Most Arizona hotels offer free cancellation. Consider booking refundable hotels rather than non-refundable ones. Just look for the โfree cancellationโ message during your hotel search. Prices can vary, but right now we believe that flexibility matters.
For more information about the impact of COVID-19 on your Arizona trip, please visit our Coronavirus Information page (opens in new window).
Reviewed on Jun 12, 2021
Reviewed on Jun 12, 2021
Reviewed on Jun 11, 2021
Reviewed on Jun 12, 2021
3.5/5Good!(2,458 area reviews)
Cheer on the Phoenix Suns at an NBA game or walk around the cityโs historic precinct as you explore the state capital.
4.5/5Wonderful!(739 area reviews)
North Scottsdale is popular for its pristine golf courses, and if you're looking for more to see and do, you might think about a trip to Westworld of Scottsdale or Tournament Players Club (TPC) of Scottsdale.
4.5/5Wonderful!(633 area reviews)
The stunning river views and popular shops highlight some of the most notable features of Uptown Sedona. Make a stop by Sedona Art Center while you're exploring the area.
3.5/5Good!(888 area reviews)
Deer Valley is popular for its abundant dining options, and if you're looking for more to see and do, you might think about a trip to Happy Valley Towne Centre or Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix.
4.5/5Wonderful!(1,928 area reviews)
Find everything you need in this bustling neighborhood in Arizonaโs Red Rock region, from restaurants and hikes to scenic drives.
Reviewed on Jun 12, 2021
Reviewed on Jun 12, 2021
Reviewed on Jun 11, 2021
Fly straight into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is just 5 miles from downtown, and check into your hotel so you can freshen up and get ready to explore your surroundings.
Where to stay: Book a Phoenix city center hotel with our Arizona package deals. You can admire twinkling city lights from the Hyatt Regency Phoenix or enjoy the rooftop pool at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix Cityscape.
Once youโre ready to get out and about, here are our suggestions for your first day in Phoenix:
Transportation: Itโs easy to get around central Phoenix on foot, by bike or on the Valley Metro Rail. However, we do recommend renting a car for the rest of your trip so you can see some of the beautiful natural surroundings. Itโs easy to rent a car at the airport when you get in.
In the morning, jump into your rental car and escape into nature. Itโs a scenic drive of about 2 hours to Sedonaโs famous red rock landscapes, and there are plenty of activities close by.
Where to stay: Opt for a cozy coupleโs retreat in the heart of nature, which also gives you a perfect base for leisurely sightseeing. Options include Lโauberge de Sedona, where you can indulge in decadent spa treatments and be just steps from the on-site restaurant Cress on Oak Creek, mentioned above. Or, book a stay at Amara Resort and Spa, which offers spectacular mountain views from your bedroom. To minimize travel time, we recommend that you be based here while in Sedona, as well as for your trips to nearby sights over the next 2 days.
Transportation: For an Arizona itinerary with plenty of flexibility, you should drive your rental car to seek out adventures over the next few days. Alternatively, shuttles and buses connect Phoenix, Sedona and the Grand Canyon.
From your Sedona hotel, head south toward the Village of Oak Creek. Allow a full day to explore every corner with visits to Montezuma Castle National Monument, the ancient ruins at Montezuma Well and Jerome, a former ghost town thatโs now an arts and crafts community.
Put your palette to the test on the Verde Valley Wine Trail, which weaves around Cottonwood, Jerome, Clarkdale and Cornville. Five wineries and six tasting rooms ensure you experience a great range of Arizona wines within the diverse landscapes of red rock country. We recommend arranging transport to and from Verde Valley if you think youโll both want to take part in the wine tour!
No vacation in Arizona is complete without a trip to Grand Canyon National Park. If you feel like road tripping it, take the car for a spin through Oak Creek Canyon and Flagstaff, with a host of enchanting natural wonders to take in along the way. Or, if you fancy a day off driving on your Arizona vacation, then let someone else take the wheel by booking a guided tour from Sedona. You could even splurge on a helicopter ride!
Some other recommended activities either by tour bus or car:
Lookdown into the depths of the Grand Canyon,up to the red rocks of Sedona or allaround at the prickly saguaro cacti to appreciate the range of Arizonaโsnatural beauty. Several large cities offer contrasting interests of modernconveniences and Native American culture.
The ColoradoRiver winds through northern Arizona, etching a path 1 mile (1.6 kilometers)deep through colorful sedimentary rocks to create the Grand Canyon. Visit thisnational park north of Flagstaff.Itโs particularly striking to observe the sunrise, with the walls graduallylighting up as the sun rises above the horizon.ย Reserve in advance to stay in the rustic Phantom Ranch lodge at the river level and hike or ride a mule downthe steep switchback trail.
Near Holbrook, see very old artifacts in Petrified Forest National Park and the PaintedDesert: dinosaur fossils and petrified wood that are more than 200 millionyears old along with more than 13,000 years of human history at 350 NativeAmerican sites.
Go toPhoenix for big-city excitement witha laidback style. Enjoy diverse attractions that include museums forfirefighting and musical instruments, castle and pueblo architecture and abotanical garden in this unlikely desert location. Arizona State University-West Campus, with over 60,000 students,offers an incredible college sports scene and a renowned public art collection.
Drivefurther south to Tucson for greatgolf. Here youโll find Saguaro NationalPark and other outdoor spots with the tall tree-like cacti and desertwildlife. The Mexican border is just an hourโs drive south. Sample Arizonaโsunique cuisine of authentic Mexican salsas, prickly pear cactus cocktails andbaked goods made with sweet mesquite flour.
Summersin Arizona are very hot and dry. The rest of the year is pleasant, making thestate a popular spot for people seeking an active retirement or a relaxingvacation. Watch the desert come alive with bright flowers after a rare rainshower. In winter, you can even go snow skiing in Flagstaff and Williams.
Those of us who get to live in Arizona know how great this state really is, or at least the parts we live in. And now is the perfect time to take thatย Arizona road tripย and get to know the rest of it.ย Whether thatโs just taking a shortย Phoenix to Flagstaff driveย or youโre going from the Grand Canyon down to Tucson. You can get one of the cheapย car rentals in Phoenixย and head up to one of these incredibleย hotels in Sedonaย orย vacation rentals in Flagstaff. Or pick up aย car rental in Tucsonย andย spend a weekend in Phoenix. The options are endless, and the road trip memories you make will last forever.
Take all thoseย Arizona road trip ideasย and turn them into an itinerary so that you donโt miss anything from yourย wishlist. Aย 5-day Arizona road tripย might take you west from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon, then down to Lake Havasu, over to Phoenix, up to Sedona, before returning back to Flagstaff. Wherever youโre driving from, you can customize your road trip plan on Expedia. And you can save more on every booking when you bundle hotels and cars together.
Spice life up a bit when you takeย weekend road tripsย through your favorite state. Travelers from all over the world dream of one place that Arizonans have in their backyard. Make โemย all jealous with a weekend trip to theseย Grand Canyon hotelsย and then wake up to join some of the world-classย Grand Canyon toursย offered there.ย If you'd rather spend your weekend getting pampered instead of in the great outdoors, try one of the spas at these top-ratedย hotels in Phoenix.
If youโre taking aย road trip to Arizonaย from out of state, youโve chosen the right option. Why fly when you would miss all the beautiful sights seen driving. And to have the most amount of flexibility and freedom on yourย Arizona sightseeing road trips, you might consider renting a car. You can get road-trip-ready cars atย Alamoย orย Budget car rentals. With super low prices, these cars wonโt put miles or strain on your own vehicle, while putting you in charge to call not only the shots but also all the stops.