Arizona - 2024 refresh

Arizona

Sweeping, surreal and cinematic, Arizona's natural beauty is the stuff of legend—immortalized by everyone from Ansel Adams to Ken Burns. And to some travelers, laying eyes on such landscapes (especially the one that makes Arizona "the Grand Canyon State") is more than enough reason to visit. But just past the stunning surface lies an appeal that's much more varied than many realize, from a food scene that's achieved international acclaim to wellness retreats that top every best-of list.

Of the 20,000 or so options across the US, none other than Tucson, AZ was designated the nation’s first City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in 2015. The deciding factors ranged from the local agricultural heritage (4,000 years’ worth of amazing abundance) to the globally-renowned Mexican food scene: “the best 23 miles of Mexican food,” as Tucson contends and would go to the mat to defend.

Additional foodie pilgrimage sites in town include Barrio Breads, where owner Don Guerra has become a James Beard-anointed national celebrity; Monsoon Chocolates, where local sourcing leads to such delicacies as the Whiskey Del Bac Barrel Aged Dark Chocolate; Maynards, where the innovative menu plays perfectly off the historic train station vibes; and Mission Garden, where you can tour and taste your way through the crops that have made Tucson such an interesting place to eat for millennia.

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For nature lovers

The otherworldly Havasu Falls, Havasupai Lodge and campground are open for visitors—and though availability is rare and highly prized, registering and checking for lodge cancellations or camping reservations here is worthwhile. That said, while Arizona may be the Grand Canyon state, it’s also home to a whole range of showstopping chasms, from the wavy red walls of Antelope Canyon, where you’ll want to book a Navajo-led tour for the local wisdom and perspective to the saguaro-spiked peaks that surround Tucson’s Sabino Canyon. Not that you need gorge on gorges alone: Arizona dazzles nature lovers with everything from the sky islands of the Chiricahua Mountains to the outsized, iconic formations of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park to the red rocks of Sedona and the Petrified Forest.

“I have come here to see the Grand Canyon of Arizona,” said President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, “because in that canyon Arizona has a natural wonder…absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world.” 120 years later, his words ring truer than ever as the preciousness of wild, wide-open spaces has become achingly clear. And though Teddy had to the good sense to “not attempt to describe it,” because no words “could convey to any outsider what that canyon is,” we’ll at least cover the basics: 277 miles long, 10 miles wide, a mile deep, with some of the oldest exposed rock on earth and evidence of thousands of years of civilization. The menu of exploration options is almost as vast and varied as the canyon itself—rafting, trekking, flyovers—but one of the most beloved classics is the 6-mile stretch of the South Rim's South Kaibab Trail that leads to Skeleton Point, where, by the National Park Service’s estimation, you’ll get “panoramic views unparalleled on any other trail at Grand Canyon.”

For foodies

the getaway that's got everyone covered

For self-care seekers

One could argue—and plenty of wellness connoisseurs do—that the Arizona desert itself has healing energies. But even if you’re not a believer in the esoteric, consider that the state’s warm, dry air has historically been seen as so conducive to good health that East Coast high society used to travel here for extended R&R getaways. Case in point: Castle Hot Springs, a palm-shrouded thermal oasis in the Bradshaw Mountains about an hour outside Phoenix, where the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Astors and Pews liked to take the waters. In fact, the complex was turned into a military rehab center during WWII, when Purple Heart recipient John F. Kennedy came here to convalesce. Today, the same mineral-rich natural pools that lured them—and, of course, indigenous communities well before them—remain at the heart of the beautifully refurbished site, now the recipient of practically every best-of award (Conde Nast Traveler Hot List, Travel + Leisure World’s Best, etc.). Even when you’re not soaking directly in the water (or being swirled gently through it by a Watsu practitioner), it figures into everything from your spa treatments to your meals: There’s an extensive onsite farm, and the interplay between the water’s minerality and the flavor of the produce is often amazing.

