The U.S. - Southwest / May 4, 2021

Best Travel Spots in Arizona

There are so many unique spots to hit in Arizona, narrowing down the list to the best travel spots in Arizona is difficult but not impossible. The top hidden gems covered here are The Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Canyon de Chelly, and Art Museum Phoenix. The top things to do are all about the nature and you are going to love it. Rafting the rapids in the Grand Canyon, skiing the mountain in Flagstaff, horse back riding in Canyon de Chelly, and the most unique art museum in Phoenix.

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.

We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.

Table of Contents

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is mind-blowingly big, when you stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon it is like you are on the edge of the world. There are multiple hikes, from easy paved trails to a deep descents into the canyon, be warned the hike back up can be very strenuous so make sure to keep that in mind when deciding on the hike.

The Grand Canyon is so grand because it has been carved away by the Colorado River. The Colorado River is 277 miles long and can be up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep. The kind of water can really do some carving. The canyon is 5-6 million years old. It was considered a holy site by the Ancestral Puebloans, and they were only one of the distinct cultures to live in the canyon over the years. It was made a National Monument in 1908 and a National Park in 1919.

There are three gated entrances to the Grand Canyon, the south rim. the east rim and the north rim. The north rim closes in the winter when conditions require, so check the NPS website to ensure the location you are going to is open. The south rim entrance has the three hikes that are most popular: Rim Trail, Grandview Trail, and Bright Angel Trail. The easiest and most popular is The Bright Angel Trail and can be as easy or as difficult as you would like, up to 12 miles roundtrip. Hopi Point is a great spot to watch the sunset.

Any of the entrances to the park will offer amazing views, and amazing hikes if you are so inclined.

Flagstaff

Flagstaff Arizona is a great launch point for the Grand Canyon, and has a very interesting history. It is located in Northern Arizona in Coconino County. It was inhabited by the Sinagua from 500 to 1425, when they moved further north and became the Hopi. Until Manifest destiny destroyed lives and homes, the Yavapai also occupied the land.

The land was developed by Edward Whipple in 1871 along Wagon Road. It was also along the Transcontinental Rail Road, and due to its proximity it grew rapidly. During the 1890’s lumber and timber became major industries. Even with all this development through the years Flagstaff still has a very small town feel in the best ways. It was designated the first International Dark Sky City, and has Lowell Observatory which discovered Pluto as a planet (don’t tell them that has changed)!

Flagstaff has so much to do and even a weekend is not enough time for all the fun. The top things to do are to visit San Francisco Peak, view a real meteorite and the rings of Saturn at Lowell Observatory, and best of all eat the best Indian food ever.

The tallest mountain in Arizona is San Francisco Peak Humphreys Peak at 12,633 feet above sea level. This mountain offers skiing in the winter, a chair lift to beautiful views in the summer, but the most epic experience is Aspen Corner in the Fall. The Aspens have white bark and change to the most beautiful yellow leaves you have ever seen. Check the conditions for skiing in the winter. Keep in mind this is a very high elevation, so it can be chilly even in the summer at the top of the mountain.

After, hitting up the mountain you will be hungry and the best Indian food hands down is Delhi Palace. The lunch buffet is something I still dream about on the regular. Literally, you can load up on Tikki Masala, delicious sides, and the dessert rice pudding is amazing!

The Lowell Observatory is where they discovered Pluto, (please, I repeat, don’t tell them that Pluto isn’t a planet)! This observatory is such a cool spot to visit, especially with kids. The last time we went, we were able to see the red spot of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn! How cool is that?! Always check the weather as clear skies will be the best condition for sky gazing, and if you check their schedule before you go you can find out what they are viewing each night. This is a once in a lifetime kind of experience, and it should be on everyone’s bucket list!

meteorite at Lowell Observatory — Meteorite at Lowell Observatory Flagstaff Arizona

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly located in Chinle, Arizona is off the beaten path, in the middle of the Navajo Reservation. Chinle is in Northern Arizona, and it is a 324 mile drive from Phoenix, so it is far off the beaten path, but it is so worth it. Getting there is a 4 hour drive from Albuquerque New Mexico and 5 hours from Phoenix Arizona. The Grand Canyon is huge and almost overwhelming, Canyon de Chelly is the perfect size, it is approachable and can be done in a long weekend.

The Dine’ (Navajo) People hold Canyon de Chelly as a sacred place, with history and heritage all in one place. They settled between the 4 mountains, and Canyon de Chelly is located just 5 miles from Chinle in the middle of those 4 mountains. You can drive along the rim drive and look at the canyon through its 10 overlooks. The 3 in the north rim area are best for morning pictures, and the 7 on the south rim are best for afternoon photos. There is no fee to enter the park.

There is only one hiking trail you can use to enter the park without a Navajo led tour guide, that is White House Trail. The Anasazi People lived in the canyon 4,000 years ago. The White House Ruins are the very well preserved ruins of their home from that time. The hike down and back is only 3 miles roundtrip and as it is not too steep can be completed in 2-3 hours, less than that if you are motivated.

Natural Beauty at Canyon de Chelly Arizona

I highly recommend booking a tour in advance, you can do a horseback tour, or a jeep tour, both must be booked in advance, but it is well worth planning ahead. I have done the horse back ride through the canyon and the history and experience will be a once in a lifetime experience. Make sure to tip your guides!

When driving along the rim drive, make sure to stop at all the overlooks, there are Navajo Artists that sell their art on each overlook and as you are buying direct from the artist the quality and price are unbelievable. I have bought so many pieces of the most amazing jewelry, pottery and handmade rugs! I even bought a gorgeous painting of the canyon, which in my opinion is the best souvenir you can get.

One of the best overlooks is Spider Rock, this is the home of Spider Woman, the mythical weaver who taught the Navajo the beautiful art of rug weaving. The rock defies gravity rising 830 feet from the canyon floor, and is a site you must see to believe.

spider rock monument at Canyon de Chelly — Spider Rock monument at Canyon de Chelly

Phoenix Art Museum

Phoenix is Arizona’s largest city and has some amazing hidden gems in the city, and although there are so many big city things to do, the most surprising and unique is the Phoenix Art Museum or PHXART. It is located on North Central Avenue and is open Tuesday through Sunday. The collection offers so many options, European, American and Western, modern and a fashion exhibit.

The Fashion Exhibit spans five centuries and holds 8,000 items. It is amazing and it highlights the changes in fashion through time. It also has some of the most beautiful items of clothing you might ever see in real life. Haute couture has nothing on some of these items.

The most interesting part of this museum is the layout, take a map, but also just wander. There are stairs up and down, and so many nooks and crannies with amazing little finds. Go get lost for a while and find the some amazing art. If there is a traveling exhibit make sure to experience it as well, because life is short but beautiful art makes it feel longer.