Grand isn't in Scottsdale and isn't ultra-luxury, but it has the most exciting water park of any resort on this list. The seven-acre Oasis Water Park, now open year-round with seasonal hours, has an eight-story slide tower (48-inch minimum), a wave pool, a side-by-side lazy river, and Wild Cat Springs for little kids.
What we love: Every one of the 744 rooms is a suite, which gives families real space, and self-parking is included in the resort fee. South Mountain Park is right next door for sunrise hikes.
Know before you book: There's no kids club, and kids under 12 must be with an adult in the water park. It's about a 25-minute drive from Old Town Scottsdale.
Parent tip: Split your trip. Spend two nights here for the water park, then two nights at a quieter Scottsdale resort.
Area: Central Phoenix
Kids club: Not published
Resort fee: $45 per day plus a $14 historic-preservation charge; parking extra
Best for: Multigenerational trips and families with older kids
The Biltmore is Phoenix history you can swim in. Opened in 1929 and influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, it's now part of Hilton's LXR collection, and its Paradise Pool has "The Twist," a 65-foot triple water slide styled after Wright's designs.
What we love: Seven pools, a kids' splash area, air-conditioned cabanas, history tours for curious kids, and an airport drive of under 20 minutes.
Know before you book: Fees add up to about $59 a day before parking, and there's no published kids club.
Parent tip: Ask about the resort's history tours and bring the grandparents along. It's a sweet way for three generations to share the trip.
Getting to Scottsdale from Los Angeles
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is about a 90-minute nonstop flight from LAX, and most resorts are 20 to 35 minutes away. Many LA families also drive; plan on roughly six hours on I-10, depending on traffic and stops.
When to Go: Weather, Holidays, and Spring Training
The best months for families are October through November and February through April, when highs sit in the high 70s to 80s. Summer highs average above 100 degrees from June through September, so pool days need to happen early or late. Christmas brings resort light festivals, and spring training returns with the Cactus League, whose 2027 season opens February 19, 2027. The Giants play at Scottsdale Stadium, and the Diamondbacks and Rockies share Salt River Fields.
Family Attractions Worth Leaving the Resort For
OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland sit side by side on the Arizona Boardwalk.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park has train rides, a 1950s carousel, and a splash pad.
The Musical Instrument Museum lets kids play instruments from around the world.
The Desert Botanical Garden is gorgeous during its winter Las Noches de las Luminarias season.
Parent Tips for Scottsdale with Kids
Budget for fees. Add the resort fee and parking to every nightly rate before you compare resorts.
Swim early, nap midday. Even in spring, the afternoon sun is intense.
Check slide height minimums. Many slides require 42 or 48 inches, so set expectations with little ones.
Reserve kids club and FlowRider spots on day one. Holiday weeks fill quickly.
Pack hats, rash guards, and refillable water bottles. Desert air dehydrates kids fast.
Looking for a drive-to desert option instead? See our guide to the best family-friendly resorts in Palm Springs and our list of weekend getaways for LA families.
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Takeaway
The best family resorts in Scottsdale are really pool resorts with a desert backdrop, and that's exactly why kids love them. For most families, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is the all-around winner, especially during Christmas at the Princess. Choose Four Seasons Troon North for babies and nature, The Phoenician for a short airport transfer, and JW Desert Ridge or Arizona Grand for serious water-park days. Go between October and April, budget for resort fees, and you'll have a sunny escape that's only 90 minutes from LAX.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best family resort in Scottsdale?
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is our top overall pick, with a sand-beach pool, two 200-foot water slides, a kids camp, and the Christmas at the Princess festival from November 20, 2026, to January 2, 2027.
2. Which Scottsdale resort has the best water park?
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge has the 140,000-square-foot AquaRidge WaterPark, and Arizona Grand in Phoenix has the seven-acre Oasis Water Park with a wave pool and an eight-story slide tower. The Westin Kierland adds a FlowRider surf simulator.
3. Do Scottsdale resorts charge resort fees?
Yes. Most major resorts charge roughly $45 to $60 per night plus tax, and many charge separately for parking. Some fees include extras, like water-park wristbands at JW Desert Ridge. Always confirm current fees when you book.
4. When is the best time to visit Scottsdale with kids?
October through November and February through April offer warm, comfortable weather. Summer is extremely hot, though resorts often offer lower rates and kid-focused summer programs.
5. How far is Scottsdale from Los Angeles?
It's about a 90-minute nonstop flight from LAX to Phoenix Sky Harbor, plus a 20- to 35-minute drive to most resorts. By car, plan on roughly six hours from Los Angeles.
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