Best Places for an Arizona Road Trip

May 19, 2022

When you’re looking for the best places to take a road trip in Arizona, you have a lot of options. With many sparkling lakes, stunning mountain ranges and beautiful desert landscapes to visit, the possibilities are endless. Here are some great places to take your next trip.

Sedona: Sedona’s red rocks and green forests provide quite the striking landscape to explore. One of Arizona’s top hiking destinations, the town itself also features charming shops and restaurants. There is a vibrant art community here, and those interested in spirituality believe there are energy vortices that help meditation and healing. Slide Rock State Park, known for a natural water slide in the bed of nearby Oak Creek, is a major attraction for those looking for a great way to beat the summer heat.

Flagstaff: Flagstaff is home to Northern Arizona University and is quite built up, but has pine forests to explore in and around the city. One such nearby forest is the Coconino National Forest, which contains a wide variety of nature. The highest mountain peak in Arizona, Mt. Humphreys, provides a challenge for hikers daring enough to attempt to conquer it. Other attractions include the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was first discovered in 1930, and Arizona Snowbowl, one of the state’s top ski resorts.

The Grand Canyon: No list of Arizona road trip destinations would be complete without the Grand Canyon. Although you may find plenty of media online, no image can do this natural wonder of the world justice. Grand Canyon Village next to the canyon offers accommodations, information about the park, souvenirs, food and drinks. There are also trails to hike down into the canyon and back up.

Wickenburg: This small town of about 9,000 people has a slow pace and an Old West feel. Wickenburg takes pride in being a cowboy town, and if the design of the shops and restaurants doesn’t give that away, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum will. The museum features artifacts and information about Arizona’s past as a dusty frontier state. Wickenburg is one of the best destinations in Arizona for a look at life in Arizona’s past.

Prescott: Prescott is an old mountain city with a historic part of town known as Whiskey Row. Dating to the early 1900s, Whiskey Row houses many local bars, shops, restaurants and hotels. Across the street is Courthouse Plaza, home to the 1916 Yavapai County Courthouse. Nearby Watson Lake and Lynx Lake offer camping, fishing and boating, while the Prescott National Forest offers camping and hiking opportunities.

Lake Havasu: Lake Havasu is a popular destination for vacations and recreation in Arizona. The lake features white sand beaches, but unlike the ocean, there’s no saltwater or dangerous rip currents; the lake is freshwater, resulting in far less cleanup later. Aside from being Arizona’s beach destination, Lake Havasu also has the historic London Bridge, which was built in the 19th century in London, England. It was disassembled, brought to Arizona and reconstructed in the 1960s and 1970s. It remains a popular tourist attraction today.

Tombstone: Tombstone is the site of the famed shootout at the O.K. Corral, with Wyatt Earp, his brothers and Doc Holliday fighting a group of outlaws. Many of the buildings still retain their Old West character, while the insides have become stores and restaurants. The famed Boothill Graveyard is still there as well. The cemetery houses the remains of multiple 19th century gunslingers.

Before taking your car on a road trip to visit one of Arizona’s tourist destinations, stop in at Super Star Car Wash for an Express wash or Full Service wash to make it a pleasant trip for you and your passengers! We have 28 convenient locations around the Phoenix area. No matter where your road trip destination is, let us make your car shine like a star!