San Tan Valley in Pinal County lies just east of Phoenix and right in the middle of the Arizona desert.
It’s a small place with a tight-knit community, beautiful views, and terrains.
The place is the exact image in your head when you picture rural: simple, easy, and filled with potential, which makes San Tan Valley a perfect destination for families looking for adventures away from busy cities and the chaos that comes with urban life.
So, if you’re looking to visit, here are 15 things you can do with kids in San Tan Valley, Arizona:
What better way to get to know the local community while bonding with your family than by visiting the San Tan Valley Farmer’s Market & Bazaar?
Go through the stalls and chat with the local vendors.
Find out the stories of their crops and the people who raised them—there’s no better way to learn about the area.
There are also food trucks in the area, so you can take a break and have a snack while exploring the place.
The San Tan Valley Farmer’s Market & Bazaar is a focal point of local culture, and you and your family are sure to feel at home with the locals as you get to know them and learn about how the community works.
It won’t be a trip to Arizona without having an adventure through the desert, and Crazy Coyote Adventures will provide you and your family with the tools you’ll need to have a fun and safe experience.
Rent one of their vehicles and have the ultimate off-road adventure with your kids.
It’s the perfect bonding time with just the right amount of adventure, risk, and uncertainty—something that’ll get the adrenaline going for the outdoorsy families out there.
The vehicles of Crazy Coyote Adventures have different features, so check out their roster and see which one will fit your needs perfectly.
Sustainable farming is a critical practice, and there’s no better place in San Tan Valley to see it at work than at Rhibafarms.
Sign up for one of their farm tours to see how sustainable agriculture works.
You can also attend one of their dinner events with your family.
And, while you’re there, make sure to support the local farmers at Rhibafarms by making a small donation to keep things going.
You can even donate to send a holiday farm box to families in need and allow them to share in your good fortune.
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Queen Creek is also home to the San Tan Mountain Regional Park, around a 15-minute drive away from San Tan Valley.
The park itself sits at the crossroad of several diverse communities, regions, and cultures, making it an interesting destination in its own right.
It has more than 10,000 acres of land that you can explore.
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There’s a lot of history and a seemingly endless expanse of beautiful views that’ll take your breath away.
Exploring the San Tan Mountain Regional Park with your family is the perfect bonding experience you won’t forget for years to come.
The theater and productions of the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center are a sight for sore eyes and something that you’re definitely going to want to check out with the entire family if you get the chance.
They host a wide variety of shows throughout the season, some new and original productions and some well-loved classics.
From musicals to plays to puppet shows, there’s no confining this troupe to just one genre—and it’s all less than a 15-minute drive away!
But, whatever show you watch, you can be sure that you’ll see mesmerizing performances and top-of-the-quality lighting, stage design, and direction.
Their shows have a way of drawing you in, making you fall head-first into the story they’re telling until you find yourself in the shoes of their heroes, villains, and everyone else in between.
And performances aren’t the only things to look forward to when visiting the place—if you have a child interested in theater, they can also see and take advantage of the numerous learning opportunities available there.
The Queen Creek Performing Arts Center regularly hosts youth theater workshops for acting, drama, and other essential parts of a show.
If your kids are interested, sign them up for classes, and who knows, maybe one day, it’ll be them you’re watching act their hearts out under the bright and blinding stage lights.
Take your family to San Tan Flat in Queen’s Creek and try out the numerous dishes they have on their menu—it’s an experience you won’t forget anytime soon.
It’s less than a 10-minute drive away, and the food will be more than worth the trip.
For appetizers, the kids are sure to love the chicken strips and mac ‘n cheese bites.
Order burgers for the entire family, especially the duke or the cheeseburger—savor the juicy and interesting flavors.
A good meal is sure to keep everyone happy, and there’s no place that provides better than San Tan Flat.
The Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center in Chandler is about half an hour’s drive away, and it’s the perfect destination for families looking for a fun-filled day in the summer heat.
The place boasts a family pool, two water slides, a water vortex, a spray pad, and endless other amenities.
There’s even a 1-meter diving board for the more pro-swimmers to test their skills.
Having a swimming day during the height of Arizona summers is a must for both visitors and locals, and this is a place that won’t disappoint.
The Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center may not be the flashiest place out there, but it still offers a lot, and it’ll have everything you’re ever going to look for at the end of the day.
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Going to the Main Event at Gilbert is undoubtedly an experience that any visiting family should do at least once.
It has everything you’ll need for a fun-filled day: games, billiards, and great food!
Just take a 25-minute drive away from San Tan Valley, and you’ll find yourself there.
Once you arrive, you’ll probably want to try out their numerous games first, which would be the right choice.
It’s arcade heaven for every family out there, and many people have competed at their air hockey area and have had the time of their lives.
So head to the Main Event and try out what they offer.
Taking a 15-minute trip to MD Ranch LLC from San Tan Valley is more than worth the experience for the chance to try out horseback riding.
Be a true cowboy and explore the old West with a hat on your head and horse reins in your hands.
