Take a spin on a new merry-go-round near Scottsdale. How to ride the Boardwalk Carousel

Meredith G. White, Arizona Republic
·4 min read

The Arizona Boardwalk entertainment complex near Scottsdale has added a new attraction to its robust lineup of family-friendly options for a day of fun, and the new additions may spark a bit of nostalgia for older generations.

The Boardwalk Carousel has 60 handcrafted animals to ride, with rare and endangered species joining classics like horses, giraffes, dolphins and two chariot benches.

The new merry-go-round joins Frontier Family Park, a $66 million play place with a lake and pickleball court that opened in Queen Creek on June 8, and the Poozeum, a museum devoted to fossilized poop that recently opened in Williams, Arizona, as places where families can play and learn.

What is the Arizona Boardwalk?

The Arizona Boardwalk is an entertainment destination that features attractions, shopping and dining options targeted to families. It's part of the Talking Stick Entertainment District.

Find it at 9500 E. Via de Ventura, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale.

More family fun: New indoor slide park is coming to metro Phoenix. Here's a look

How to ride the new Arizona Boardwalk Carousel

The Boardwalk Carousel is in front of Butterfly Wonderland. Tickets cost $4 per ride. Hours are seasonal; call 480-800-3000 for current times.

The Boardwalk Carousel was custom built by Chance Rides in Wichita, Kansas, and features "fine craftsmanship on a grand scale, including hand-crafted animals, benches and an antique-style lighted ceiling" according to a press release.

"Who doesn’t love a ride on a carousel? Just the sight of one evokes the feeling of nostalgia and sweet childhood memories. That is why we are so excited to add the Boardwalk Carousel to our already exciting lineup of family-friendly offerings at AZ Boardwalk," Greg Charbeneau, managing partner for Arizona Boardwalk, said in the press release.

How much is the Arizona Boardwalk?

It's free to park at and enter the Arizona Boardwalk. Each attraction has its own pricing. See all the prices at azboardwalk.com.

OdySea Aquarium and more: Arizona Boardwalk things to do

  • OdySea Aquarium: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays; last entry at 6 p.m. $46.95, $36.95 for ages 2-12. 480-291-8000, odyseaaquarium.com.

  • Butterfly Wonderland: A Rainforest Experience: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $29.95, $19.95 for ages 2-12. 480-800-3000, butterflywonderland.com.

  • UFO Experience: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; last entry is at 5:15. $23.95, $17.95 for ages 2-12. 480-291-5083, theufoexperience.com.

  • Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Open Sunday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; last entry is at 4:30. $23.95, $19.95 for ages 2-13. 480-291-5083, ripleyaz.com.

  • Laser + Mirror Maze: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. $5 for two walkthroughs of the Laser Maze, $10 for five walkthroughs, $15 for a day pass for the Mirror Maze and one Laser walkthrough. Age 2 and younger get in free. 480-270-6200, odyseamirrormaze.com.

  • Museum of Illusions: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. $24.95, $22.95 for age 60 and older and military members, $18.95 for ages 3-12. moiscottsdale.com.

  • Pangaea: Land of the Dinosaurs: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; last entry is at 6 p.m. $20.95, $19.95 for military members and ages 2-12. 480-362-3466, pangaealandofthedinosaurs.com.

  • Cyber Quest Arcade: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Cyber Quest Club Cards cost $1 each and can be loaded with purchased game credits. 480-951-2100, kidsquest.com.

  • Boardwalk Carousel: Seasonal hours to be announced. $4 per person per ride. 480-800-3000, azboardwalk.com.

Arizona Boardwalk restaurants

  • Frozen Penguin Custom Ice Cream Sandwiches: 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 480-646-6070, frozenpenguinicecream.com.

  • Johnny Rockets: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 480-291-8770, johnnyrockets.com.

  • Pangaea Dinosaur Grill: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. 480-434-6577, azboardwalk.com.

  • Sugar Drop Candy Shop: Call for hours. 480-291-5080, azboardwalk.com.

Arizona Boardwalk shops

Meredith G. White covers entertainment and culture for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She has the latest news about video games, television and things to do in metro Phoenix. Follow her on X and Instagram @meredithgwhite and on Facebook as Meredith G. White. Email her at [email protected].

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Boardwalk: Ride the new Boardwalk Carousel

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