Phoenix in late August with an infant
 

Call me crazy, but my wife and I are going with our 16-month daughter to Phoenix/Scottsdale on Aug. 24-26. We'll be staying at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort for the two nights. <BR> <BR>It obviously won't be wise to be outdoors during the heat of the day. What outdoor activities would be suitable for early morning and indoor activities for daytime? Would it be worth it to drive up to Sedona for a bit cooler weather?

If you're only going to be at the Hotel for 2 days, its not necessary to drive to Sedona IMO. The water area is great; there's a beach pool, there are water falls, there's a meandering water area; lots of area to keep cool. After dinner, you can take a gondola ride on the lake; or go down scottsdale road to Indian Bend and visit the McCormack-Stillman train park, which has a small scale train to ride and a carousel. The grounds of the Hotel are beautiful and will keep you occupied for the short time you're there. I, personally, wouldn't spend the money to go to this resort and then take an all day trip out of town. <BR>Tour of Talisan West is worthwhile; it is both indoors and outside.

Phoenix has a nice botantical garden that might be worth checking out. They probably open early or stay opne late in the summer so that tourists can beat the ungodly daytime heat. Just be prepared, even at night, the heat's still unbearable. Not a city I'd wish upon anyone for a summer vacation - particularly a baby!

Thanks for the tips. <BR> <BR>We decided to go to Grand Canyon for the day on Saturday...It'll make it a long day, but the day trip will help escape from the extreme heat. We don't arrive in Phoenix until 10 PM on Friday night, and we'll be leaving to go north around sunrise on Saturday morning (driving to Williams and then taking the Grand Canyon Railway). So Sunday should be the only real concern in terms of heat...maybe we'll stick around the resort and enjoy the things there. <BR> <BR>By the way, the stay at the resort is free thanks to Hyatt's Gold Passport program. :-)

PS - I know a day trip to the Grand Canyon is not nearly enough to really experience it, but we're trying to make the most of our short trip because it may be a long time until we're in the area again...

Living in Phoenix, the only thing I would recommend to you is to drink water...lots and lots of water. We moved here when our daughter was 20 months old and she was always de-hydrated. Children need tons of water...even at the Grand Canyon. The first person who responded to you was correct...enjoy your hotel, you could spend a whole day there and not get to everything. I've ridden the Gondola with my husband, it was lovely, my children enjoyed the swimming pool, played tennis and a multitude of other offerings. Enjoy Phoenix, it's not as HOT as everyone tells you it is.