#DAY TRIPS FROM PHOENIX HOW TO#

You can explore the park year-round, spotting historic limestone kilns and petroglyphs created by the Native American inhabitants of the area along well-marked trails. Saguaro National Park, which is divided into east and west zones, straddles the city of Tucson. Sure, you can see saguaro cactuses in and around Phoenix, but there’s an otherworldly appeal to standing in great stands of these giants that can weigh up to eight tons apiece. Get the cowboy experience at the White Stallion Ranch in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson © Kris Davidson / Lonely Planet Experience the Sonoran Desert up close in Tucson Jerome's gambling dens, brothels and copper mine (once the largest in Arizona) are long gone, but this not-quite-ghost-town (almost 500 people live here) still has hints of its days as the wickedest town in the West.

Explore Jerome, the wickedest town in the West Private shuttle minibuses offer daily trips from Phoenix to Prescott.

#DAY TRIPS FROM PHOENIX HOW TO#

How to get to Prescott: This 100-mile trip takes about an hour and forty-five driving north from Phoenix on I-17, then east along state route 69. Gunslinging legends such as Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday once sidled up to its 1880s-era Brunswick Bar, which is still in use after it was rescued from a fire in 1900 (dedicated patrons carried it across the street to safety). Wet your whistle at The Palace, the oldest frontier saloon in Arizona. At the heart of this area is Whiskey Row, named for the saloons that sprang up here during the gold rush to serve everyone from prospectors and cowboys to gamblers and outlaws. Once Arizona’s territorial capital, the mile-high city of Prescott retains its stately appeal, with Victorian homes and a Neoclassical Revival-style courthouse dominating downtown. Private shuttle minibuses offer daily trips to Cottonwood from Phoenix.ĭrink whiskey in Arizona’s oldest frontier saloon in Prescott Cottonwood lies about 5 miles west and Clarkdale is another 4 miles beyond. How to get to Verde Valley: It takes about an hour and forty-five minutes to drive to Cornville, 104 miles north of Phoenix off I-17. Here, you can wander around ancient structures the Sinagua people lived in for hundreds of years before leaving the valley in the 14th century. There’s a museum and well-preserved ruins of pueblos look out over the Verde River. Take time out from wine-touring for an interlude at Tuzigoot National Monument. Sample the results during a self-guided tour on the Verde Valley Wine Trail or at the wine festival in spring. The valley produces a surprising variety of varieties, from Roussanne and Riesling to Grenache and Merlot. The valley's historic towns have largely left their mining days behind, and today, communities such as Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Cornville have turned their hand to producing wines. Visit dozens of wineries in the Verde ValleyĪs its name implies, the Verde Valley in Arizona’s high desert is a glorious shade of green, a refreshing change from Phoenix’s sand-hued desert landscape. Private shuttle minibuses offer daily trips to Sedona from Phoenix.

How to get to Sedona: It takes just under two hours to drive the 116 miles to Sedona along I-17, connecting to state route 179. On the way to Sedona, don’t miss Montezuma Castle National Monument, a spot shaded by leafy trees, where you can peek at the remains of an ancient pueblo (settlement) built by the Sinagua people in around 1050 CE. While you’re here, drop by Garland’s next door, a boutique brimming with authentic Indigenous items such as Navajo rugs and squash blossom necklaces. Sedona’s 200 multi-use trails cover an impressive 400 miles, leading to sandstone towers such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock, which are believed to be 'vortex' sites, or natural energy centers.Īfter communing with nature, grab a bite at the Indian Gardens Café & Market in Oak Creek Canyon. You'll be stunned by the beauty of Slide Rock State Park, with its natural water slides into Oak Creek © Fotoluminate LLC / Shutterstock Explore endless hiking and biking trails in SedonaĪlthough you can glimpse Sedona’s celebrated red-rock formations while driving through the city, hiking or biking among ponderosa pines and prickly pear cactuses elevates the experience into something sublime.

Day trips from phoenix