10 Reasons to Consider a Desert Escape // Scottsdale

November 9, 2016

Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

When thinking of a warm vacation destination, the desert is often overlooked, but it is definitely something to consider.  Arizona is a great family vacation destination once the summer months are over, and the weather isn’t so extreme.  Scottsdale was the perfect place for our family to escape to on our Fall Break this year, and we enjoyed every minute of it!Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert VacationFour Season Resort Scottsdale Desert VacationWe stayed at the gorgeous Four Seasons Resort at Troon North in Scottsdale. We were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the landscape of the desert was.  Right outside our room there was a beautiful little mountain filled with cacti and rocks, and it almost didn’t look real it was so perfect!Kids looking at the Balcony View wearing Janie and JackKids Outfits from: Janie and Jack

Janie and Jack Children's swimwear

My kids enjoyed the warmer fall weather, and quickly got back into summer mode, swimsuits, flip flops and all.  A welcomed break from jackets, sweaters, and boots back home.  Bring on the Vitamin D!  We all enjoyed the desert air, and we quickly became more relaxed, and really were able to enjoy our time!

In my opinion, I don’t think the Desert gets near the attention is deserves.  Be sure to read on for 10 Reasons to Escape to the Desert for your next family vacation!Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

10 Reasons to Consider a Desert Escape for your next Family Vacation Destination:

  • Scottsdale has some amazing Resorts with incredible amenities:  The Four Seasons in Scottsdale ended up being the perfect place for our fall family vacation!  With a gorgeous pool, grounds, top notch restaurants, it ended up being the exact getaway we were looking for!

Family Travel Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

  • Warmer Weather: If you live in a cooler climate, escaping to the desert is perfect when you want to vacation in a nice warm place.  It was sure nice to have pool weather again, since back home in Utah it has been a little crisp and cool.

Janie and Jack Children's swimwear

 


  • Upscale Dining:  The Food in Scottsdale is amazing, and the Four Seasons has an outstanding restaurant on-site called, Proof Canteen.  It is a nod to the American Canteen, reminiscent of the road trip days of historic Route 66.  It was the perfect option for the family, and being on-site made it so convenient to walk over to.   The food was so good, and the kids meals weren’t just garbage “kid food”, but they were just smaller portions of the normal entrees served in adorable cafeteria style trays.  All of the dishes we tried we loved, and I especially loved the salmon.  The breakfast buffet on the weekends was perfect for the family to be able to pick and choose exactly what we wanted.  My kids couldn’t get enough, and the torched steel cut oatmeal will forever change the way I look at oatmeal for the rest of my life.  Phenomenoal!

Proof Canteen Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Restaurant

Torched Steel Cut Oatmeal from Proof Canteen Restaurant

Weekend Breakfast Buffet at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale Acai Bowl at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Pretzel Knots at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Appetizers at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Salmon Dinner at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Dinner at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Kids Meals at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Dessert at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

Kid Friendly Dining at Proof Canteen Four Season Resort Scottsdale

  • Family Friendly Dining in Scottsdale: While in Scottsdale we were on the search for a family friendly place for Dinner one of the nights.  We ended up being recommended Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market.  It was a perfect Family casual dining option!  This hardwood smoked Barbecue spot has been featured on Diners, Drive-Inns, and Dives.  It has a unique set up of a gas station, car wash, market, and restaurant all in one!  The Brisket Stack was amazing, and I would highly recommend it, that and the Baked Mac and Cheese.  The kids couldn’t get enough of the brisket, and pulled pork!  They also just installed an amazing fish tank that the kids enjoyed while eating!  It will be featured on the show Tanked soon!

Tom's Thumb BBQ Restaurant Scottsdale Fish TankTom's Thumb BBQ Brisket Stack Baked Mac N Cheese

  • Relaxation in the Desert:  The Desert is surprisingly relaxing!  I loved the landscape, and Scottsdale is known for their amazing spas.  I was able to get a Sticks and Hot Stone massage at the Four Seasons Spa, and it was the best massage I have ever gotten!  For the first time mid-family vacation, I was able to have the most relaxing time.  Just because you are traveling with kids, doesn’t mean you can’t take a little alone time to yourself!  It was pure heaven!

Family Travel Four Seasons Kids Club Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

  • Activities for Kids (Kids Club):  Many resorts offer some kind of a kids club where kids can go and do activities while the parents have some alone time.  This is such a perfect way to escape and relax for a bit even while on a family trip.  I was able to escape to the spa for a massage while the kids went over to the Four Seasons Kids for all Seasons.  This would be a great opportunity to go have alone time with your spouse while the kids are occupied and having fun.  That is what I call the best of both worlds, because we all know that vacations with the kids can be called more of a trip than a vacation.
  • Amenities/ Family Activities:  The amenities are top notch in the desert, and the best news for my kids is that it is warm enough to swim all year round while vacationing in the desert!  My kids love a good hotel pool, and they really could spend all day and all night there.  Give them a pool, and they are happy as can be on vacation!  It is always nice for all of us to get some vitamin D, we always come back feeling refreshed!
    The Four Seasons also has so many fun family activities during holidays.  A few of the upcoming ones are: Cookies with Claus, Festive Feasts,  Ring in the New Year, and Festive Flicks!

Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North Pool

Janie and Jack Children's swimwear

Resort Wear at the Four Season Resort Scottsdale

  • Robe Life, and Beautiful Hotel Rooms:  I don’t know about your kids, but my kids think it’s like Disneyland to stay at hotels. The Four Seasons Scottsdale treated my kids so well, and they were greeted with some cute stuffed toys, and some treats.  They loved having that special treatment, and were thrilled to see that they had robes that were just their size in the closet.

Family Travel Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Hotel RoomsFamily Travel Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Hotel RoomsFamily Travel Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Hotel RoomsFamily Travel Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Hotel Rooms

  • The Landscape and Wildlife:  We were so surprised how quickly we fell in love with the brown desert landscapes.  The cacti were so beautiful, and those desert sunsets can’t be beat!  My kids also loved seeing little lizards pop out here and there, and my youngest Thomas swears he say a coyote or a bobcat.  My kids learned about Javelina boars for the first time, and were constantly on the hunt.  They really thought they would find one, ha!

Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

Desert Landscape Soel Boutique Dress

  • The Great Outdoors:  There are a lot of great hikes in Scottsdale, and being outside in a new area with new landscapes is amazing!  We just loved experiencing new things!  

Family Travel Four Season Resort Scottsdale Desert Vacation

Family time is always the best time, and family vacation time, can’t ever be replaced!  Per family vacation tradition, we asked each one of our kids what their favorite thing was about our vacation.  My oldest answered that he loved spending so much time with our family.  That warmed my heart, because that is how I feel as well.  Making memories in the warm sunshine, and enjoying our time together as a family was just what we needed.  Turns out, an escape to the desert is just what our family needed!

(all photos by me)

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