All the wonders of Arizona are easy trips from Scottsdale. Whether your interest lies in history, scenic beauty, native cultures or funky art communities, it’s all here in Arizona. Get out and explore!

• Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon
• Apache Trail and the Superstition Mountains
• Historic Arizona
• Tucson and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
• Tubac, Tumacacori and Nogales
• Monument Valley, Hopi Mesas, Canyon de Chelly and Painted Desert 

Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon

503 Miles/811 Kilometers Round Trip

Grand Canyon
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon mesmerizes all who stand on the edge of its precipitous rim. Magnificent, awe-inspiring, humbling – all descriptive, but all inadequate in describing this 277-mile-long synthesis of time, space, color and elements. Viewpoints offer an array of locales from which to admire the Canyon’s ragged cliffs and rocky depths, which lead to the powerful Colorado River one mile below. For an eagle’s view, helicopter and fixed-wing operators offer flights over the Canyon. Visitors also can tour the Canyon’s rim by bus, hike down its famous trails or put their fate in the hooves of a trusty mule who does the hard work down the precarious slopes to the Canyon floor. Grand Canyon Village is home to the famous El Tovar Hotel and the Bright Angel Lodge, as well as campgrounds, multiple restaurants, gifts shops and a museum.

Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff
This museum provides an exceptional introduction to the flora, fauna and human history of the region. Its exhibits focus on regional geology, anthropology, biology and fine art. The museum also houses a world-class collection of Southwestern Native American arts and crafts. Demonstrations and special events are held regularly.

Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff
The planet Pluto was discovered at Lowell Observatory in 1930, and first evidence of an expanding universe was gathered at the observatory in 1912. An active research institution, Lowell Observatory also offers a wide variety of daytime and nighttime tours and education programs for up to 70,000 visitors annually.

Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon
The immense, red monoliths of Sedona and the red rock country have de-lighted millions of visitors with their stunning beauty. Sedona itself is well known as an upscale, art-oriented community with many fine galleries, artists’ studios, shopping areas and restaurants. Picturesque Oak Creek Canyon is prized by anglers, hikers, swimmers and naturalists alike, and is the setting for Zane Grey’s novel Call of the Canyon. Slide Rock, a natural water chute carved into the river bed, is the focal point of nearby Slide Rock State Park.

Montezuma Castle
One of the best-preserved and magnificent Indian cliff dwellings in the West, Montezuma castle is believed to have been built around A.D. 1100. The five-story “apartment house” is tucked into an immense recess in a limestone wall.

Apache Trail and the Superstition Mountains

150 Miles/242 Kilometers Round Trip

The Apache Trail
One of Arizona’s most historic and rugged routes, the Apache Trail takes you on a scenic tour where you will enjoy the Superstition Mountains, Goldfield mining town, Canyon and Apache lakes and Tortilla Flat stage stop.

The Superstition Mountains
Ghostly and volcanic, the Superstition Mountains rise some 2,000 feet into the desert sky. Hidden in the depths of this forbidding range is the Lost Dutchman, one of the most storied “lost mines” of the West. Hiking and horse trails fit for the most rugged outdoorsman abound. The U.S. Forest Service protects these beautiful mountains as the nation’s most popular designated wilderness area.

Goldfield
Goldfield is an old mining town where millions of dollars in gold were unearthed in the 1890s. A mine tour with splendid views of the Superstitions and a collection of antique mining equipment are among Goldfield’s attractions.

Canyon and Apache Lakes
The first views of these lakes, framed by giant saguaro cacti and red amber hills, are spectacular. They are two of the four desert lakes on the Salt River, with year-round water sports, camping and other amenities. Dolly Steamboat at Canyon Lake is a nostalgic replica of a river steamer. It carries up to 135 passengers on the lake through variegated canyons and past interesting rock formations.

Tortilla Flat Saloon and Settlement
In its heyday, this tiny settlement had a hotel, general store and saloon and was home to 125 residents. Today, it boasts six full-time residents and a saloon with saddles for barstools and walls festooned with currency and business cards from around the world. Offerings include “Killer Chili,” prickly pear ice cream and other Southwestern specialties.

Historic Arizona

290 Miles/468 Kilometers Round Trip

Jerome
Northeast of Prescott, on the other side of 7,743-foot-high Mingus Mountain, lies the historic mining town of Jerome. Under the steep streets of Jerome, more than 100 miles of subterranean tunnels and shafts honeycomb the mountain, where miners unearthed fortunes in copper and other ores. Part of the city and most of its economy slid downhill after the copper mines closed in 1951 (the town jail actually slid across the street into a vacant lot). Artists and active retirees revived the town in the 1960s, and it now thrives in many of its original buildings, some restored, some not. The mansion of mining magnate “Rawhide Jimmy” Douglas is now Jerome State Historic Park and sits on a hilltop overlooking the Little Daisy Mine.

Sedona
World-renowned for its spectacular red sandstone monoliths, Sedona entertains hikers, photographers, shoppers and seekers of art alike.

Tlaquepaque, a replica of an old Mexican village, is a collection of artists’ studios, craft shops, galleries and restaurants. Hiking trails, Jeep tours and helicopter rides are excellent ways to explore Sedona’s beautiful wilderness areas.

