110 FUN & GAMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 e e e B E S T P L A C E T O M A K E A R T A N D G E T M E S S Y SPIN ART NATION 2302 N. CENTRAL AVE., #3 602-609-5306 SPINARTNATION.COM/PHOENIX Neat freaks and fussy types, Spin Art Phoenix is not for you. The downtown art studio hosts sloppy, messy experiences in which customers get covered in paint and express themselves in the name of art. First, put on head-to-toe protective gear; you don’t even get to wear your own shoes. You can ride a bike to splatter paint on a canvas, or spin a hand-cranked wheel to have more creative control. We like the splatter room best of all, where you can go nuts throwing, squirting and spreading paint everywhere while creating a take-home treasure. Family- owned and -operated, Spin Art Phoenix is a great activity for date nights or groups. e e e B E S T A R T C L A S S E S PIP COFFEE + CLAY 2617 N. 24TH ST. 480-616-0004 2011 E. APACHE BLVD., TEMPE PIPCOFFEECLAY.COM The beginner’s wheel-throwing class at Pip Coffee + Clay will have you looking at your coffee mug with appreciation and respect the next time you pour yourself a cup in the morning. This two-hour immersive class has students immediately diving into the art of wheel throwing through a step-by-step, easy- to-understand lesson that will gets you slap- ping clay down on the spinning pottery wheel by the end like an expert. Even if your cup comes out a bit lopsided, that’s part of the learning experience. With small class sizes and knowledgeable instructors, Pip’s classes and workshop have attendees leaving with skills and a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, with your hands busy, it’s a forced mental health break as students must put away everything, including cellular distractions, to focus on the clay. It’s a great activity to do with your mom, sibling or a group of friends, and it’ll leave you wanting to sign up for another class as soon as you put your apron away. Plus, it’s located inside a coffee shop, so grab a coffee, tea or beer to enjoy while you let those creative juices flow. e e e B E S T L G B T Q G A M E N I G H T BRICK ROAD COFFEE 4415 S. RURAL ROAD, #10, TEMPE 480-590-7246 BRICKROADTEMPE.COM There’s a lot going on at Brick Road Coffee. Weekly events change often but have included a writers’ meetup; crochet gather- ings; trans, queer, pagan, sobriety and sex worker support groups; and multiple Dungeons & Dragons game nights. The D&D nights are run by experienced dungeon masters, and all skill and experience levels are welcome. But if D&D isn’t your thing, Brick Road has board games, card games and other tabletop amusements, and small gath- erings can quickly and frequently turn into impromptu game nights. Bonuses: Groovy dance music, colorful Oz-like decor, deli- cious coffees and teas and an open and accepting environment. e e e B E S T C H E A P F U N F O R K I D S MCCORMICK-STILLMAN RAILROAD PARK 7301 E. INDIAN BEND ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 480-312-2312 THERAILROADPARK.COM In a town where everything seems to cost an arm and a leg, we’re glad a visit to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park doesn’t break the bank. The main attraction is the Paradise & Pacific railroad with steam and diesel locomotives, which costs just $3 to ride, as does the Charro Carousel. (You can also buy an all-day wristband for $12.) The park offers a new splash pad, indoor play structure, outdoor playground, picnic ramadas, model train display and a full-size Pullman train for historical exploration. So what’s the catch? Surely the concessions must be exorbitantly priced. Guess again: ice cream is $2 to $3 and french fries are $3. In these economic times, these prices are unbe- lievable — and much appreciated. e e e B E S T P U B L I C P O O L MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RANCH AQUATIC & FITNESS CENTER 15525 N. THOMPSON PEAK PARKWAY, SCOTTSDALE 480-312-6677 SCOTTSDALEAZ.GOV/AQUATICS Metro Phoenix may have face-melting temperatures for months on end, but fortu- nately, we’ve also got excellent public pool facilities all over town. The McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic & Fitness Center in North Scottsdale caters to a variety of different interests. It’s got 13 lap lanes, four diving boards and a leisure pool. In the winter, the pools are heated. During the summer, the center’s got even more to offer: a water slide, a lazy river, a zero-entry play pool and a spray pad. Entry fees are pretty cheap for Scottsdale residents and only a couple bucks more for nonresidents, and your pass includes access to fitness classes such as Pilates, barre and strength training. Of all the ways we stay cool during the summer, visits to McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic & Fitness Center are one of our faves. e e e B E S T C O O K I N G C L A S S E S CLASSIC COOKING ACADEMY 10411 E. MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RANCH ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 480-502-0177 CCACADEMY.EDU Classic Cooking Academy and its crew of chefs have taught home cooks a larder’s worth of skills over nearly 20 years of culi- nary classes in Scottsdale. From properly dicing an onion to baking a flawless soufflé, instructors impart techniques that partici- pants test and taste for themselves. The academy offers stand-alone classes on such topics as cookies, pizza or barbecue, or you could really dive in with a multi-week series on Asian cuisine. These small-group classes will get you to roll up your sleeves to re-create a menu of dishes that you’ll savor together. You’ll head home not only with recipes for each dish but also likely some delicious leftovers. e e e B E S T H O M E T O U R WILLO HOME TOUR WILLOPHX.COM/HOME-TOUR The Willo neighborhood, spanning from Thomas to McDowell Roads north to south and from First to Seventh Avenues east to west, includes a mix of styles, including Spanish Colonial Revival, American Colonial Revival, Tudor/Elizabethan Revival, Greek Revival, French Colonial and more. At the annual home tour in February, looky-loos have a field day as they gain entree to mint- condition early-20th-century homes — some professionally decorated — with expansive,
