Looking for a way to see a ton of awe-inspiring sites throughout Arizona? Look no further – I’ve got a multi-day itinerary that we loved when we visited in 2018 and 2023. Below are my favorites and ‘must-see’ stops for an Arizona road trip.
In my opinion, the best parts of Arizona are the landscape, historical architecture, and national parks. I’ve split the itinerary into regions so you can visit each individually or see it all in one amazing trip!
Arriving in Arizona
Both times I visited Arizona, we flew into Phoenix as a starting point. Phoenix airport has flights from almost anywhere and it is centrally located. If you plan to do just the section around the Grand Canyon, you can also fly into Las Vegas.
I recommend getting a rental car or driving your own. Many of the below stops are several hours’ distance from each other or have scenic drives within them to enjoy.
Southern Arizona (Below Phoenix)
Tucson
Tucson is well known for its Spanish-style architecture. In December 2015, Tucson became the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy designated in the United States. The surrounding landscape of saguaro cactus and mountains make for a perfect spot to hike. Tucson also has fabulous art on display around the city.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has several gardens, a hummingbird aviary, and animal exhibits in the Sonoran Desert. It is right outside Saguaro National Park (West). We liked that it gave us a feel for all the different plants and animals we were likely to encounter.
Saguaro National Park
Tucson actually splits Saguaro National Park’s two districts – the Tucson Mountain District (TMD) to the west and the Rincon Mountain District (RMD) to the east. If you are short on time, each district has a scenic drive.
We did five hikes of varying difficulty – Sendero-Esperanza, Valley View, Signal Hill, Desert Discovery, and Desert Ecology. For history lovers, Signal Hill Trail is a half-mile round trip up the hill to see petroglyphs.
Chiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua is one of several sky islands in southeastern Arizona. According to the National Park Service, sky islands are isolated mountain ranges that can rise thousands of feet above the neighboring desert floor. Chiricahua National Monument is full of hoodoos – tall, thin spires extending from the bottom of arid basins or ‘badlands.’
We hiked the Echo Canyon Loop – a moderate hike through hoodoos, down to the canyon floor, and back.
Mid-Arizona (Between Phoenix and I-40)
Superstition Mountains
Part of the Superstition Wilderness Area, the Superstition Mountains offer several prominent formations such as the namesake mountain, Weavers Needle, Miner’s Needle, Peralta Canyon, and the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.
Popular hikes for the area are the Siphon Draw Trail, Treasure Loop Trail, Peralta Canyon Trail, and Native Plant Trail in Lost Dutchman State Park.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park offers hiking trails with multiple viewpoints of the natural travertine bridge and a waterfall trail.
If you can make the moderate hike, I highly recommend the Gowan Trail to view the bridge from below. For those with mobility issues, there are four viewpoints along a universally accessible path.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
This national monument has the remains of cliff dwellings such as Montezuma Castle, Castle A, and those at Montezuma Well.
The Castle and Well are in separate units, 11 miles apart. We preferred the attractions at Montezuma Well. Don’t skip this area if you visit the national monument.
Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument allows you to get up close to Tuzigoot pueblo, built by the Southern Sinagua in 1050 CE. It had 110 rooms and today visitors can climb into the citadel.
Sedona
This beautiful city offers red rock formations, a large art and culture scene, and tons of outdoor adventures. Below are some of the tops things to do:
- Explore Red Rock State Park
- Take a pink Jeep tour or trolley tour
- Experience a hot air balloon ride
- Enjoy one of the city’s vibrant art galleries
Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact site from a collision approximately 50,000 years ago. It is almost one mile across and more than 550 feet deep. A cutout of a person stands at the bottom of the crater to offer a sense of scale and it is incredible. There are three lookout points and a guided rim tour that we saw others take.
Petrified Forest National Park
This national park offers picturesque views of the surrounding Painted Desert and history about how living trees turned into a petrified forest.
There are several trails and overlooks including Newspaper Rock, Puerco Pueblo, The Tepees, Blue Mesa, Agate Bridge, Crystal Forest, Giant Logs, and Long Logs. My favorite was Blue Mesa!
Northern Arizona (Above I-40)
Wupatki National Monument
There are seven pueblos in the national monument: Lomaki and two Box Canyon Pueblos, Citadel and Nalakihu Pueblos, Wupatki Pueblo, and Wukoki Pueblo. Wupatki and Wukoki are the most popular, and the most impressive in my opinion.
Those who built Wupatki and other nearby pueblos were ancestors of the Hopi, Zuni, and other Puebloan peoples.
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is a colossal canyon carved by the Colorado River. It is 277 miles long, a mile deep, and 18 miles across at its widest point. UNESCO named the Grand Canyon a World Heritage Site in 1979, as the “most spectacular gorge in the world.” It is also one of CNN’s 7 Natural Wonders of the World.
Due to time constraints, we stayed on the South Rim Trail and Desert View Drive stops and did not venture into the canyon. The Grand Canyon is stunning in person! We were happy to stare at it for hours and stopped several times along the trail just to enjoy the view.
Horseshoe Bend
Just outside Page, the Colorado River bends into a horseshoe shape before continuing on. The bend can be viewed from cliffs above. Visitors can park in the lot and then walk down a path to the Horseshoe Bend viewing area. Be aware that while there is a section with a rail, much of the area is an open cliff so take care to watch children and pets.
Lake Powell
Glen Canyon Dam is the second-tallest concrete-arch dam in the United States behind Hoover Dam. An overlook provides a great view of the dam and the Colorado River. There are parking spots on both sides of the bridge and a walkway along it.
The dam formed Lake Powell. Boat tours on the lake are a popular activity in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. We went on a boat tour of Antelope Canyon.
Visitors can also explore the area by foot, raft, paddlecraft, and air.
Antelope Canyon
There are three basic areas in Antelope Canyon: Lower, Upper, and Canyon X. We went on a long-awaited tour of Lower Antelope Canyon. This was one of my absolute favorite things and I would definitely recommend it. Because this is on Navajo land you must have a guide and pre-book since it fills up fast.
If You Have More Time
Unique Sites
- Hoover Dam
- Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered; visitors can gaze through a telescope and take a constellation tour
- Taliesin West, a Frank Lloyd Wright site in Scottsdale
- Tombstone, a Wild West town where the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral occurred in 1881
National Monuments
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Tonto National Monument
State Parks
Catalina State Park, Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Homolovi State Park, Kartchner Caverns State Park, Patagonia Lake State Park, and Picacho Peak State Park
Wildlife Refuges
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
This is only the tip of the iceberg of things to do and see but it’s a perfect start to get a feel for all Arizona has to offer. I know you’ll have an amazing time!