7 Best Arizona Towns For A Weekend Trip
Arizona can pack a lot into a couple of days. Spend one weekend hiking beneath Sedona's red-rock formations, then make the next one completely different with a ride 1,500 feet into Bisbee's Queen Mine. Prescott's downtown is built around Whiskey Row, the stretch of Montezuma Street that once held some 40 saloons facing the Yavapai County Courthouse Square. Payson trades saloons for scenery, with Tonto Natural Bridge, a travertine span standing 183 feet tall, just a short drive north of town. Better yet, each of these seven towns has enough restaurants, historic sights, outdoor adventures, and distinctive places to stay to justify more than a quick stop. For a weekend away in Arizona, these towns make it easy to check in and explore.
Sedona
Sedona stands out as one of the most attractive towns in Arizona, characterized by glowing-red sandstone formations, premier outdoor adventures, and spiritual vortex centers. Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock are among the most photographed rock formations in the state, believed to have spiritual healing powers within their energy vortices. Locals and visitors follow marked trails to these rocks to experience the sites' presumed energies. The Devil's Bridge Trail, however, is one of the most popular hikes in Sedona. The Chapel of the Holy Cross, constructed in 1956 in a red rock butte, welcomes nearly one million visitors each year and is one of the most unique structures in Arizona. The Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is a series of Spanish colonial-style courtyards filled with galleries, shops, and restaurants, including the Andrea Smith Gallery. L'Auberge de Sedona is located directly on Oak Creek, with cottages and rooms backing right up to the water. A perfect weekend can be as fulfilling without visiting some of these hotspots for that Sedona experience.
Jerome
Resting on the Cleopatra Hill just above Verde Valley, Jerome offers the best mountainside settings, state-of-the-art wines and art culture, and a diverse copper-mining history dating back to the 19th century. The sweeping scenic views from the town stretch along Sedona's glowing red rocks, with the San Francisco Peaks glaring from a distance. These views and the dramatic switchbacks carved along Mingus Mountain score the town as one of the best Arizona towns for a weekend trip. The town is built in a series of tiers along the mountainside and is part of the Jerome Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District designated in 1966. Today, eighty-eight miles of mining tunnels still flow beneath the streets from the copper boom years of the 1920s. Jerome State Historic Park is home to the mansion of mine owner James Douglas and overlooks the entire Verde Valley. A weekend at the Jerome Grand Hotel offers fine dining and accommodation with panoramic views of the valley in a five-story building constructed in 1926 as a hospital for injured miners.
Bisbee
Besides having a dramatic history dating back to the copper-mining era, Bisbee is a weekend destination set in the steep canyons of the Mule Mountains. A perfect weekend in this mining town features highly walkable streets, colorful historic architecture, and a cool mountain climate that creates a relaxing ambiance. The Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum is open daily for guided tours, featuring unique exhibits of Smithsonian artifacts, including azurite crystals, cuprite, and native copper mined from local mines.
Bisbee has installed over 33,000 walkable stairs to replace the old Mule Trail, which linked the downtown area to the upper-hillside Victorian-era homes. The top Youngblood Hill offers spectacular ridgeline views of Bisbee Cross Shrine and hidden caves, a multi-faith landmark that invites visitors from all over the state. With a pair of boots and a headlamp, you get to enjoy the Queen Mine Tour, which takes you 1,500 feet into the copper mine with guides who once worked at the mine. The town also has a thriving art scene, with independent galleries, wall murals, and antique stores such as Miners & Merchants, all set along the Victorian-style storefronts. The Room 4 Bar, billed as the smallest bar in Arizona, offers a wide selection of wines and beers, an open, smoke-friendly patio, and live music.
Tombstone
Popularly known as "The Town Too Tough to Die," Tombstone lives up to its reputation as one of the most authentic old western towns in the United States. It features a well-preserved historic district with original dirt roads, barns, and wooden boardwalks, earning it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. As a functioning community of approximately 1,300 people, Tombstone is an ideal weekend destination that lets you step out of the modern world and into the 1800s vibes of the Earp brothers and the Cochise County Cowboys. Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park remains Cochise County's historic hub, featuring old jail cells and courtrooms. It is a beautiful historic site with exhibits from the 1800s and a replica of the town gallows. The O.K. Corral floods with locals and visitors to witness reenactments of the most famous gunfight of 1881.
