Phoenix is the capital of the US state of Arizona. This city is famous for its outstanding hotel resorts, desert gardens, and year-round hot temperature. The city of phoenix is rather new. It was founded in February 1881. It has an area of about 1340 square kilometers.
The Phoenix is a beautiful place and has many amazing places nearby to explore. Here we curated the best Road Trips From Phoenix.
Road Trips From Phoenix
Talking about road trips, there are plenty of them that you can take from the city of Phoenix. Here we curated
1. The Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon is one of America’s best-known natural features situated just 224 miles from Phoenix. There are quite a number of activities that you can do there. To reach the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, you can take Interstate 17 north to Flagstaff. After it, take Interstate 40 west that reaches Williams. At Exit 164, head north on State Route 64 to the town of Tusayan, from where it’s about a 230-mile drive to the destination.
2. Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert resort city in California. It is situated at a distance of around 270 miles from Phoenix. Known for hot weather, golf courses and spas, a road trip to Palm Springs is worth it. There is an art museum, a mind-blowing aerial tramway tour, a dino museum, and whatnot. If you are planning a visit with family or friends, trust me, you won’t regret it.
3. Mogollon Rim
On Route 87 to the town of Payson, lies a 2000 foot tall ridge known as Mogollon Rim. It runs about 200 miles through Arizona. The area is a part of Tonto National Forest. The top of the ridge is a lot cooler than the Phoenix city area. The javelinas are a common occurrence here. Overall, Mogollon Rim is a great road trip from Phoenix.
4. Sedona
Surrounded by vivid red rock mountains, Sedona is quite a popular destination among travelers. Although the town consists of around 10000 people, Sedona is one of the most scenic towns in the entire Southwest. There is a lot to do in this small town. You can go hiking, shopping, biking, and sightseeing. There are many great eateries here. The temperate weather of this town is almost perfect for anything you want to do.
5. Sonoran Desert
Nearly all the southern half of Arizona is a desert-like land called the Sonoran Desert. The thing about this place is the vast variety of ecosystems. About all the world’s biomes can be found here including tundra, desert, grassland, deciduous forest, and coniferous. The type of track in the Sonoran Desert is a dirt road. There are also short hiking trails all around the place. Some man-made establishments like gardens, aquariums, and an aviary can also be found here.
6. Montezuma Castle National Monument
This place is righteously an heirloom from the past. It was carved into an apartment-like housing by a native American tribe by the name of Sinagua. The tribe was the origins; inhabitants of the area about 600 hundred years ago. President Theodore Roosevelt honored the site by naming it one of the country’s first national monuments in 1906. Today, there is an on-site museum here and visitors can visit it freely.
7. Saguaro National Park
This park was built originally to ensure the survival of the Saguaro Cactus. Today the Saguaro Cactus stands as a symbol of the American West. At present, the park offers various activities like camping, trekking, and of course, desert landscape sightseeing. The park is open all around the year with Christmas Day as an exception. There are also special nighttime events that are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
8. Prescott
Prescott was the former original capital of Arizona. This was changed because of the extreme weather conditions of this place and the dependency of the railroad to reach the place. Today, Prescott is a small city of 40,000 people. Historical buildings from the Victorian era have been preserved till now. You can visit here all around the year. There are various shopping establishments, restaurants, golf courses, and a small zoo here. The temperature is also temperate here.
9. Flagstaff
At an elevation of about 7000 feet, Flagstaff is an amazing place to visit. The weather here is very different from that in Phoenix. The city is surrounded by pine trees. There are many historic buildings and sports stores here. The iconic Route 66 is also partly present in the downtown area of the city. During the winters, it snows a lot at Flagstaff which makes the city even more majestic and beautiful. Just outside the town, there is Arizona Snowbowl ski hill which is a famous ski resort built on the slopes of an inactive volcano.
10. The mission of San Xavier del Bac
Often known as “The White Dove of the Desert”. This Catholic parish has been in the service of the people since 1797. Before becoming part of the United States, it was a part of Spain and Mexico. The architecture of the building is based on the Spanish style. The church is open for masses and special events. There is a museum and a gift shop in the church.
11. Tortilla Flat
Tortilla Flat is yet another good road trip from Phoenix. The striking feature of this place. Well, it is solace. With a single-digit population and a couple of buildings, this place is famous among travelers for solace and lunches. If you wanna ride away from the crowd, this is the place. Activities that can be done here are hiking, strolling by the Apache Lake, and taking a great cruise of the Canyon Lake.
12. Jerome
If you are interested in mining, or just wanna explore a mining city, head over to Jerome. Jerome is located ninety miles north of Phoenix. In earlier days, Jerome was a thriving copper mining community that got ghost towns during the Depression. The town is popular today as a tourist spot. You can still find shops and various other establishments from the mining days.
Phoenix’s prestigious neighborhood is home to many important archaeological sites, wonders, and parks offering a plethora of outdoor adventures. There are a great number of road trips from Phoenix that can lead you to places you have never seen before.
