Ultimate Arizona Day Trips: Weekend Adventures Await
Arizona offers an incredible variety of day-trip options—think dramatic canyons, ancient ruins, volcanic terrain, ghost towns, and desert oases. Whether you’re based in Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Tucson, these getaways deliver big adventure minus overnight stays. From scenic train rides to natural water slides, here’s a selection of the best spots for your next weekend escape.
Arizona Grand Canyon Railway: All Aboard for Wild West Adventure
If you like trains, you will love the Grand Canyon Railway. The train departs from Williams, Arizona, for a 2-hour, 65-mile trip to the Grand Canyon South Rim. Options for the train trip range from Pullman Class to Luxury Parlor Car. Once you arrive at Grand Canyon Village, you have about three hours to enjoy the views. On the return trip, it is not unusual for the train to be boarded by friendly bandits. It is all part of the fun on the Grand Canyon Railroad. Williams, Arizona, is 30 miles west of Flagstaff.
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument: Walk Through Ancient Lava Flows
Fifteen miles north of Flagstaff along Highway 89 is Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. The visitor center is near the entrance, where you pay your fee and view displays about the area’s volcanic past. Several trails take you through the lava fields, but the top of the cinder cone is off-limits. Admission to Sunset Crater also includes entrance to Wupatki National Monument. Both monuments are easily accessible on a day trip from Flagstaff. Website. Website.
Wupatki National Monument: Step Into Ancient Pueblo Worlds
Wupatki National Monument is a fantastic place to visit near Flagstaff, Arizona. Impressive Ancient Pueblo ruins are found throughout the park. Unlike other monuments, you can walk up to and into the ruins here. One of the larger ruins is a short walk from the Wupatki Ruins Visitor Center. From there, you can take Loop Road and stop at various sites. Loop Road ends at Highway 89, where you can drive to Sunset Crater or return to Flagstaff. Wupatki National Monument is 44 miles from downtown Flagstaff.
Tuzigoot National Monument: Climb 1,000-Year-Old Sinagua Ruins
Wander atop this hilltop pueblo overlooking the Verde Valley at Tuzigoot National Monument and explore 1000-year-old Pueblo ruins. This monument was first excavated in 1933 in Clarkdale, Arizona. Today, there is a museum, visitor center, and the Verde Valley’s most extensive Sinagua pueblo ruins. Pets are not allowed in the ruins, but are allowed on the main trails.
Canyon de Chelly: Dramatic Overlooks & Navajo-Guided Adventures
Canyon De Chelly is a long day trip from Flagstaff, about a three-hour drive. After stopping at the visitor center, you have two choices. You can drive along the Rim Highway, pull over at the various canyon overlooks, or take a guided tour. Tours usually last about 4 hours, so plan to spend 1 night if you take a canyon tour. There is no entrance fee for the park. Guided Canyon Tours run about 250.00 dollars for up to four persons.
Desert Belle Cruises: Scenic Lake With Sonoran Desert vistas
The sprawling deck of the Desert Belle is your gateway to scenic sights. Expect spectacular views of the Sonoran Desert as you cruise along Saguaro Lake. Watch for glimpses of bighorn sheep, bobcats, and coyotes. Enjoy deserts, mountains, and canyons as they stretch before you. Desert Belle Cruises is about a one-hour drive from Phoenix, Arizona.
Petrified Forest National Park: Dog-Friendly Painted Desert Wonders
With a landscape similar to Death Valley, Petrified Forest National Park is in northeastern Arizona. Route 66 (Interstate 40) runs through the middle of this park, the heart of Arizona’s Painted Desert. Learn about the area’s history at the visitor center. From there, drive along Petrified Forest Road and enjoy the desert scenery. Stop by the Painted Desert Inn (now a museum) on your journey around the park.
San Xavier del Bac Mission: Stunning “White Dove of the Desert”
Built 1783–1797, this active Franciscan mission dazzles with intricate frescos, sculptures, and motifs—a quick, inspiring stop just outside Tucson. Visitors can marvel at the mission’s beautiful frescos, sculptures, and elaborate motifs. The mission attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims yearly and is still run by the Franciscans. On weekends, the local community sells fry bread near the parking lot.
Jerome Ghost Town: Cliffside Mining History & Haunted Hotels
Jerome Ghost Town was once a prosperous mining town halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix. The city was built on the side of Cleopatra Hill and served as the center of the area’s copper mines. At its height, Jerome had a population of 10,000. Today, fewer than 500 people call Jerome home, and the town’s primary source of income is tourism. Sights include the Jerome Historical Park Museum, Gold King Mine & Ghost Town tours, the Bordello Restaurant, and Jerome’s Grand Hotel Asylum Restaurant—more info.
Verde Canyon Railroad: Relaxing Red Rock Rail Journey
The Verde Canyon tourist Railroad is down the hill from Jerome. The train takes passengers on a leisurely 40-mile round-trip through Verde Canyon. The views of the canyon’s red cliffs are spectacular as the train winds along the Verde River to Perkinsville, the halfway point. The return trip follows the same route back to Clarkdale. Excursion options include first-class, caboose, and coach. There are also open-air cars for everyone to enjoy.
Slide Rock State Park, Sedona: Nature’s Epic Water Slide
Located 40 miles south of Flagstaff, Slide Rock SP is a 1-hour drive. Popular activities include hiking, enjoying the views, and taking a dip in Oak Creek. In the park, you will also find Frank Pendley’s homestead and an apple orchard next to the creek. The main attraction is playing in the stream and sliding down an 80-foot sandstone chute. Address 6871 AZ-89A, Sedona, Arizona. Website.