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Scottsdale is also home to a renowned high-end shopping scene. Scottsdale Fashion Square alone blends Paris, Milan and Madison Avenue under one roof, where you’ll find boutiques for Balenciaga, Boss, Bottega Veneta, Breitling, Brunello Cucinelli, Bulgari and Burberry—and that’s just the B’s. Additional highlights include the Christian Louboutin, Dior, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Prada shops. Between dressing room trips, refuel at Pressed Juicery or for a proper ladies-who-lunch moment, Nobu. For luxe travelers in search of VIP experiences, the options are no less varied. Consider, for starters, a bespoke balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert outside Phoenix, where both Rainbow Ryders and Hot Air Expeditions will cater private rides with custom menus and bar offerings.

Of course, there are plenty of luxe lodgings in Arizona that aren’t exclusively wellness-focused. If you’re drawn to distinguished landmarks with storied pasts, check out Phoenix's Arizona Biltmore, Scottsdale’s Hermosa Inn and Tucson’s Hacienda del Sol or Arizona Inn. The guestbooks in these places read like a who’s who of the 20th and 21st centuries—presidents, starlets, magnates and more. If amenity-laden resorts are more your thing, you’ll have equally excellent choices, from the Tucson area’s Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, J.W. Marriott Tucson Starr Pass and Westin La Paloma to Scottsdale, where you’ll find the The Phoenician, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and Four Seasons Resort, just for starters.

For family fun

Meanwhile, to turn any kid into a history buff, hit some of the state’s marquee mining towns. At a minimum, visit Tombstone—home to the O.K. Corral, Wyatt Earp’s house and a roster of Doc Holliday impersonators. Another good choice is Bisbee, where the kids will love the Queen Mine Tour, the Jeep tour of the town’s mountainous backroads—and maybe even some haunted tours to meet some 19th-century locals Of course, if you’re checked into one of Arizona’s family-friendliest stays, all of the above relies on a herculean task: convincing the kids to actually leave the property. Some of the world’s best lazy rivers wind through the state’s resorts, such as Scottsdale’s Westin Kierland Resort & Spa and Great Wolf Lodge, each home to not only a lazy river, but also an entire water park. Think: epic waterslides, wave pools… even a desert surfing setup at the Westin.

Considering that Arizona is often described as a playground (for adventurers, road-trippers and outdoorsy types, in particular), the state’s family-friendliness should come as no surprise. Prepare to shatter your previous parenting point high score in a state where even the museums blow kids’ minds. At the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum outside Tucson, for example, any visit is an adventure that takes you from a dramatic outcropping where bighorn sheep stand sentinel to enclosures where hummingbirds buzz endlessly overhead. In between, you’ll find every desert dweller from mountain lion to prairie dog to giant lizard to river otter (yes, the Sonoran desert has water habitats, too).

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You’ll also find travel-worthy art of all kinds in Phoenix, from the street art and galleries of Roosevelt Row to the ever-popular Yayoi Kusama Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room at the Phoenix Art Museum. But arguably the defining art experience of Phoenix is the Heard Museum, whose mission is “to be the world’s preeminent museum for the presentation, interpretation and advancement of American Indian art.” Beyond the gallery exhibits you’ll find here—which currently include Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories and the Substance of Stars (both ongoing)—you’ll find one of the most beautiful performing arts displays imaginable at the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest (February 17-18).

If you caught the acclaimed documentary titled The Thief Collector—or you follow the world of famous art heists—you’ve surely been tempted to visit Tucson just to see the de Kooning that was repatriated to the University of Arizona Museum of Art in fall of 2022. Prior to its return, the painting underwent a decades-long disappearance with some seriously crazy twists and turns. The museum has several intriguing exhibitions running through March 2024, including Pulse: Weavings and Paintings by Marlowe Katoney. In his art, multi-talented Katoney "weaves" together multiple disciplines—plus imagery that runs the gamut from traditional Navajo iconography to contemporary themes. And while you’re at the University, you’ll want to check out another of its arts spaces: the fabled Center for Creative Photography, cofounded by Ansel Adams.