The place offers rides from morning to sunset; just make sure to call ahead to save a spot on the reservation list.
Take in the scenic views of Arizona around you and fall in love with your lovely desert surroundings.
Going horseback riding is the kind of experience you won’t get to try out every day, so when you get the chance to do it at MD Ranch LLC, seize the opportunity and savor every moment!
Spending an entire day bouncing up and down on the trampolines of Elevate Trampoline Park in Mesa may be the dream scenario for every child out there.
It’s great exercise, just the right amount of danger, and it’s an amazing outlet to burn off energy, be competitive, and scream your heart out.
They have wall-to-wall trampolines, jousting areas, a foam pit, and much more.
Only 16 minutes away from San Tan Valley, it’s the perfect place for big celebrations like birthday parties or small-time get-togethers like a family weekend getaway.
Try out their ninja course and push your athleticism to the limit—see how far you can leap, how fast you can run, and if your endurance can take the challenge.
There are also special promos throughout the week where people can get discounts to use their trampolines, so check those out if you have something to celebrate with a big party.
Elevate Trampoline Park is an adventure and a half for the entire family, making it one of the best destinations for people looking for an adrenaline rush without venturing out too far.
Superstition Farm, located just half an hour away in Mesa, is a petting zoo that will make your kids fall in love with the animals there.
Pack your entire family into a car and make a trip out of it—spend an afternoon with their adorable creatures, feeding them, interacting with them, and learning more about caring for them.
There are goats, donkeys, potbelly pigs, and so much more—you’re never going to run out of variety, and each animal is unique and special in their way.
The farm also sells milk, eggs, cheese, and butter, so check out their store if you’re looking to stock your kitchen with farm-fresh goodness.
The Superstition Farm is an excellent throwback to the easy, hands-on rural life that’s missing from many homes.
A visit to it will surely be an enjoyable and informative experience for the entire family.
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Another place you must visit during the holiday festivities is Schnepf Farms, located in nearby Queen Creek.
It’s a magical white experience that you won’t regret participating in.
There’s a host of different activities for the entire family to enjoy, ranging from ice skating to Santa’s Reindeer Hayride.
You can even play around in a huge inflatable obstacle course with your family and friends!
It’s only a 7-minute drive away from San Tan Valley, so there’s nothing stopping you from taking your entire family there and joining in on the holiday fun.
Skateboarding at the Mansel Carter Oasis Park in Queen Creek is an activity that kids will immediately love.
Let them show off their tricks and skateboarding skills to the entire family and friends.
It’s not an easy activity, after all, and they deserve all the praise for getting good at it.
The park, only a 17-minute drive away from San Tan Valley, has a plaza with decorative concrete and a host of other facilities for the entire family to enjoy.
But the highlight is definitely the skatepark with its mini ramp with a hip and an entire custom street plaza integral colored concrete.
The skateboarding facilities of Mansel Carter Oasis Park are designed for maximum fun and safety, so there’s nothing to worry about if you do end up taking your kid there to practice and show off their skills.
Watching the Christmas Light Show at Vertucio Farms in Mesa, a mere 20 minutes away from San Tan Valley, is a magical and unforgettable experience for the entire family.
There’s nothing quite like it anywhere else, and just seeing those lights hanging from the trees to frame a seemingly endless expanse of land will steal your breath away and leave you in stunned silence at the sheer beauty of it all.
The holiday season is one of the best opportunities to spend time with your family, so why not take the entire gang somewhere they’ll remember for the rest of their lives?
Take a few pictures, explore the farmlands, marvel at the interactive experience, and savor the holiday magic that flows through the entire place.
There’s even a Santa visit for the young kids that’ll allow them to participate more fully in the magical experience.
Let them sit on the magical man’s lap, whisper their wish list into his ears, and hear his hearty chuckles as he declares whether or not the kid’s been naughty or nice.
The Christmas Light Show at Vertucio Farms is a mesmerizing opportunity that no one in the family will want to pass up, so give the place a visit if you happen to be in the area.
Not everyone has the opportunity to travel out to far-flung mountain ranges and try out rock climbing on gravity-defying cliffs, but Alta Climbing in Gilbert provides a more than worthy replacement.
It’s a premier family-friendly institution around a 20-minute drive away, with facilities for people of all ages to ensure everyone has a grand and exciting time when visiting.
The place is also the only facility in the entire state with an Olympic-sized 15-meter competition speed wall, making it the perfect challenge for people who want to push their skills to the limit.
There are over a hundred routes you can try out as well as 230 boulder problems.
And, don’t worry if you or your family aren’t very experienced in the sport or if you’re just a beginner who’s dipping their feet into the throes of adventure.
Alta Climbing has experienced instructors who can help you out and ensure your safety, and you can take classes to improve your skills so you can try out the more complex routes and higher walls.
San Tan Valley is the perfect place for a getaway.
Use it as an opportunity to destress, spend time with your kids, and get new perspectives.
And if that’s what you need right now, then pack your things and book your trip with your family.
Discover the world.
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