Top 5 Arizona Highlights Include Wonders of Our World and Deep-Sky

I remember the Arizona Highlights magazine arriving at our house as a child. I was fascinated by how different the state looked compared to New England, where I was born and raised. I loved seeing the cactus, red rocks, and desert landscape and imagined what it was like for the settlers traveling in wagons across such a vast, dry, and unforgiving area.

There’s so much to see and do in Arizona. It’s ideal for hikers and nature lovers. It’s a golfer’s dream. The distance can be great between many of the national parks and cities, so expect long drive times, particularly if you plan to visit multiple iconic destinations. In New England, on a two-hour drive, you can cut through multiple states. It will take over two hours in Arizona to go from one must-see site to the next, like from the Grand Canyon to Sedona.

Many active older adults head to Arizona for the sunshine and blue skies. There’s quite a difference in temperature depending on where you are in the state and the elevation. During one visit in April, it was 90°F in Phoenix, and the next day it lightly snowed at the Grand Canyon. The heat is so high in Phoenix during the summer months that many locals head to ‘high country’. My favorite months to visit are February-April and October-December. Early spring, in particular, is beautiful.

Where should you go? Here’s a list of our top 5 favorites.

Grand Canyon National Park

View from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. (Photo: Erik J. Kramer)

Of course, the Grand Canyon is on our list. It’s a rare gem. Even when you stand at its edge, you will struggle to believe it’s real and not just a painting. I think this is due to its immense size. It’s over 275 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep.

There are many miles of trails. Most of the trails heading to the canyon floor are narrow and, of course, steep. Remember, if you walk down a trail, you have to walk back up. The drive along the South Rim, which is where most visitors arrive, includes several overlooks.

Monument Valley

(l-r) West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte, and Merrick Butte in Monument Valley. (Photo: Erik J Kramer)

Monument Valley is located on the Arizona-Utah state border, not far from Four Corners (where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet). It’s a little over four hours from the Grand Canyon by car. You’ll be driving through the desert the entire time, so bring a book on tape or a good playlist. The scenery doesn’t change much once you’re in the Colorado Plateau (the bulk of the trip), but there’s something about driving in the Midwest—you have to experience it at least once in your life. Otherwise, you’ll never fully understand how vast this section of the U.S. truly is.

Monument Valley is not a U.S. National Park as many believe. It is a Navajo Nation Tribal Park located on the Navajo Indian Reservation, and the valley is considered a sacred area. For a small fee ($20/car), you can drive the 17-mile dirt road around the sandstone buttes. The rest of the park requires a Navajo guide. A Visitor’s Center with restrooms, a Trading Post, and The View Hotel are just inside the park entrance. You cannot hike in this park without a Navajo guide, with the exception of one trail near The View Hotel.

Sedona Red Rocks Region

The famous Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona. (Photo: Erik J Kramer)

Sedona is about 2 hours north of Phoenix, AZ, and about 2.5 hours south of the Grand Canyon. The town is filled with art galleries, restaurants, shops, and jeep tours. Alternative healing practitioners and spiritual seekers claim the location, with its four vortexes (electromagnetic energy sources) discovered in the 1970s, is ideal for healing and emotional rejuvenation. Maybe.

For sure, the hiking and sunsets are phenomenal. You’ll want to spend at least a few days here. One easy/moderate hike we particularly enjoy is Cathedral Rock for its classic views. Always carry extra water.

Phoenix/Scottsdale Area

Hike Camelback Mountain

View from Camelback Mountain near the summit. (Photo: Erik J. Kramer)

Fair warning—both trails (Echo Canyon and Cholla) are rated difficult because of the steep ascent and some areas that require hand-over-hand climbing or using handrails. Both are about 2.5 miles out and back. The trails are popular with visitors and locals because Camelback is conveniently located in the middle of the Phoenix Valley. When you reach the summit, you have a 360° view of the area, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley. Bring extra water.

Old Town Scottsdale

Weekends in Old Town are filled with bachelorette parties, pub crawls on pedal party bikes, and many visitors and locals enjoying the over 100 restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs in the area. Old Town is split into districts—historic, art gallery, shopping, and entertainment—so there’s something for virtually everyone, and it’s all walkable (in fact, parking can be a challenge).

Flagstaff Area

If you’re interested in stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and the like, Flagstaff and the surrounding area should be on your bucket list.

Lowell Observatory Campus

Flagstaff is recognized as an International Dark-Sky City by the International Dark-Sky Association, making night sky viewing spectacular. The Lowell Observatory campus is located there and offers a number of day and evening tours and open houses.

Lowell Discovery Telescope

Lowell Discovery Telescope monitors asteroids and investigates distant galaxies. (Photo: Erik J. Kramer)

About 40 minutes from Flagstaff is Happy Jack, AZ, where the Lowell Discovery Telescope—one of the strongest telescopes in the world—is located. Small group tours on Sundays only are available here.

Meteor Crater

Meteor Crater (a.k.a. Barringer Crater) caused by a nickel-iron meteorite 50,000 years ago. (Photo: Selfie)

Ever wonder what the Earth looks like after a meteorite hits? Visit Meteor Crater, a National Natural Landmark. It’s just 37 miles east of Flagstaff.

50,000 years ago, a 160-foot meteorite hit Earth, creating a crater that has a 3/4 mile diameter and 560-foot depth. Signs in the area indicate it was traveling at 26,000 MPH. Most of the meteorite vaporized at impact, but you can see a piece of it in the Crater Visitor Center. NASA astronauts have trained here. It’s a 30-45 minute drive from Flagstaff.

With so many more sites to see in Arizona, it was hard to identify our ‘Top 5’. If you’ve visited the state recently, what were your favorite stops?