Prescott
Declared the capital of the Arizona territory in 1864, Prescott radiates with Western flavor and pre-statehood history. The flavor of the Old West is preserved today in the saloons of Whiskey Row, the heroic Bucky O’Neill statue at the stately stone courthouse, and at the governor’s mansion at Sharlot Hall Museum. Surrounding the city is Prescott National Forest, which provides campgrounds, picnic areas, lakes, and areas for horseback riding, prospecting and fishing. A variety of developed hiking trails will delight the casual walker and challenge even the most experienced rock climber.

Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments
Prehistoric Indians occupied the five-story dwelling at Montezuma Castle. This site is considered to be one of the finest archaeological sites in the West. The 100-room pueblo at Tuzigoot National Monument dates back more than nine centuries and was first excavated in the 1930s.

Camp Verde
Southeast of Jerome is the beautiful expanse of Verde Valley. Fort Verde State Historic Park has restored and preserved a frontier military post of the Apache wars. The 10-acre fort houses military buildings and troop quarters. The general store was the social center for settlers and soldiers. The General Crook Trail began here and linked the post with Fort Apache in eastern Arizona.

Tucson and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

284 Miles/458 Kilometers Round Trip

Tucson
Among the oldest European settlements in Arizona, Tucson is the state’s second-largest city. The downtown presidio was built by the Spaniards in 1776 and is part of a walking historical tour. The Arizona Heritage Center has exhibits portraying the city’s and state’s past. Nearby, at the University of Arizona, is a major world center for astronomy, which includes the Flandrau Planetarium. The University also is the location of the prestigious Museum of Art and Center for Creative Photography.

Old Tucson
Originally built in 1939 as a set for the epic film Arizona, Old Tucson has since been the location for many feature films, including John Wayne’s Rio Bravo, and television series such as Little House on the Prairie and High Chaparral. The narrow-gauge railroad, stagecoach rides, staged gunfights and old saloon are among Old Tucson’s attractions.

Mission San Xavier del Bac
Fondly known as the “White Dove of the Desert,” this exquisite building is acclaimed to be the best example of Spanish mission architecture in the United States. It resides on the San Xavier Indian Reservation, and still serves the Tohono O’odham people for whom it was built by Franciscan friars in the late 1700s.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
The New York Times has called this museum “the most distinctive zoo in the United States,” and the British Broadcasting Corporation has chosen it as one of the world’s seven best zoos. It is an innovative and exciting mix of zoo, botanical garden and aquarium, with a mission to tell the story of the Sonoran Desert. Among the exhibits are the Earth Sciences Center, which illustrates the dynamic forces that shaped the desert, and unique habitats that enable visitors to see wild desert creatures exactly as they live, even underground.

Saguaro National Monument
Saguaro National Monument is composed of two areas, located on the east and west sides of Tucson. This monument is a preserve for the giant saguaro cactus, which grows only Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Saguaros grow so thick and close together in some places that it is difficult to walk between them. Both areas offer loop drives and hiking trails.

Tubac, Tumacacori and Nogales

432 Miles/697 Kilometers Round Trip

Tubac
Located about 20 miles north of Nogales, Arizona, Tubac is the oldest European settlement in the state. Founded in 1752, Tubac also was the site of the region’s first school, and later, Arizona’s first state park. Portions of the original foundation, walls and plaza floor of the Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubac are visible in an underground exhibit at the visitor’s center. Tubac declined and then revived with the discovery of silver before the U.S. Civil War. Today, it is an arts center with many galleries and shops.

Tumacacori National Monument
Three miles south of Tubac, you will find the graceful remains of a mission church built by the Franciscans at the turn of the 19th century. Visitors can tour the mission’s gardens and admire its architectural beauty.

Nogales, Arizona
Nogales, Arizona, and its Mexican sister city of Nogales, Sonora, give visitors a wonderful taste of Mexican culture. Visitors can park on the Arizona side and take a short walk into Mexico, where they will find shops selling silver, pottery and other souvenirs, not to mention restaurants offering tasty Mexican cuisine as authentic as it comes. Americans on short visits may cross the border without a passport.

Monument Valley, Hopi Mesas, Canyon de Chelly and Painted Desert

875 Miles/1,411 Kilometers Round Trip

Monument Valley Tribal Park
The crimson buttes and spires of Monument Valley have been the setting for many Western movies, including John Wayne’s 1939 classic, Stagecoach. Often referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Monument Valley is highlighted by striking rock formations and towering stone sentinels. A 17-mile scenic drive on marked roads takes visitors to some of the best-known landmarks. Guided tours by Jeep and horseback also are available.

Hopi Mesas
Completely encircled by the Navajo Reservation, the three Hopi mesas have been occupied for centuries. In fact, the town of Old Oraibi is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States. The Hopi Cultural Center on Second Mesa offers visitors a wonderful display of Hopi art and artifacts. Many Hopi ceremonials, featuring magnificent dancers in traditional ceremonial dress, are open to the public.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Another striking natural attraction on the Navajo Reservation is Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “d’shay”). This national monument attracts an estimated 800,000 visitors each year to view its Spider Rock formation, White House Ruin Anasazi cliff dwelling, and the working Navajo farms on Canyon de Chelly’s desert floor. Canyon rim lookouts provide excellent views into its 1,000-foot depths, but the best way to experience the majesty of Canyon de Chelly is to take one of the 4x4 or horseback tours offered by knowledgeable guides.

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park
Nature and time have adorned the hills of the Painted Desert with a colorful strata of red, orange and gray. The desert floor is strewn with petrified logs, the remains of once-towering trees converted by time into colorful stones. Replicas of prehistoric creatures thought to have resided in Arizona are on display at the Petrified Forest’s visitor’s center.