You can spot a tourist in Arizona pretty quickly. They all have the same look of amazement. Mouths slightly agape with eyes wide searching for an alternative word for "stunning" or "gorgeous" to label their Martian surroundings. Most of us don't call the desert home, much less a desert as picturesque as the Sonoran.
For those tourists, like myself, Arizona is an opportune destination for a long-weekend retreat. Flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (and other regional airports) are frequent and fairly inexpensive. And this tested itinerary will give you a chance to see a surprising amount of Arizona's iconic landscapes in a weekend’s time.
Friday:
The two-hour flight west paired with a two hour time change allowed for a full day of exploring. We arrived at PHX in the early morning, boarded the rental car shuttle, and arrived at the large rental car facility. From there we hopped into the Ford Mustang convertible that was waiting for us.
First stop...Target. We stocked up on water, Gatorade, Cheetos and other road trip essentials before the 3.5-hour drive north on I-17 to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The road was smooth and wound through hills covered with Saguaro and Organ Pipe cacti. Along the way we passed Sedona and Flagstaff (where we refueled) before taking HWY-80 into Kaibab National Forest.
We arrived at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center in the early afternoon. November is not peak season; therefore, we didn't have any trouble parking near the entrance to the trails and facilities. Mather Point was a quick walk away from the parking lot and where we had our first Grand Canyon spotting. We took in the red, curved stone and breathtaking vistas. It's really quite grand indeed. So much so that it almost doesn't look real.
Rim Trail hike was a breeze. The paved trail winds Northwest offering spectacular vantage points of the canyon and Colorado river below. We enjoyed 2.5 miles of scenery before arriving at Grand Canyon Village. The Village is home to numerous hotels, restaurants and stores for those visiting or staying the night in the park. We did a little shopping at the Hopi House before heading to the iconic El Tovar Hotel Dining Room for dinner. We warmed up by the fire as we watched the sun set on the canyon below.
After dinner we took the shuttle bus back to the Visitor Center. The complete darkness allowed for spectacular views of the stars...but a long two-hour drive to Sedona.
We arrived at our Sedona Airbnb that evening.
Saturday:
Having arrived after dark the night before, we woke to (literally) stunning vistas outside the windows of our Airbnb. A leisurely breakfast was followed by a short drive (roof retracted, of course) to the entrance to Devil's Bridge trailhead. Parking was limited, so we opted to park alongside the road.
The two-mile hike was moderately difficult, with un-level ground and a 400 ft. climb in altitude from the parking area. The closer we got to the bridge the narrower the trail became, and at times we had to climb our way up the side of the red-rock cliff. Yet, the reward was quite impressive. Devil's Bridge is a 50 ft. natural archway and one of Sedona's most iconic natural wonders.
Following our Devil's Bridge hike, we opted for another short hike before grabbing lunch. Red Rock Crossing Trail was located at Crescent Moon Ranch. Parking was limited, but available. We paid to enter the ranch and followed the sidewalk towards the natural trail that lined Oak Creek and offered unparalleled views of Cathedral Rock.
We returned to the Airbnb to clean up before heading to Uptown for some light shopping and a late lunch. 89Agave Cantina had great outdoor seating and a happy hour to boot. I particularly enjoyed their Funky Cacti margarita made with El Jimador Blanco, prickly pear, aloe vera liquor, lime and...salt!
After a morning of trekking, I was ready for an afternoon of relaxing at L’Apothecary Spa at L'Auberge de Sedona. In early November it was too cold for my 60-minute deep tissue massage to be held creekside, but I was glad for the indoor option nonetheless.
We ended the night at Tlaquepaque's Dias de los Muertos celebration. "Derived from the traditions of Mexico’s indigenous people, Dias de los Muertos is a millennia old holiday. It is believed that the spirits of the dead are released from heaven at Midnight the last night of October to return to earth to be rejoined with their families for twenty-four hours of festive celebrations" (Tlaquepaque.com). The famed shopping center was covered with candles and alters, marigolds, dancers and other live entertainment.
Sunday:
Sunday morning we headed into Sedona for some sightseeing and shopping.
Our first stop was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. "The Chapel of the Holy Cross, sitting high atop the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona, was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude...The chapel is built on Coconino National Forest land...[and] was completed in 1956" (history).
We ended our time in Sedona with a bit of shopping and lunch in Sedona's uptown district, before heading South towards Phoenix.
Along the way we paid a visit to Montezuma Castle National Monument, which is operated by the U.S. National Park Service. This 800+ year-old cliffside dwelling of the Sinagua people is a can't miss reason to pull off I-17 when driving through Camp Verde. "This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape. Early visitors to the monument were allowed access to the structure by climbing a series of ladders up the side of the limestone cliffs. However, due to extensive damage to this valuable cultural landmark, public access of the ruins was discontinued in 1951" (nps.gov). Today's visitors can comfortably walk along a sidewalk marveling up at this ancient native "castle."
The drive from Camp Verde to Phoenix took up an easy two hours. We arrived in central Phoenix with time to kill before our evening flight back home. Throughout the weekend we were able to enjoy much of Arizona's unique flora alongside the roadways or our hikes, but the Desert Botanical Garden offered a curated and well-manicured, up-close-and-personal experience with Arizona's indigenous prickles. The garden has five unique trails including a Sonoran Desert Nature Loop trail, with great views of the mountains that surround the botanical garden and Phoenix, and the Desert Wildflower Loop Trail, filled with blooming cactus and three different species of hummingbirds that live in the garden.
As the sun started to set, we made our way to the airport for our evening flight home. In three full days, and 500 round trip miles, we were able to take in the heart of Arizona.
Overview:
Planning a trip to Arizona? Check out my Arizona Been Places page for more trip ideas.
Happy trails,
AB
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