When
visiting Arizona, there are many places to see.
Two places that come to mind right away that top people’s lists are the
Grand Canyon and Tombstone. Of course
they should be on your list, but there are other places you should check out as
well.
Sedona and Oak Creek
The city of
Sedona spans to some degree in the Verde Valley, between Coconino and Yavapai
counties. Surrounding the downtown are vivid orange-red sandstone rock
creations as vibrant as Sedona’s sunset. There are many places to hike and
enjoy the breathtaking scenery this place has to offer. People come to this serene settlement for the
mountainous hiking trails, spiritual healing powers of the vortexes, and even
for some UFO hunting. Sedona has it all. One of the main characteristics of
this town is its many vortexes which seem to have New Age spiritual healing
abilities. Some are certain the organic formations of the red mountains are
contributing factors to the energy of these soothing powers. Sedona’s vortexes have since become so
popular that visitor centers now offer handouts and maps pointing out their
locations. There are also guided tours, which highlight Native American and New
Age spirituality. Sedona is a wonderful place for hiking, camping, and taking
jeep tours to some on the area’s utmost remarkable sites. Sedona also offers
lots of shopping, places to dine, a variety of hotels and resorts. It is only a few miles from the Verde Valley
wine country, old mining town of Jerome, the Native American ruins of Tuzigoot,
and Flagstaff.
I can’t talk
about Sedona and all its wonders without mentioning Oak Creek Canyon. This
breathtaking ravine is located near Sedona and south of Flagstaff. One of the
Grand Canyon’s little sisters, this picturesque valley of trees, red rocks and
wandering creek is a site to be appreciated. From Flagstaff you are first
overjoyed with the scenic overpass where many Native Americans have tables of
their handmade goods for sale. After taking in the beauty of the canyon, it is
time to drive the winding roads and U shape turns to reach the bottom of the
canyon. It is approximately 13 miles from the lookout to Sedona but you there
are places to stop at along the way. One
of those places along the route is Slide Rock State Park. Slide Rock got its
name from the natural water slide formed by the slippery bed of Oak Creek. It is located in Oak Creek Canyon and only 7
miles from Sedona. Be sure to bring a
few pairs of pants because the smooth rocks on the slide will wear holes in
your drawers. There are several places for you to have a picnic along Oak Creek
as well as places to camp. You can pitch a tent, roll out your RV or rent one
of the several cabins located inside the canyon. No matter where you stop in
Oak Creek Canyon, the views are to die for.
Monument Valley
This place
is located in the Navajo Nation and the Four Corners area where Arizona meets
Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. It has
been noted as the “most photographed landmark”
in the United States. With its vibrant
red scenery and unusual shaped rock monuments, this area has been seen in many
movies shot in that location. I went
there as a teen with my family and hoping to go there again this fall with
Sharon.
Flagstaff
About 3
hours north of Phoenix on Interstate 17 and located in Coconino County, sits
the city of Flagstaff. It rests in the
center of the “world’s largest ponderosa
pine forest” where hiking and camping are plentiful. Flagstaff has many historic sites, museums,
shops, restaurants, Native American items, and is close to many other national
parks. This charming metropolis offers
an infinite amount of activities for you and your family to enjoy. The enormous mountain that is visible
anywhere in town is the San Francisco Peaks.
On this mountain you will find the Snow Bowl for skiing and a lodge with
cabins for your vacation stay. In the
summer, the lifts will take you to the top where you can experience a
breathtaking view of the valley below.
There are many historic and interesting sites to see while staying in
Flagstaff. The Arboretum has a large
array of plants which are indigenous to the area. The historic site of the Pioneer Museum is
located in the city as well as the Lowell Observatory, North Arizona University,
and a historic district with many old buildings, shops, and restaurants. Grand Canyon is only 80 miles north of
Flagstaff, and takes you along a scenic drive of thick forest and dazzling
mountains. Located about 31 miles from
Flagstaff in Williams, you can visit Bearizona Wildlife Park. This place is where guests can maneuver
through paths and observe the natural world of wild animals all from the safety
of their own automobiles. Meteor Crater
was created about 50,000 year ago when a hug chasm was formed after a meteor
struck the earth about 35 miles east of Flagstaff. This crater measured three-quarters of a mile
wide and was about 700 feet deep. Sunset
Crater and Lava Park, Wupatki Ruins, Fort Tuthill, and many petroglyph sites
are also just short drives from Flagstaff.
Phoenix
In the city
to which I live, there are many things to do here. I would say, start your vacation here, and
then head north or south or east or west to other towns after spending time in
Phoenix. While in Phoenix, check out the
many historic sites, museums, downtown district, ball parks, restaurants, and
amazing sunsets. Some of the places to
see are the Desert Botanical Gardens, Arizona Science Center, Japanese
Friendship Garden, Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Tovrea Castle, Mystery
Castle, hiking trails, and much more.
From Phoenix and just a short drive away are the many cities surrounding
this large metropolis. They each have
their own unique history and attention-grabbing places to see.
Mining Towns
Arizona has
lots of mining towns with remarkable history and great places to urban
explore. In the southern part of the
state, you will find Tombstone, Bisbee, Pearce, Patagonia, and Ruby. Pearce and Ruby are pretty much ghost towns
that you can visit, the others have hotels or B&B’s for you to stay in. In
the eastern part of the state are towns such as Superior, Miami, Globe, Kearney,
Hayden, and Lowell. I had stayed in
Globe several times at the Noftsger Hill Inn.
It is an elementary school which was converted into a B&B. You will find lots of history and ghosts in
that place. In the western part of the
state there is Oatman, Wickenburg, and Vulture City. Although Vulture City is not accessible at
the moment, I am hoping to get a chance to photograph that place once more. In the northern section of the state are
places such as Jerome and Bagdad. Jerome
is location on the side of a mountain and has narrow/winding roads that run
through town. Be sure to cruise about
each place for not only historic sites, but out of the ordinary abandoned places
to photograph.
Lakes and Rivers
Yes people,
Arizona do have its fair share of places to enjoy water activities. Phoenix has several waterparks and is just a
short drive from many of the lakes and rivers throughout the state. One of the places Zonies like to go is the
Salt River. You can enjoy a day of
swimming, tubing and picnicking in and along the river. Here is a list of the many lakes and rivers
around the state:
Phoenix
Area Lakes: Apache Lake,
Bartlett Lake, Canyon Lake, Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Tempe Town Lake
Central
Arizona Lakes: Alamo Lake, Roosevelt
Lake, Colorado River Lakes, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Powell
Flagstaff
AZ Lakes: Ashurst Lake, Blue
Ridge Reservoir, Kinnikinick Lake, Mormon Lake, Upper Lake Mary
Payson
Arizona Lakes: Bear Canyon Lake,
Black Canyon Lake, Blue Ridge Reservoir, Chevelon Canyon Lake, Knoll Lake,
Willow, Springs Lake, Woods Canyon Lake
Prescott
AZ Lakes: Goldwater Lake, Lynx
Lake, Watson Lake, Willow Lake
Southern
Arizona: Patagonia Lake
White
Mountains Lakes: Becker Lake, Big
Lake,
Crescent Lake, Fool Hollow Lake, Hawley
Lake,
Luna Lake, Lyman Lake, Rainbow Lake, Show Low Lake, Woodland
Lake
