Arizona is house to 3 nationwide parks and a few of the most breathtaking rock formations in North America. The forty eighth state can also be steeped within the historical past of the Outdated West. What higher technique to discover than by taking a highway journey in Arizona?
When you’ve been excited about visiting the Grand Canyon State, begin by making a highway journey guidelines and selecting a freeway, together with fundamentals like automobile upkeep and automotive prolonged guarantee for added peace of thoughts on lengthy drives.
If you’re prepared to move out, this information will aid you select between 5 of the very best highway journeys in Arizona (or, when you’ve got time, add all of them to your record!).
Regardless of which route you select to take, it’s vital to recollect to be a accountable traveller — pack out what you usher in, don’t disturb any wildlife, or deface any of the traditional websites.
Buckle up, and let’s go. Listed here are 5 stops and Arizona highway journey points of interest you don’t wish to miss!
1. The Grand Canyon
Because the inspiration for the state’s nickname, the Grand Canyon got here in on the prime of this record. The canyon is 277 miles lengthy, as much as 18 miles vast, over a mile deep at its lowest level, and is well one in all the best locations within the US.
Due to its sheer measurement, guests typically have to decide on between the North Rim and the South Rim of the canyon.
The South Rim affords the quintessential Grand Canyon expertise, together with guided burro rides, paved paths, luxurious accommodations, savory eating places, and a terrifying glass skywalk.
It’s additionally straightforward to entry from main cities, making it an important highway journey from Phoenix and Los Angeles.
The North Rim of the canyon is much quieter than the tourist-filled South Rim, and it has fewer man-made points of interest.
Alternatively, the upper elevation affords a decidedly totally different view of the Grand Canyon. As a substitute of dramatic sunlit vistas, the North Rim affords quiet forests and secluded hikes.
The North Rim’s environment is much less involved with tourism and extra centered on the pure great thing about the canyon. Some well-liked North Rim locations embrace North Kaibab Path and Ribbon Falls.
☞ SEE ALSO: 15 Greatest Issues To Do in The Grand Canyon
2. Sedona – A Desert Village
Regardless that there are many issues to do in Phoenix (which is the place I dwell), each time somebody visits me, they ask the identical factor: “When can we go to Sedona?”
Positioned north of Phoenix, this desert city is surrounded by red-rock cliffs, steep canyons, and dense pine forests — making it a spotlight of any Arizona highway journey.
If you’re able to set out, head north on Interstate 17.
Alongside the best way, you’ll move Montezuma Citadel Nationwide Monument, a gaggle of preserved cliff dwellings that housed the Sinagua folks greater than 1,000 years in the past.
You’ll additionally move the V-Bar-V Heritage Web site, the most important “rock artwork website” in Purple Rocks Nation.
The mountain climbing in Sedona is famous, so be sure you pack your boots and don’t miss these prime desert hikes: Cathedral Rock, Devils Bridge, The Birthing Cave, and Troopers Move — to call a number of.
Sedona itself is thought for its thriving arts neighborhood and quaint, small-town vibe. Begin your time off on the Espresso Pot Restaurant, a bustling café with an all-day-breakfast and 101 various kinds of omelet.
If you’ve had your fill, spend the day searching for artisan items on the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. This lovely, out of doors procuring district options cobblestone streets, hand-blown glass, and lovely artisan jewellery.
For dinner, make a reservation at Heartline Café. My two favourite dishes are the bacon-hugged petit filet mignon and the pistachio-crusted rooster breast.
3. Tombstone – The City Too Robust to Die
Wyatt Earp was a infamous gambler and sheriff who took half within the well-known O.Okay. Corral shootout. Each Memorial Day, Tombstone honors his legacy with the Wyatt Earp Days celebration.
This two-day competition options staged gunfights, mock hangings, and a large chili cookoff. Tombstone’s affinity for the Outdated West is obvious in every thing from structure to vacationer points of interest. It’s additionally the explanation Tombstone was nicknamed “The City Too Robust to Die.”
USA In the present day put it completely after they referred to as Tombstone “the right mix of historic and cheesy.” The O.Okay. Corral is only one of Tombstone’s historic landmarks, although.
Historical past buffs must also go to the Chicken Cage Theatre Museum, a former brothel that was preserved to point out the trustworthy nature of the premises.
Final, however not least, pay a go to to Boot Hill Graveyard, Tombstone’s first cemetery. This historic website was mentioned to be the graveyard for individuals who “died with their boots on.”
You may attain Tombstone from Phoenix in about 3 hours, or from Tuscon in just a bit over an hour.
Monument Valley is situated alongside the border between Arizona and Utah — so shut that it’s featured on Utah’s official journey web site. Good trick, Utah, however you’re not fooling anybody!
Monument Valley is without doubt one of the Copper State’s Most worthy treasures.
This towering, sandstone rock formation has set the stage for therefore many westerns that one journey author mentioned, “Its 5 sq. miles have outlined what a long time of moviegoers consider after they think about the American West.”
There are many day journeys from Sedona or Flagstaff, and guided excursions, however I want to drive alongside the 17-mile highway at my very own tempo. Admission to the park is $20 per automobile, however there isn’t any time restrict.
If it’s in your price range, you must also contemplate staying the evening on the View, the one lodge in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. These luxurious lodging provide unparalleled views of the whole valley, particularly at sundown and dawn.
An alternative choice is to remain in a novel “cave lodge” only a 10-minute drive to the park. These lodging are gorgeous. Click on right here to have a look.
Earlier than you permit, pay a go to to the Navajo-run buying and selling submit. Inside, you will discover a number of John Wayne souvenirs and a big selection of Navajo arts and crafts.
5. Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell
This record will end the identical method it started — with a surprising rock formation created by hundreds of thousands of years of water erosion. Antelope Canyon is a powerful slot canyon situated to the east of Web page in northern Arizona and is certainly one of the unbelievable locations to go to within the USA.
The canyon’s wavy corridors have been featured in a number of nature documentaries, together with Louie Schwartzberg’s Transferring Artwork collection.
All through the day, sunshine illuminates the canyon’s 120-foot partitions and throws shadows round each nook.
When you’re excited about visiting, you need to know that guided excursions are the one technique to discover the canyon.
A brief drive away, Lake Powell affords mountain climbing, climbing, and rappelling in beautiful sandstone canyons. Whereas Lake Powell is definitely situated in Utah, the closest lodging is situated in Web page, Arizona.
Come to think about it, Lake Powell isn’t even a lake, it’s a reservoir. Oh effectively! You received’t be excited about semantics if you’re boating, swimming, and waterskiing within the Glen Canyon Nationwide Recreation space.
When you’re planning a go to to each Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell, ensure that to put aside at the least two days. Sooner or later isn’t sufficient time to expertise every thing these pure wonders have to supply.
Prepared for Your Arizona Street Journey?!
As you possibly can see, it’s all in regards to the pure magnificence right here in Arizona. With so many issues to see and do, you can spend months right here and never expertise all of it.
Exploring the state with your individual automobile gives you the independence and freedom to see as many websites and pure points of interest as you need. Get pleasure from all of those epic highway journeys in Arizona.
☞ SEE ALSO: High Issues To Do in Outdated City Scottsdale
Have you ever been on a highway journey in Arizona? What did we miss?! Share your favorite road-tripping spots in Arizona within the feedback beneath.