Grand Canyon Caverns: Underground Route 66 Thrills
Grand Canyon Caverns is a famous roadside attraction along Route 66, midway between the California border and Flagstaff. Activities include cavern tours via an elevator that takes you 210 feet below the earth’s surface, dining in the restaurant on the surface or in the grotto restaurant in the cavern, picking up Route 66 souvenirs in the gift shop, or staying overnight in the cave motel. Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs, Arizona. Website..
Oatman Ghost Town: Wild Burros & Gold Rush Vibes
Oatman Ghost Town was once a gold rush boomtown in the Black Mountains overlooking the Colorado River Valley. The population grew to more than 3,500, but when the gold was gone, the miners moved on, and Oatman turned into a ghost town. Today, the city depends on tourism and makes a nice day trip if you spend time in nearby Laughlin, Nevada. Historic buildings, stores, and burros roam the streets, and on weekends, you can see a Western shootout on the main road.
Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch: Fun Family Animal Encounters
Looking for a family day trip in Southern Arizona? Then the Rooster Cogburn’Ostrich Ranch is the place for you. Located 75 miles south of Phoenix in Picacho, the ranch features many critters in a petting zoo environment. They have donkeys, goats, ducks, sheep, rabbits, stingrays, birds, and many ostriches. Activities include feeding the animals, Ostrich Fishin’, Bunnyville USA, and Monster Truck Tours. 17599 E Peak Ln, Picacho, AZ. Website.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Living Desert Zoo & Gardens
A 100-acre botanical garden, zoo, and museum surrounded by the Saguaro Forest, situated 12 miles west of Tucson. The museum features native animals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. There are several miles of walking paths through the desert gardens. While most exhibits are outdoors, the mineral and fossil collection is in the air-conditioned Earth Sciences Center. The Warden Aquarium displays fresh- and saltwater creatures. 2021 N Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ. Website.
Old Tucson Western Town: Hollywood Cowboy Action
Old Tucson, Arizona, is a movie studio ghost town where hundreds of Western films have been made. The city was constructed in 1939 for the movie Arizona. Old Tucson was used exclusively for filming until 1960, when it opened as an attraction. Today, it is more of a theme park than a studio, though it is occasionally used as a filming location. Activities include a train, antique car rides, western shootouts, shows, an Iron Door Mine tour, stagecoach rides, and gold panning. 201 Kinney Rd, Tucson, Arizona.
Bisbee Queen Mine Tour: Descend into Real Mining History
The Queen Mine Tour in the historic town of Bisbee, Arizona, is an adventure. After putting on a hard hat and vest, visitors board a mine train similar to Knott’s Berry Farm and head deep inside a real copper mine. The tour guides are former miners who explain what it was like to work in the mine and how to operate the tools used to extract the ore. Bisbee is such an interesting town that you should spend a night exploring the area.
Salt River Tubing: Cool Off in Desert Waters
The Salt River Canyon is a short day trip from Phoenix. Tubing trips run below Saguaro Lake to the exit area, about six miles downstream. There are two options for tubing. 1. Bring tubes and at least two cars—Park one car at the entry point and one at the exit. Throw your tubes in the river and have fun. 2. Rent a tube from Salt River Tubing Company and park your car at the exit point. Hop on their bus, ride to the river entrance, throw your tubes in, and have fun. Tubing is best from May through Labor Day, depending on the water level. Website.
Tombstone: Legendary Wild West Town Tourist Attraction
Tombstone sits in the middle of Arizona’s largest silver mining district. In its heyday, the town boasted a population of nearly 15,000 and had over 100 saloons. It was a wild place. Today, Tombstone is mainly a tourist attraction, with the center of activity at the Old Tombstone Western Town. There are mine tours, cowboy shootouts, stagecoach rides, and many gift shops. Tombstone is the location of the Boothill Graveyard and the “Gunfight at the OK Corral” Website.
Erie Street Lowell Ghost Town: Time Capsule Mining District
A quarter-mile section of Erie Street in Lowell has been preserved to reflect the culture and atmosphere of a previous era. Through the efforts of business owners, residents, and supporters, the Lowell Americana Project has preserved a quarter-mile stretch as an open-air museum evoking old mining life. Park your car and take a walk back in time. For a quick bite, stop at the only dining option in Lowell, the first Bisbee Breakfast Club. Open 7 am to 3 pm.
Saguaro National Park: Iconic Saguaro Cactus Landscapes
Saguaro National Park straddles Tucson, with an east and a west section. The Tucson Mountain District Visitor Center is in the western part of the district. The smaller Rincon Visitor Center is in the park’s more remote eastern section. We recommend stopping at Saguaro West on your first visit. Saguaro cacti are abundant here, and the visitor center is larger. Explore several short trails, or drive along Hohokam Road (dirt) to Valley View Overlook Trail for a fantastic view. Website.
Seven Falls, Sabino Canyon: Scenic Hike or Tram to Waterfalls
Seven Falls is a popular hiking destination, made even more famous by social media. If you do not like hiking, you can travel part of the way via a tram. There are two tram routes. The one to take for the falls is the Bear Canyon tram. It is a two-mile ride to the Seven Falls trailhead. From there, it is another 2 1/2 mile hike with several creek crossings before you reach the falls. The 45-minute guided tram tour through adjacent Sabino Canyon is less strenuous. Website.
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