Get Out of the Valley
One of my favorite things about living in Arizona is how much variety sits within a couple hours of Phoenix. Red rock canyons, cool pine forests, historic mining towns turned art colonies, and high desert wine country are all a short drive away. Sedona is at the top of the list for a reason: the red rock scenery is unlike anywhere else in the country, and Red Rock Crossing at Crescent Moon Ranch is one of the most photographed spots in Sedona, with Cathedral Rock reflected in Oak Creek. It's an easy, mostly flat walk to the water, with picnic tables and a swimming area, and it's one of my own go-to stops when I want to reset.
From there, Oak Creek Canyon offers a scenic, winding drive between Sedona and Flagstaff along the creek, with swimming holes, hiking trailheads, and fall color that draws people from all over the state. Just south of Flagstaff, Munds Park is a quiet mountain community that got its start as summer grazing land for the Munds family back in the 1870s, and it's still a favorite cool-weather escape today.
Where to Go
All within a couple hours of the Valley, each with its own reason to visit.
The classic view of Cathedral Rock reflected in Oak Creek. An easy, flat walk with picnic spots and a swimming area, and one of the most photographed corners of Arizona.
A scenic winding drive along the creek with swimming holes, trailheads, and some of the best fall color in the state.
A cool, pine-forested mountain community, originally summer grazing land for early Arizona settlers, now a favorite warm-weather escape.
Arizona's former territorial capital, with a historic downtown square, Whiskey Row, and a mile-high climate that runs noticeably cooler than the Valley.
A former copper boomtown perched on the side of a mountain, nearly abandoned when the mines closed, then reborn as an artist community. Now a National Historic Landmark full of galleries, wine tasting rooms, and sweeping Verde Valley views.
Arizona's first master-planned town, built in 1912 for the United Verde Copper Company. Home to Tuzigoot National Monument, a 900-year-old Sinagua pueblo overlooking the valley.
A true Old West gold-mining town, born out of Henry Wickenburg's Vulture Mine discovery, now known for guest ranches and Western charm.
A historic copper-mining town dating to the 1870s, with a walkable downtown of antique shops and one of the richest mining histories in the state.
A former copper-mining boomtown built into steep canyon slopes, now a colorful arts community full of galleries, cafes, and Victorian-era architecture.