Arizona Travel Ideas

Arizona Travel Ideas Arizona travel inspiration for locals and visitors. Exploring things to do all over Arizona (and beyond) from the eyes of a 3rd generation Arizonan.

04/29/2026

📍 The Historic Grand Canyon Hotel - Williams, AZ

is right in the middle of the action on Route 66 in Williams, AZ - makes sense since it’s Arizona’s oldest hotel opening in 1891 (actually older than the Grand Canyon being a National Park).

As with all historic AZ spots it’s had many changes over the years & I for one am so grateful someone brought it back to life (& did such an amazing job too)!

A perfect location, history, & charm make this such a fun spot for your Northern Arizona trip!

I stayed in Room 6 a Queen room that starts about $89+ a night depending on dates - there are several room options to fit different needs. I LOVE that they add a little story for each space when you go to book on their site. Here’s what Room 6 said

“Room Six, formerly Room Twenty-one, was originally situated as one of the East-facing chambers. Its window was sealed off in the early 1900s with the construction of the adjacent building, now known as the Red Raven. In compensation, skylight atriums were elegantly introduced along the front of the rooms, permitting the ingress of fresh air and natural light. The wood floors within this room were likely laid following the calamitous fire of 1895, which ravaged much of Williams. Evidence of the conflagration, including scorch marks, remains visible in the attic.”

Anyone planning a Route 66, Williams, or Grand Canyon trip this year?!

Want to stay in Arizona’s oldest hotel? Me: “Absolutely!” Who wants to see more of this amazingly historic space with ne...
04/28/2026

Want to stay in Arizona’s oldest hotel? Me: “Absolutely!”

Who wants to see more of this amazingly historic space with new life in Williams, AZ?!

04/27/2026

Who wants a The Strawberry Inn giveaway?! 🍓🌲

I’ve been going to Strawberry Inn for about 10 years, and it will be one I keep coming back to when I want cooler air, quiet mornings, and a simple mountain getaway.

They’re celebrating 10 years in operation & one of you will win a $250 gift certificate toward your own stay!

To enter: head over to this post on Instagram!

04/18/2026

A quick stop between Phoenix and Tucson, that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. | AD

Casa Grande Neon Sign Park is a small outdoor museum in downtown Casa Grande featuring restored neon signs from old local businesses, each with a little piece of the city’s history behind it.

A few things to know about before you go:

• It’s free to visit
• Easy to walk through in just a few minutes
• Best around sunset or after dark when the signs are lit
• Right in downtown, easy to get to from the freeway & a great stop to stretch your legs when driving through�

It’s small, but one of those fun Arizona stops that’s a little different than your usual roadside break.�

📍Casa Grande, Arizona in collaboration with

04/17/2026

If you haven’t been to Queen Creek Olive Mill yet, it’s such an easy Arizona spot to spend a couple relaxed hours, whether you go for lunch, live music, shopping, or one of their tours. | AD

A few things to know before you go to Queen Creek Olive Mill :

• Start inside if you want food. They have pizza, sandwiches, drinks, snacks, and build-your-own charcuterie options + a food truck outside!

• The shop also has olive oils, vinegars, gifts, and lots of local products including wine.

• There are several outdoor seating areas, which is where it really shines when the weather is good

• Live music is often scheduled on select days, especially weekends

• We did the Estate Tour Train, which takes you through the grove but they also have the Olive Oil 101 tour where you can discover how extra virgin olive oil is made

• Tours and train options can vary by day, so it’s worth checking ahead before you go + they have events throughout the year!

It’s one of those places that works just as well for a quick stop as it does if you want to stay awhile & a perfect spot to bring visitors!

📍Queen Creek, Arizona in collaboration with Visit Arizona

Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Peoria, AZ, can feel really different depending on where you go and what kind of day you ...
04/16/2026

Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Peoria, AZ, can feel really different depending on where you go and what kind of day you want to have. | AD

A lot of people think of it as one destination, but there’s the regional park plus two main marina areas and each one offers something different. This is ALL beyond bringing/storing your own boat!

A few good things to know before you go:

• The regional park is the biggest/main areas of the lake and best for shoreline access, viewpoints, hiking, picnics, and general lake time

• Scorpion Bay, Lake Pleasant is where you’ll find the floating restaurant, sunset cruises, rentals (Yachtcuzzi too), and a water park in the summer

• Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant has lots of rental options, RV park, camping, cruises, HUGE waterslide/water park and more boating-focused options (they have a restaurant too!)

• Regional Park and Pleasant Harbor entry is currently $10 per vehicle

• Summer weekends can get very busy, and entrances sometimes close when capacity is reached so check ahead

It’s one of those Arizona spots where knowing where to start really changes the day.

📍Lake Pleasant, Arizona in collaboration with Visit Arizona

04/14/2026

About an hour from Phoenix, this tiny Arizona town has just 6 residents, dollar bills covering the walls, and one very scenic drive to get there. | AD

Tortilla Flat Tortilla Flat Saloon is one of those Arizona places where the drive is just as much part of the experience as the stop itself.

This is one of the smallest communities in Arizona and the last surviving stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail.

A few tips before you go:
• The drive out is beautiful, but the road is winding, so give yourself time and enjoy it & watch for motorcycles
• The little museum is a great place to stop & learn some history
• Eat inside at Tortilla Flat Superstition Saloon for the famous dollar-bill walls and saddle bar stools (get the root beer)
• The outdoor BBQ patio has live music seasonally (typically cooler months)
• Don’t skip the prickly pear gelato at the country store!

Fun fact: the dollar bills on the walls started as a tradition tied to cowboys and ranchers leaving money behind so they’d have cash waiting if they made it safely back through dangerous work routes and now there are hundreds of thousands covering the saloon’s walls and ceiling.

Hours can shift seasonally, but the saloon is generally open weekdays 10–6 and weekends 8–6.

📍Tortilla Flat, Arizona in collaboration with Visit Arizona

Soakin up the golden & neon lights AZ this weekend. The BEST time of day here is golden hour & I try not to ever miss i...
04/12/2026

Soakin up the golden & neon lights AZ this weekend.

The BEST time of day here is golden hour & I try not to ever miss it. Songwriters Showcase at 6 then wandering the grounds seeing everyone get their cute IG golden hour pics while watching the sun set listening to the main stage. My favorite time of day every time!

Jared loves sitting at for a great view of the grounds & perfect sound from the stage while enjoying a cigar as the sun is setting too!

It was packed for last night but the best part about venues like this is you can get up front & close with everyone but if you’re only good up there a couple songs (like us) there is so much room to spread out and the sound is still just as good.

The party keeps going afterwards too in the Electric Thunder tent & back at the campgrounds. We took our party home to sleep 🤠😆

Do you like packed in the front of the stage, spaced out in the back of the crowd, or somewhere in between?

04/09/2026

📍Bob Bear Trail in Strawberry, AZ - get your permits from (do NOT skip this during the permitted time period).

Note: This hike takes you to a different waterfall than the one from the Camp Verde side.

This is at least 8.4 miles rated HARD by (you’ll want the offline download feature since there’s no service at the bottom). They recommend good gear/shoes & 1.5 gallons of water PER PERSON for this hike.

The water is about 70F year round but the weather is HARSH in these canyons. Explore smartly and safely. If you’re not sure, don’t go and just wait until you’re confident!

is an excellent location for this hike as the upper & lower yards are on the same street you have to drive a couple miles on to get to the trail.

Let me know if you’d like to know more about all the gear/tools we utilize on hikes like this to ensure we’ll be safe and/or have communication if needed.

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