For luxe travelers

And you’ll earn every beautiful meal and soak: The local hiking, biking and via ferrata trails definitely keep you moving. If you’re looking for Phoenix-area retreats a bit closer to town, excellent choices abound, from Gurneys’ Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, where Asian healing traditions meet the Sonoran Desert, to Civana Wellness Resort and Spa, home to—among other things—a Chopra Health Retreat. Then again, a couple of the Sonoran Desert’s most renowned retreats lie farther to the south outside Tucson: Canyon Ranch and Miraval, each its own wonderland of wellness. Though you could go to the former simply to hike and unwind at the spa—and that would be time beautifully spent—the property is also well known for medical offerings that range from bone density screenings to sleep disorder consultations. For its part, Miraval is beloved for such standouts as the challenge course (you’ve likely seen Oprah and Gayle take to the ropes), equine activities, yoga hikes and yes, spa menu.

But back to Arizona’s inherent healing vibes—more specifically, the vortexes around Sedona from which energy is said to swirl. Even the biggest skeptics can’t help but feel something in this red rock enclave, whether the earth’s energy, the local spa therapists’ expertise—or some combination of the two. Among the best places to see for yourself is Mii Amo, a legendary destination spa revealing a hotly anticipated, two-year refresh this February. Committed to next-level wellness, the spa offers such services as Chakra Balancing, Intuitive Massage and Soul Consciousness sessions. During your stay, or “journey” in Mii Amo parlance, you can also sign up for flute meditations, canyon bathing, tea journeys, labyrinth sessions and—this being Sedona—guided hikes and mountain biking sessions.

Another Heard event worth traveling for: the 66th Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market (March 2-3): one of the world’s largest markets of its kind, with more than 600 preeminent American Indian artists and many thousands of visitors. If you’re interested in Indigenous art and you’re traveling later in the year, don’t miss the Museum of Northern Arizona’s Heritage Festival in Flagstaff (in June; exact date pending). Having begun nearly a century ago as the Hopi Craftsmen Show, the event has evolved and expanded its scope, with this year’s version representing the Acoma, Apache, Diné (Navajo), Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Pai, Ute, Yavapai and Zuni cultures.

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And if you go at night, BYO blue light or buy one at the gift shop so the littles can spot scorpions among the museum’s rock walls, a unique brand of fun no one will soon forget. Another spot that will turn your kids into museum lovers? The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, where the global instrument collection is astonishing, but the Experience Gallery is the real star. There, the kids can try their hands at everything from a Javanese gamelan to a West African djembe to a Peruvian harp.

For art lovers

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For high-end airborne adventures of a different kind, consider booking a tour with Westwind Air Service, whose fleet of small planes and helicopters will whisk you off to some of the state's most stunning sights—the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley—where (depending on the itinerary you choose), you can descend and hike or simply marvel from the sky. For a VIP gastronomic adventure, head to Terra Farm + Manor, a sprawling historic Prescott ranch whose eight rustic-luxe guest rooms you can buy out if you so choose—and whose kitchen hosts renowned chef-led classes and winemakers who'll send you home with next-level expertise.

In fact, you could spend your entire trip eating Mexican food here and still barely scratch the surface, but a short list of must-tries includes: El Charro Café (consider the roof-dried carne seca or a bowl of caldo de queso); Seis Kitchen (don’t miss the horchata); El Güero Canelo (the James Beard Award-winning Sonoran hot dog is iconic); Tito & Pep (go for the queso fundido) and any of the following for tacos: Tacos Apson, BOCA by Chef Maria Mazon, Tanias 33 and El Taco Rustico.

Not to be outdone, Phoenix is home to a renowned dining scene all its own—starting with what may be the best pizza in the US (per the Bon Appétit, The New York Times and others): Pizzeria Bianco. Indeed, Greater Phoenix is home to three of The New York Times’ 50 favorite restaurants of the moment: Bacanora (Sonoran Mexican specialties); Kabob Grill N’ Go (Armenian and Mediterranean) and Thaily’s (Cambodian-Arab fusion). But even the state’s smaller enclaves boast an impressive menu. In Flagstaff, for example, the perfect day might open with house-made scones and a latte from Macy’s European Coffeehouse; continue with Arizona-sourced beef at Diablo Burger and finish with elevated dinner fare at Shift FLG, Brix or Atria.

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Indeed, whatever you look for in your travels— luxury, family fun, natural wonder—Arizona's got you covered. Read on for the finds that will dazzle every member of your travel party.

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