My top place to go for a staycation or a family vacation around town is hands down the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. I go there for just about all the holidays and this was our first year joining them for the Fourth of July. We are from Seattle, it was always a huge deal to go out on the fourth in Seattle and watch the fireworks. When we moved down to Phoenix, that all stopped, it was too hot and with kids, it wasn’t worth it anymore. This year I was reminiscing about how much I loved hanging out on my street with the kids and watching everyone let off fireworks. I have some truly fond memories throughout the years and I didn’t want to take that away from my kids. It was at that point that I decided if we were going to celebrate the fourth anywhere, it was going to be at the Princess.
We packed our bags for one night and headed to Scottsdale. The resort was packed, as it should be but we were whisked quickly through the front desk and off to our room. We settled into the brand new room located at their new beach area, overlooking all the action at the beach pool. A huge turtle floaty was waiting for Kellan on the bed and the room was perfectly comfortable and we were all filled with excitement. We hurried into our bathing suits and so the fun began!
The Princess had no end to the fun for us as a family. Kellan got to play at the Kids club where he went to the swimming pool, went down the waterslide, played with other kids and just didn’t want to come back to the hotel room with us. We spent hours at the beach pool, our littlest one loved playing in the sand. He also got to be a pirate in the morning, learning how to sword fight, doing some balloon fighting, talking, dressing and walking like a pirate. He went in as Kellan Red and came out as Pirate Red Skull. We watched air shows, parachuters, ate amazing food, danced to music and watched in awe as the sky lit up with a spectacular fireworks show. My heart was full seeing the joy in my children’s faces. This is what I didn’t want to rob them from, this is how traditions are started.
Thank you to The Fairmont Princess for giving us a special place to make these memories and a way to start traditions. I can’t wait to spend every fourth of July with you and to see those looks on both my kid’s faces as you light up their eyes.
I know that you can’t join them for the fourth this year but guess what? You can book your dreamcation for Labor Day, that last hurrah before we head into all the fall holidays and say goodbye to those summer days. This AAA Five Diamond resort, is having fun with a Caribbean cruise ship theme – from pirates and mermaids on the white sands of its new Sunset Beach pool – to limbo on the Lido Deck, Calypso music and fireworks lighting up the night. This is your chance to create memories and start a new tradition. They’ll be taking complimentary photos of each guest with a life buoy and a digitally super-imposed cruise ship or Caribbean island in the background.
Outside, the Fairmont Fun Team has a full itinerary of shore excursions such as swimming with Moon Mermaid at the new Mermaid University, becoming a pirate in Swashbuckler Academy, fishing derbies with Ranger Rick, watermelon eating contests or diving for lost treasure. For the adults, sipping a Bermuda banana hurricane cocktail and listening to the sounds of a steel drummer adds to the island paradise. Grown-ups may also sample rare Caribbean rums at Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar or have a poolside hair Quench treatment from Well & Being Spa.
As night falls, the Sonoran Splash pool complex takes a twist with the Techno Glo Party, a thrill ride down the water slides with black lights, lasers, fog and the hottest hits played by DJ Splash, along with LED hula hoopers and the Splash Rider X-treme water ride.
Another summer must is a Dive-In movie: shown on a 37-foot screen at Sunset Beach, this is a great place for families to watch a flick, relaxing in the cool sand or in the water on their favorite floatie.
As the final farewell to a spectacular summer, fireworks light up the sky over the TPC Scottsdale at 9 p.m., Friday – Sunday nights, September 2-4, 2016.
Labor Day Dreamcation weekend rates start from $209 per night for the Sip, Savor & Sand package which includes a $50 daily credit for dining, spa or the Trailblazers Kids Club. As an added bonus, guests may lounge a little longer with a complimentary late check-out of 4 p.m. on Monday, September 5, 2016.
To make room or dining reservations for the Dreamcation getaway over Labor Day weekend or for more information, please call (480) 585-4848, toll-free at (866) 540-4495 or visit scottsdaleprincess.com. The resort is located at 7575 East Princess Drive in Scottsdale.
