Waddell, Arizona
Things to do.
Parks, museums, family days and nights out in Waddell, plus the Valley icons a short drive away. Something for tonight and something for the weekend.
Outdoors
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
Waterfall Trail
An easy-rated park trail to a seasonal waterfall, with water and restrooms available at the trailhead. Check current trail and weather status before going.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
Sonoran Loop Competitive Track
A mapped competitive trail circuit inside White Tank Mountain Regional Park for riders and trail users who want a dedicated loop.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
White Tank Mountain Regional Park campgrounds
The county park maintains mapped family, group, tent and Willow campground areas near Waddell.
Black Rock Trail, White Tank Mountain Regional Park
White Tank petroglyphs
Hohokam petroglyphs pecked into the rock along an accessible loop, and the reason the Waterfall Trail is worth doing slowly.
Phoenix / Around the Valley
Camelback Mountain
The Valley's signature summit hike, 2,704 feet over the Sonoran Desert.
North Valley / Around the Valley
Lake Pleasant Regional Park
The Valley's big blue playground: boating, kayaking and desert coves up north.
Arts & culture
Papago Park / Around the Valley
Desert Botanical Garden
50,000 desert plants and rotating shows like the Chihuly glass. Free the 2nd Tuesday monthly.
Phoenix / Around the Valley
Musical Instrument Museum
4,000+ instruments from every country on earth, routinely called the Valley's best museum.
Family fun
White Tank Mountain Rd
White Tank Library
An 11,600-square-foot county library next to the regional park entrance, with computers, study rooms, Wi-Fi, puzzles, a seed library and mountain views.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
White Tank Nature Center
The park's nature centre, with live desert animals, ranger programmes and the trail maps you actually want before setting off.
Surprise, about five miles east
Surprise Stadium
Spring training home of the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals, and a public park with ballfields the rest of the year.
Litchfield Park, about nine miles south
Wildlife World Zoo
A zoo, an aquarium and a drive-through safari park on one site, with sea lion and penguin shows through the day.
Surprise, about four miles east
Fat Cats Surprise
Bowling, arcade games and a cinema under one roof, which is the rescue plan for a July afternoon.
Papago Park / Around the Valley
Phoenix Zoo
Arizona's beloved nonprofit zoo, wild since 1962.
Downtown Phoenix / Around the Valley
Arizona Science Center
Hands-on STEM, a planetarium and a five-story screen downtown.
Nightlife & events
Sarival Ave
Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks
A 21-and-older gaming and dining destination at 8200 N. Sarival Avenue with a sportsbook, steakhouse, gastropub, food hall and weekend DJs.
Surprise, about seven miles east
Uptown Alley
Bowling lanes, a games floor and a full bar, built for a night out that is not dinner.
Hours and prices change. Confirm with each spot before you head out. Looking for a bite after? Where to eat in Waddell.
Never wonder what to do.
The Waddell weekly rounds up what is happening, what is new and what is worth your weekend. Every Friday morning.
