Have you already started thinking about your Christmas family vacation? I would love to suggest you considering Christmas in Phoenix. Arizona is not viewed by many as a Christmassy destination but, please, allow me to try to change your mind. We spent Christmas in Phoenix twice already and both times we had a blast! More than that, at this moment, just writing about it, makes me feel so happy and warm inside – that is the lasting impression of the wonderful Christmas in Phoenix.
There are lots of fun Christmas activities in Phoenix area – they might not be related to snow but exciting nevertheless. If you especially don’t like cold and snow, Phoenix guarantees you a sunny and warm Christmas. It will be cool in the evenings but you still can be assured that you won’t get stuck in a rain or snow storm, so in my book this is perfect weather to enjoy all the outdoor Christmas activities in Phoenix, glittering lights displays and such.
There are also lots of Christmas events in Phoenix scheduled for the whole month of December – your only problem will be to decide which ones to attend. There are also some super cool Christmas attractions outside of Phoenix (but drivable distance) that I would like to strongly recommend.
Below is my list of personal favorite “Phoenix at Christmas” activities and events:
Christmas in Phoenix # 1: ZooLights at Phoenix Zoo
I have a thing for ZooLights. I go to ZooLights at all zoos, wherever I can. My long time favorite ZooLights event was in Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, perfect for your Christmas in Chicago adventure. But I think ZooLights at Phoenix Zoo topped it.
ZooLights at Phoenix Zoo is MASSIVE. It is so big that we didn’t actually see it all! My kids got tired walking at about 3/4 of it and we turned to leave. It also has a huge variety of lighted decorations: some are traditional Christmas lights, others are gigantic lanterns. There are also lights that dance to music.
All of these decorations are amazingly beautiful – to try to describe them with words makes no sense, you MUST see them! To help you out with visualizing ZooLights at Phoenix Zoo here is our short video review:
Christmas in Phoenix #2: Christmas at the Princess
Christmas at the Princess, i.e. Christmas celebration at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort, is probably the most lavish Christmas event in Phoenix area. At the heart of it is a galore of Christmas lights installations most of which are coordinated with Christmas music. I don’t know what is the acreage of the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort but it felt like it was close in size to Phoenix Zoo.
If you are tired of walking you can take a Christmas train and ride around the property, which is included in the price of your entrance ticket. I liked strolling around the resort because you can take time to enjoy every exhibit and there are places to sit and take a rest. My favorite ones were lawn chairs around firepits scattered around the property.
There is also an area with kids amusement rides. I am not sure if they are all free of charge but my kids loved the giant slide and it was free (included in your event entrance ticket price).
There is also a ton of delicious stuff to enjoy with your visit: wine, hot chocolate, and more, all for an additional fee. Our absolute favorite treats were Mrs. Clause’ Christmas cookies. You can buy them at Mrs. Clause’s Cookie Company which is an attraction in itself. The cookies were super delicious (we tried chocolate chip and snickerdoodle) and reasonably priced at $5 for a huge cookie.
Check out our detailed review of Christmas at the Princess attractions and activities:
What to skip at Christmas at Princess:
1. S’mores packs – they cost $30 which includes supplies for about 8-10 s’mores. You can spend about $10 for marshmallows, crackers and chocolate to make these treats at home.
2. Ice skating – Fairmont Scottsdale Princess installs a small ice rink during the holiday season. The price for the skates rental and the skating itself is ridiculously overpriced ($30+ per person). If you like ice-skating, do it at a different holiday ice rink around Phoenix as described below, for 1/3 of Fairmont’s price.
Christmas in Phoenix #3: Ice Skating
There are several ice rinks around Phoenix, both indoors and outdoors that offer ice skating for reasonable prices: $10-12 per hour, rentals included. The best one to check out in terms of “holiday spirit” is Winter Wonderland Ice Rink in Mesa, which is part of Merry Main St. extravaganza, which also includes visits with Santa, Mesa Polar Express ride (a jolly ride in a Light Rail Car) and a giant Christmas tree.
Christmas in Phoenix #4: Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden offers you 2 ways to enjoy Christmas in Phoenix. Their signature evening event is Las Noches de Las Luminarias. The main draw of the event is illuminated trees in the garden and hundreds of lanterns (luminarias) that adorn the paths of the garden. This is a traditional Southwestern celebration of Christmas.
