Get Wet
42. Marana park splash pads. Marana’s Parks and Rec crew has been busy over the past few years installing splash pads around the town. These miniaturized water parks feature geysers, water cannons and other aquamusements. This is a great place for kids to romp around and way less stressful than watching your toddler bob around in a pool. And the town is still working on more! Tucsonans might just want to head north and see how good they have it in the ’burbs these days. 12280 N. Heritage Park Drive.
43. Flotation Tanks. Why simply escape the heat of a Tucson summer? Why not try to escape your body entirely? Flotation tanks offer extreme relaxation and meditative environments for you to take zen to the next level. The tanks are filled with room-temperature water, so you can’t even feel that you’re floating. Far out! Try out Levity Flotation & Wellness Center (2272 E. Speedway Blvd.) or Cloud Nine Flotation (2118 S. Avenida Planeta).
44. Swimming Holes. What better way to spend a summer day than waking up early, packing a picnic and heading out to an oasis right in our very own desert? East, out Tanque Verde Road, you can find the pools of Redington Pass, which fill up in monsoon season. It’s a short hike down to streams that are often gentle enough for toddlers to play in, and some jumping spots high and deep enough for the older kids (depending on how much rain we’ve gotten). Or, head out to Romero Canyon trail in Catalina State Park. It’s a 2.5 mile hike to some great swimming pools that have serious water falls after a good rain. Just remember your sunscreen.
45. Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterpark. It’s not all bad in Phoenix, especially when there’s a water park involved. And in the wake of our own Breakers closing, we don’t exactly have a ton of options in The Old Pueblo. That’s where Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix comes in. Situated on roughly 35 acres, this spot is one of the largest in the state—and it’s filled with plenty to do. Start at the wave pool, hit all the slides, eat plenty of food and you’ll forget it was 110 degrees in the first place. 4243 W Pinnacle Peak Road, Glendale. wetnwildphoenix.com.
