Best Splash Pads in Scottsdale

For a current 2022 map of all splash pads, click here!

What are the best splash pads in Scottsdale? That’s a tough question to answer! There are different amenities offered at each. We offer this complete list of Scottsdale splashpads, with reviews of each, and invite you to leave a comment telling us your favorite! (Original post by Chris Tingom, update and Splash Pads 101 by Kim Ollerhead.)

List of Splashpads

All splash pads are open sunrise to 8pm, as long as it’s hotter than 70 degrees. The Scottsdale Quarter splash pad is open year round, 10am-10pm.

Shopping Center Splash Pads:

1. Scottsdale Quarter Splash Pad (15279 North Scottsdale Rd)

City of Scottsdale Managed:

1. Paiute Park Splash Pad (3210 N. 66th St)
2. Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park (8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd)
3. Chesnutt Park (4565 N. Granite Reef Rd)
4. Pima Park (8600 E. Thomas Rd)
5. Vista del Camino Park (7700 E. Roosevelt)

Spray Poles (City of Scottsdale Managed):

1. McCormick Stillman Railroad Park (7301 E. Indian Bend Rd)
2. Agua Linda Park (8732 E. McDonald) but no water feature despite listing on City of Scottsdale’s website.

While not in Scottsdale, nearby Fountain Hills offers a seasonal splash pad at Fountain Park. There is also a splash pad in Carefree.

Splash Pads 101

Splash Pads, Spray Pads, Water Parks, whatever you call them we love them here in Arizona due to our warm weather. Personally I wish ALL parks had some kind of spray mister pole. A place to get a little damp and cool off. How nice would that be for our warm days here? They are great for a quick cool off during play, a water outing if you don’t have a pool at home, a great place to meet friends to cool off or simply a break from all the playground climbing.

Splash pads can be ran through in clothes, or you can get all dressed up in your favorite swim suit. Not nearly as daunting as water parks! There usually isn’t much standing water, just small puddles. This helps with kids of all ages to be able to enjoy the water.

Splash pads can be a spontaneous water fun adventure with a naked ride home, or a major outing getting everything you may possibly need.  The least fun part of splash pads can be getting ready to go, especially with not yet potty trained toddlers! So here is some important info to make it as easy as possible.

Splash pads at most Scottsdale parks are open sunrise to 8pm, as long as it’s hotter than 70 degrees. All features have push-button activation. 

What to bring to a splashpad?

Needed items can vary by age of child but the basics are:

• swim suits with rashguard
• sunscreen
• hats
• snacks
• lots of water to drink
• towels
• plastic or reusable bag for wet suits
• water shoes 
• dry clothes for after
• dry shoes for after
• extra swim diapers for littles

A few things you may want to bring:

• camping chair for parent (not all locations have enough seating)
• blanket for children to sit on, comes in handy when getting dressed or a quick diaper change
• buckets or small cups for playing in water
• small squirt toys
• sand toys for places that have a water spray pad near sand
• extra towels for adults who may get wet
• extra plastic bag for trash although parks tend to have lots of trash cans

Tips and Tricks

For all parks with my toddlers I tend to bring LOTS of snacks and LOTS of water. I have reusable ice packs that I put in a lunch bag to keep snacks cool or from melting in the heat, as well as thermos style water bottles so they stay cool longer. I usually carry a large thermos with ice water in at any time I go anywhere with my kids. It stays cold even if left in the car, I can refill drinks if needed, I can give them an ice cube to cool off. Also water bottles with a handle so my kids can carry their own bottle around. 

I try to repurpose as much as possible. Yogurt smoothies are a current favorite in my house. I will give them to the kids when we get to the park and then repurpose them as a water cup in a splash pad, shovel in the sand, or just something fun to play in the water fountain with.

Splash pads are not open year round. They are typically open spring through fall, all with varying dates. However water pads in shopping strips tend to be on almost all year long. Always check online in the spring to see if they have opened yet, and in the fall to see if they closed yet.