The Bird Cage Theatre, which operated from 1881 to 1889, is still one of the most intact saloons and dance halls left from the Old West. The most interesting part about this relic is that it still features approximately 140 bullet holes from rowdy nightlife and gunfight celebrations. The atmosphere along Allen Street shifts dynamically after the sun goes down, with Big Nose Kate's Saloon, built in 1881, offering non-stop country music, food, and drinks. Hotel Tombstone is located on Allen Street directly across from the Bird Cage Theatre for convenient access to all major attractions.
Prescott
Prescott is a perfect Arizona town for a weekend trip, given its cool mountain air, exciting outdoor adventures, and wild-west history. Its downtown is built around Whiskey Row, a section of Montezuma Street that was once home to a long row of some 40 saloons in front of the Yavapai County Courthouse Square. Community events such as the famous Prescott Bluegrass Festival still take place under the tree-covered lawns within the square, inviting everyone to free music concerts under the comfort of picnic blankets and lawn chairs. Named as the best Whiskey Row bar under the Daily Courier Reader's Choice Awards, Bird Cage Saloon offers the best of the Wild West vibes with live music and a welcoming ambiance for locals and visitors alike.
Watson Lake remains the locals' haven for fishing and kayaking, with the surrounding Prescott National Forest serving over 400 miles of distinct hiking trails. The Sharlot Hall Museum houses the actual territorial governor's mansion and other early buildings from when Prescott was the first territorial capital of Arizona. Montezuma Street remains a walking gallery, with the south side featuring Van Gogh's Ear as a favorite among contemporary art lovers, while the Mountain Spirit Gallery showcases all forms of art for the catch. Set a short walk from Whiskey Row is the Hilton Garden Inn, a quiet place to wind down the weekend, with on-site dining, a bar, and complimentary slow music.
Williams
Williams holds a special place among outdoor adventurers and locals as the site of the world's largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest. Sitting at the foothills of the Bill Williams Mountain at an elevation of 6,770 feet, the town brings out that Route 66 appeal with a vibrant downtown lined with a walkable six-block historic district. The Grand Canyon Railway tour kicks off Williams' outdoor sighting with a scenic ride through high-desert grasslands and pine forest in a vintage diesel locomotive. Next is a slow drive through the Bearizona Wildlife Park, a 160-acre reserve offering spectacular views of black and grizzly bears, bisons, bighorn sheep, and wolves.
The Canyon Coaster Adventure Park wraps up the day with a coaster built into the side of the mountain for a thrilling ride with spectacular views of the lush green forest. Williams' Main Street presents an Americana atmosphere lined with classic 19th- and 20th-century storefronts, classic 1950s cars, and retro diners. Rustic 66 Sushi Grill and Red Raven Restaurant are among the best culinary hotspots, offering diverse menus of food and drinks, along with a warm atmosphere that matches the town's feel. The Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel sits within town with an indoor pool and fitness center to complement a quiet evening after a decent tour around town.
Payson
Located at the base of the 2,000-foot Mogollon Rim, Payson enjoys some of the coolest summer temperatures in central Arizona. The town features a historic main street famous for its well-known restaurants and antique stores, such as Duza's Kitchen and Western Village Art and Antique Corral. Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is located a short drive north of town, and is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world, standing 183 feet above a tunnel measuring 400 feet.
The Mogollon Rim above town boasts mountain lakes such as Woods Canyon Lake and Willow Springs Lake, perfect for trout fishing, kayaking, and picnicking along the lush green shorelines. The surrounding Tonto National Forest features a vast 2.9 million-acre public land with unique landscapes, premier hiking trails, such as the Horton Creek Trail, which offers scenic water views. Rim Country Museum and Zane Grey Cabin offer self-guided tours with exhibits of Native American history, pioneer life, and local rodeo heritage. The Majestic Mountain Inn concludes the day with a communal barbecue grill and an outdoor pool at a rustic log-cabin facility surrounded by the Tonto National Forest.
7 Best Arizona Towns For A Weekend Trip
Arizona weekend trips are varied, with these seven towns offering an array of experiences, from red-rock chapels to an underground copper mine. Towns are paired with a particular landmark famous among the locals, and a perfect place to spend the night, making the weekend trip more than a quick photo stop. From the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village to the Queen Mine Tour, 1,500 feet inside a Bisbee copper mine, Arizona's towns have maintained and protected their landmarks to offer the best weekend trips. That is why each of these weekend towns represents a slice of Arizona.
