Top Things to do in Central Arizona
Top Hotels in Central Arizona
- 1. Arizona Grand Resort & Spa
- 2. Drury Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport
- 3. Drury Inn & Suites Phoenix Happy Valley
- 4. Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas
- 5. Arizona Grand Resort & Spa
- 6. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
- 7. Gila River Resorts & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass
- 8. The McCormick Scottsdale
- 9. The Wigwam
- 10. Drury Inn & Suites Phoenix Tempe
What to do and see in Central Arizona, Central Arizona: The Best Sights & Landmarks
Home to the Phoenix metropolitan area and its more than 3.4 million residents, Central Arizona offers an amazing array of museums, cultural venues and outdoor adventures. The Valley of the Sun boasts hopping nightlife and a thrilling selection of restaurants, resorts and spas. Discover Old West and Native American history. Hike among the cactus in the Sonoran desert. Try your hand at ranching in Glendale. Drive the Superstition Mountains. Visit Frank Lloyd Wrights Taliesin West in Scottsdale.
Restaurants in Central Arizona
1. Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179)
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,151 reviews
The Red Rock Scenic Byway is your Gateway to the world-famous Red Rock Country of Sedona, Arizona … just 110 miles north of Phoenix, about 40 miles south of Flagstaff, and only a few hours south of the Grand Canyon.
Reviewed By kathyfI6813BE - Big Water, United States
Beautiful drive in the red rocks..we stopped several times to take photos and do a bit of browsing at several arts and craft shows.
2. Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 748 reviews
Sedona's Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park is a must-visit destination for spiritual seekers the world over. The Buddhist Amitabha Stupa is an outdoor venue for prayer, meditation, and spiritual renewal for people of all faiths. In the park you will find two Buddhist stupas, a Native American medicine wheel, an exquisite wooden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and numerous quiet spots for meditation and quiet contemplation. You will experience peace in a quiet, sacred setting. The Amitabha Stupa is open every day and your visit is free of charge. The stupa is supported totally by visitor donations. The Amitabha Stupa is on private property and is owned by Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Vajryanna Buddhist Temple in Poolesville MD. Use of the property by tour guides and other business or commercial entities requires permission.
Reviewed By wreckthismess - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I believe one should experience adventure, struggle & exertion when visiting sacred spots, allowing the self to interact with its surroundings, & give up ego in exchange for peace. If you’re bussed in, conveniently dropped off at the site it’s like passing thru a fast food drive-thru & you’ll have to overcome the convenience of your entitlement to catch up to the rest of us on a natural high who arrived via the hiking trails. The Amitabha Stupa is nestled in the shadow of Thunder Mountain in the Red Rocks, amongst a network of hiking trails just above Sedona. Once at this dry parcel you’ll see a magnificent wooden Buddha perched on a ledge among the junipers, the large Stupa, a sacred structure that’s said to contain millions of wishes, sacred relics, mandalas, & prayers. Even if you don’t believe that, merely imagining it gets you halfway there. Meditate, add silence, slow down, regenerate. Many do just that, finding a welcome respite from perpetual chattering & daily data overload. Visitors offer acknowledging glances broad smiles & that’s a start. Spin colorful prayer wheels clockwise & pray for a better future, a world free of perpetual war. Even if you don’t go in for this, the mere spinning of the wheels will link you to something outside yourself. I was told by a local, self-described “old hippie” who assisted on the site’s construction in 2004 that the site is deemed holy by local native peoples & the Hopi who’ve constructed a medicine wheel of stones here.
3. Caywood Farms
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 112 reviews
We offer farm tours relating to local agriculture including cotton and alfalfa. Learn how cotton is grown from seed to bale. This 2 1/2 to 3 hour tour includes an indoor presentation followed by a hayride out to the field. Cotton is planted in the spring and picked in the fall. We have cotton in the field until mid-February. You will see a cotton picker, cotton module builder and a cotton rood which picks up ground cotton. If cotton is not in the ground, we still offer tours. Please call for information on dates, times and reservations. Reservations are required.
Reviewed By jenniferzE5266LZ
We just visited here for a homeschool field trip while visiting from Oregon during Covid. Absolutely excellent tour. My kids ages 10-13 loved seeing the farm implements, watching the presentation to learn all about the cotton harvest, and especially picking and handling the cotton. She modifies the presentation for younger kids. Nancy is an excellent guide. Highly recommended!
4. Douglas Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 233 reviews
This former home of a mining baron became a state park and a museum in 1965.
Reviewed By AZJoeW - Sun City, United States
The Douglas Mansion is the main feature of the Jerome State Historic Park. This is well worth the stop. It is a self-guided tour of the mansion and there is a 30-minute film about the history of Jerome, AZ. The views are also spectacular looking north towards Sedona. Unlike the rest of Jerome, parking here is easy.
5. Oak Creek Canyon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,381 reviews
Breathtaking in its red rock beauty, the Canyon is a spectacular 16-mile gorge with streams and waterfalls between sheer rock walls.
Reviewed By 51gloriab - Advance, United States
We hiked the West Fork trail and enjoyed the lush area with a well-defined trail for several miles. Our necks were stretched upward as we noted what we saw in the sandstone rock structures formed by wind over the centuries. At the start of the hike, it was a treat to learn about Mayhew Lodge that once was a retreat for politicians and movie stars. We saw squirrels, salamanders, butterflies, and hawks as they thrive in the riparian community.