My kids, however, chose to visit Desert Botanical Garden during the day both times we visited Phoenix at Christmas. They liked to see all the Christmas decorations during the day and the plants are best observed during daytime too. I think holiday spirit is alive and well in the Garden any time of day and we had a fabulous tour, both years. Check out our video review of Desert Botanical Garden at Christmas:
Christmas in Phoenix #5: Verde Canyon Railroad
Verde Canyon Railroad is located roughly 100 miles North of Phoenix and it is definitely worth a day trip from Phoenix to experience its festive Christmas train ride. The whole experience starts with the Christmas Village – a collection of tiny houses decorated for Christmas in the most whimsical fashion and a visit with the majestic live bold eagle.
Then you will proceed to ride on the train itself. You get the tickets in one of the covered train cars but you can ride in outdoor train cars as well to enjoy the scenery and the Christmas decorations along the way. There is a bar service on the train that serve some delicious Christmas drinks for kids and adults for an additional fee.
The culmination of the train ride is the arrival to Santa’s village at the North Pole where Santa himself will board the train and ride with you back to the depo while visiting with EVERY kid, listening to their wishes, taking photos and providing a small gift to each child.
This is a truly unforgettable Christmas experience – check out more details in our video below:
Christmas in Phoenix #6: Glendale Glitter and Scottsdazzle
Glendale Glitters and Scottsdazzle (in Glendale and Scottsdale respectively) are similar Christmas events in Phoenix area in a sense that they both have illuminated Christmas displays at the heart of them. The difference is that Glendale Glitters (at 58th and Glendale Ave) is Arizona’s largest free holiday light display with more than 1.6 million twinkling lights across 16 blocks.
Scottsdazzle on the other hand, also has live entertainment, music, events and activities. The schedule of events is posted every year in the fall on their website.
Christmas in Phoenix #7: Holidays at the Heard
If you plan to stay in Phoenix a little more after Christmas day, you should not miss Holidays at the Heard. This event at the Heard Museum is usually scheduled to run for a couple days in between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Heard Museum is an American Indian art museum, so during this special event you will be able to see several American Indian performances (the schedule is posted on the website), shop authentic American Indian art and gifts and just enjoy this very special opportunity to celebrate the holidays season in a different way than you would typically do.
If you feel a little adventurous…
There are two fabulous Christmas attractions about 150-160 miles North from Phoenix that are very close to each other (about 20 miles between the two): Polar Express train ride on Grand Canyon Rail Road in Williams and North Pole Experience in Flagstaff.
Polar Express is a classic Christmas train ride following the famous Christmas story by the same name. Visit with Santa, a gift of the Christmas sleigh bell, dancing elves, hot chocolate and cookies are included. Wearing pajamas is highly recommended. 🙂
The North Pole Experience is a one of a kind MAGICAL hands-on experience that includes travelling to Santa’s workshop, working side by side with the elves building toys, attending Elf University, visiting sleigh hangar and mission control center and so much more. I have traveled the world a lot and nowhere did I see such a unique experience! It is a MUST DO when you are spending Christmas in Arizona.
If you can add 2 days in Flagstaff/Williams area to your Phoenix at Christmas itinerary you will have the time of your life! If you do decide to spend a couple days or more in Flagstaff you will find my Things to Do in Flagstaff with Kids very helpful.
Where to stay in Phoenix
If you are wondering where to stay during your Christmas in Phoenix vacation I can assure you that there are many great hotels and resorts in Phenix metro area but our absolutely favorite, family friendly and decently priced resort is Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort. Please, read our detailed review of Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort to see why we love it so much and why we think you will fall in love with it too.
Looking for more Christmas travel ideas?
If you are looking for more family friendly Christmas travel itineraries, check out our other articles for inspiration:
If you found this collection of ideas for spending a lovely Christmas in Phoenix, please, share it with others as it may help them with their travel plans too. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for more great travel tips.
Recent articles that you may find useful:
- Grand Canyon Railway Review
- Things To Do in Williams AZ
- Things to Do in Oatman, Arizona
- Recreating Your Favorite Destinations in Your Backyard
- Christmas in Paso Robles
We’ve got an upcoming trip to Phoenix and this list helps a lot!
I am glad that it does! Enjoy your trip!