10 Best Day Trips From Phoenix

One of the best things about basing yourself in Phoenix is everything you can reach in a day. Within a couple hours of the Valley, the saguaro desert gives way to red-rock canyons, pine forests, mile-high mountain towns, old mining settlements, and one of the natural wonders of the world. With an early start, all of these make doable day trips, though several reward an overnight if you have the time. Here are 10 of the best day trips from Phoenix, roughly from closest to farthest.

1. Sedona (about 2 hours)

Sedona is the classic Phoenix day trip. Wrapped in towering red sandstone formations, it offers world-class hiking, a charming uptown shopping district, art galleries, and a reputation as a wellness and spiritual destination thanks to its famous energy vortexes. Hit an easy red-rock trail in the morning, wander the shops at midday, and soak in the glowing cliffs at sunset. See what is on at the Sedona hub.

2. Prescott (about 1.5 to 2 hours)

Prescott sits a mile high in the central Arizona highlands and feels like a different climate entirely, cooler, greener, and built around a classic tree-shaded courthouse square. The historic Whiskey Row saloons, antique shops, and nearby granite-boulder hiking at the Granite Dells make it a relaxed, walkable escape from the desert heat. Browse Prescott events before you go.

3. Jerome (about 2 hours)

Perched on the side of Cleopatra Hill above the Verde Valley, Jerome is a former copper-mining boomtown turned artist colony. Once nearly a ghost town, it is now packed with hillside galleries, wine-tasting rooms, historic buildings, and a reputation as one of the most haunted towns in the country. The views over the valley from its switchback streets are spectacular. Check what is happening in Jerome.

4. The Verde Valley wine country (about 1.5 to 2 hours)

Below Jerome, the Verde Valley has quietly become Arizona wine country. Tasting rooms cluster through small towns like Cottonwood and Cornville, often set against pretty riverside and red-rock scenery. It pairs naturally with a Sedona or Jerome trip and makes a relaxed day out, just bring a designated driver.

5. Flagstaff (about 2.5 hours)

At around 7,000 feet, Flagstaff is a pine-forested, four-season mountain town built along old Route 66 and the railroad. It is the world's first International Dark Sky City, home to Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered, and a great base for the San Francisco Peaks, Walnut Canyon, and Sunset Crater. In summer it is a cool refuge; in winter it gets real snow. See Flagstaff happenings.

6. The Grand Canyon (about 3.5 to 4 hours)

It is a long day, but the Grand Canyon's South Rim is reachable from Phoenix and unforgettable, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a sight that genuinely lives up to the hype. With a very early start you can drive up, walk the rim trail, take in the overlooks, and return, though staying overnight nearby makes for a far more relaxed experience. Many visitors opt for an organized excursion to skip the driving. Explore options on the Grand Canyon day trip page.

7. Saguaro National Park (about 2 hours)

Near Tucson, Saguaro National Park protects some of the densest forests of giant saguaro cactus on Earth, split into two districts on either side of the city. Loop drives and desert trails put you right among the towering cactuses, some well over a century old. It pairs perfectly with a Tucson day trip.

8. Tucson (about 1.5 to 2 hours)

Arizona's second city, Tucson, has a personality all its own, older, more bohemian, and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy famous for its Sonoran Mexican food. Between the national park, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a lively revitalized downtown, and the drive up Mount Lemmon, there is far more than a day's worth. Start with the Tucson hub.

9. Bisbee (about 3.5 hours)

Tucked into the mountains of southern Arizona, Bisbee is a beautifully preserved former mining town that reinvented itself as a quirky arts community. Its steep, narrow streets are lined with Victorian buildings, galleries, antique shops, and historic hotels. It is a longer haul, best as an overnight or paired with a southern-Arizona loop, but its old-world character is unlike anywhere else in the state.

10. Apache Trail and the desert lakes (about 1 to 1.5 hours)

Closer to home, the area east of the Valley around the Superstition Mountains offers a scenic loop past desert lakes like Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake, the historic mining-themed stop at Goldfield, and dramatic Sonoran Desert scenery. It is the easiest true day trip on this list and a great introduction to Arizona's desert beyond the city.

Tips for day trips from Phoenix

• Start early. The farther destinations, especially the Grand Canyon, demand a dawn departure to be comfortable.
• Pack layers. The high country can be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than Phoenix, with snow in winter.
• Mind the season. In summer, head uphill, Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff, the canyon, to escape the desert heat. In winter, the low-desert trips shine.
• Consider a tour. For the longest drives, an organized excursion lets you enjoy the scenery instead of the wheel.

Plan your Arizona day trip

Few cities are surrounded by as much variety as Phoenix, red rocks, pine forests, mining towns, wine country, and a world wonder, all within a day's reach. To see events, festivals, and seasonal happenings at your destination, start with the Sedona and Tucson hubs and build your trip from there.