6. Montezuma Castle National Monument
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,517 reviews
This stone castle built into a shallow cave on a cliff was once a six-story dwelling with 45 rooms.
Reviewed By DonN263 - Raleigh, United States
Montezuma's Castle is well worth a visit. It is only about 3 miles from I-17 so it is very easy to get to and you don't have to go out of your way The 5 story castle is pretty spectacular built on the side of a cliff. There is a short easy trail that tells the history and more details about the people who lived there from the 1100s to the 1400s. If you are a senior over 65 don't pay the admission price. Either buy the senior pass for one year for $20 or the senior lifetime pass for $80. These passes Grant you free access to all National Monuments (Arizona has the most of any state as well as Grand Canyon and Petrifed National Parks Also Montezuma's Castle has a nice visitor center with souvenirs and restrooms
7. Chapel of the Holy Cross
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,360 reviews
This chapel, located among dramatic rock formations, offers spectacular views, especially at sunset.
Reviewed By SengaMilne - Toronto, Canada
Absolutely loved our visit; awe inspiring views and peaceful serenity. The complimentary golf cart ride (tips appreciated) is a wonderful bonus for those with mobility issues or seniors although the privilege seemed to be available to everyone. We visited around 11 am on a Monday and had no trouble finding parking. Nice gift shop with lots of religious options but also beautiful note cards and postcards. Good idea to check out the postcards for ideas/information. Without them I would have missed the eagles overlooking the chapel. The beautiful home in the foreground is for sale for a mere $28 MILLION!
8. Tuzigoot National Monument
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 730 reviews
Built on the top of a hill, these are the ruins of a village from 1100 A.D. that once consisted of approximately 110 rooms.
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, United States
We went to Tuzigoot National Monument. The building is very interesting to see. There are also exhibits.
9. Jerome State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 574 reviews
The Douglas Mansion has been an eye-catching landmark in Jerome since 1916, when James S. Douglas built it on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine. This former home is now a museum devoted to the history of the Jerome area and the Douglas family. The museum features photographs, artifacts and minerals in addition to a video presentation and a 3-D model of the town with its underground mines. There are more displays outside along with a picnic area offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Verde Valley.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
My wife and I love to visit ghost towns, the remains of old mining camps in California, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. One of our favorite stops is Jerome, Arizona, a 45-minute drive from Sedona, across the Verde Valley. Established in 1965, the Jerome State Historic Park has survived budget cuts that closed the park from February 27, 2009, to October 14, 2010. Today, it is open seven days a week thanks to additional funding by Yavapai County, the city of Jerome, the Jerome Historical Society and the Douglas family, which built the Douglas Mansion in 1916 that remains the major attraction in the park. The mansion was built by Jimmy Douglas, the head of a family of mining entrepreneurs, on a hill above his Little Daisy Mine. It features a museum with photographs of the family, the town of Jerome during its mining years, mining artifacts, minerals, antique mining equipment, a video detailing the history of the town and a 3-D reproduction of the town showing the mine shafts underneath the town. The mansion also features a wine cellar, billiard room, marble shower, steam heat and a central vacuum system which was much ahead of its time. Constructed of adobe bricks made on the site, the Douglas Mansion is the largest adobe structure in Arizona. Outside, a picnic area offers a panoramic view of the Verde Valley and Verde River and the Red Rocks of the Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon region. The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
10. Taliesin West
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,062 reviews
Experience the beauty of the Sonoran Desert through the eyes of Frank Lloyd Wright. Deeply connected to the land from which it was forged, Taliesin West is a celebration of the Arizona desert — a celebration you can step into and explore on a tour, either guided by a Taliesin West expert or at your own pace with an audio tour.
Reviewed By Bob1775 - Houston, United States
We took the night lights tour and highly recommend it. You need to make reservations. Start times range from 6, 6:30 or 7 depending on the time of year. The tour lasts for 2 hours and even had a snack stop of cookies and lemonade towards the end. The tour starts with everyone walking to Frank Lloyd Wright’s office where everyone sits down and listens to a history of Wright and the facility....it is still an active architecture school conferring Masters Degrees in Architecture. You then walk outside and see the night views of the valley and the facility. Here you get an explanation of the facility in the early days and how it closed up for the summer and how the canvas roofs were stored. Next stop is Wright’s living room where again you sit down and the architecture of the facility is discussed. We then walk back to Wright’s living quarters and hear about his bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Also discussed how every year the place received tweaks with rooms being moved or reconfigured. Next we go to Wright’s movie and entertainment room. You are offered snacks and the sit down to hear about Wright’s connections to the motion picture industry. Also we hear about how Wright entertained his apprentices and visitors. Next we walk to the cabaret, which is our final stop. We walk through the school seeing the dining facility and student work areas. Don’t miss the fire breathing dragon...see attached photo. At the cabaret which is a tiered theater type room we sit again. We hear about Wright’s dinner parties and performances put on by the apprentices. We also hear more about Wright’s thoughts on right angles and acoustics. Over all a fascinating two hours. It was very informative, interactive and never boring. Bruce our guide. who is a retired employee of the architecture school, did an outstanding job giving us a fun and interesting learning experience.
