The world's golfers know that Arizona is far from being all desert. With more than 300 courses, Arizona is one of the world's prime golf locations. About 200 courses are in the Greater Phoenix area and include such challenges as the We-Ko-Pa Native American course, the Raptor course designed by Tom Fazio at Grayhawk in Scottsdale and the Scottish-style links at the Talking Stick South course, also on Native American land at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Most other courses can be found in and around Tucson.
Bird-watchers from all over head to Arizona to see some of the almost 500 species that pass through the state during their annual migrations. Arizona is the fifth most popular bird-watching spot in the U.S. Some of the best locations include the San Pedro Riparian Area (noted for its hummingbirds); Willcox Playa; and the Madera, Ramsey, Miller and Cave Creek canyons.
Not surprisingly, hiking is popular in Arizona's great outdoors. Even a modest hike around the rim of the Grand Canyon is an unforgettable experience, and with advance planning, you can arrange to descend into the canyon and stay overnight. Guided night walks are also an unusual and popular way of seeing Arizona's landscape and nocturnal wildlife. These take place mostly October-April in such venues as Tucson's Sabina Canyon, Lost Dutchman State Park and Pinnacle Peak Park in Scottsdale.
Horseback riding is still one of the best ways to experience cowboy country. You can do everything from hour-long jaunts for novices to week-long trips. Ranches are all over the state if you want to combine riding with a holiday, and you can take horses and mules into the Grand Canyon, too.
Another Arizona surprise is the numerous watersports offerings. White-water rafting through the Grand Canyon is one of the most thrilling options, and there are also rapids on the Salt River. Or you can boat on the state's many lakes, such as Lake Powell, Lake Mohave or Lake Roosevelt.
Shopping
Arizona's Native American communities specialize in pottery, handcrafted jewelry and handwoven textiles. These goods can be found throughout the state, but you may find better prices in the reservation areas. The intricately carved and painted Kachina dolls of the Hopi are also popular, but shoppers should not confuse real Kachinas with the crude imitations found in many curio stores and roadside shops. You'll also find baskets (they are not inexpensive) and Apache beadwork. Many of the shops that sell Native American crafts also offer demonstrations on silversmithing, rug weaving and pottery making.
Of all the places to shop in Arizona, we're especially fond of Hubbell Trading Post on the Navajo Reservation, near Ganado on U.S. Route 191. The oldest trading post on the reservation, Hubbell is a national historic site and a fascinating place to shop for Native American crafts. The shop at the Heard Museum in Phoenix also sells a breathtaking array of arts and crafts.
You'll often see Native Americans selling their wares along the highway. The practice is technically illegal, though it's doubtful that you'll run afoul of the law if you decide to browse. And some items—cow skulls, for instance—will be more memorable when purchased at a dusty crossroads rather than a bland gift shop.
Several cities have cactus greenhouses selling the state's famous thorny plants. Rockhounds will go wild in Arizona—you can find colorful, unusual specimens at shops and shows all around the state. The winter gem and rock shows in the tiny town of Quartzsite are especially well-known: They take place in January and February. Tucson's Gem Show in January and February is one of the biggest in the world. Visitors to southern Arizona may want to cross the border into Mexico, where you'll find excellent bargains on leather goods, pottery and stoneware. At some border crossings, you can get good deals on alcohol and tobacco, but you will need to make your purchases in the U.S. before crossing.
Local Tours
Seeing Arizona from the air, whether over the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona or desert landscape, is a wonderful experience. Flight companies out of Phoenix include Turf Soaring School (http://www.turfsoaring.com) and Arizona Soaring (http://www.azsoaring.com). Sedona Air Tours is out of Sedona (http://www.sedonaairtours.com), and Tucson Soaring flies out of Tucson (http://tucsonsoaring.org).
Tours combining the red rocks of Sedona and visits to see ancient Native American petroglyphs are also something unique to the area and can be booked through Sedona Red Rock Jeep Tours (http://www.redrockjeep.com) or Pink Jeep Tours (http://www.pinkjeep.com).
Day By Day
The ideal itinerary would be a leisurely two-week drive in a rental car (in the spring or fall), taking in Arizona's sights in the following order: Phoenix to Casa Grande, Tucson, over to Tombstone, up to Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, the Sedona-Jerome area and back to Phoenix. Several other sights could be squeezed in, depending on individual interests. Because most travelers only have a week, however, we offer the following schedule that concentrates on Phoenix and areas farther north.
Day 1—Arrive Phoenix.
Day 2—Drive out of Phoenix on Interstate 17 North. Exit onto Highway 69 to Prescott. After lunch and a brief look at the town, take Highway 89A to Jerome. When you're ready, continue along 89A to Sedona and overnight there.
Day 3—Sightsee and shop in Sedona.
Day 4—Head for Flagstaff via a leisurely drive on Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon. When you reach Flagstaff, see the sights that interest you and overnight there.
Day 5—Take Highway 180 north to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Overnight there.
Day 6—Spend the morning at the South Rim. In the afternoon, head east on Highway 64, stopping as you wish to see more Canyon-area sights. When you reach Highway 89, turn south and return to Flagstaff to spend the night.
Day 7—Return to Phoenix on I-17, taking time to stop at attractions along the way.
Day 8—Phoenix.
Day 9—Depart Arizona.
Those with a little more wanderlust can follow a different track for days 6-8: At the intersection of Highways 64 and 89, head north on Highway 89 to 160 and bear northeast across the Navajo Reservation. When you reach Highway 163, head north and arrive at Monument Valley, where you'll have to camp, spend the night at the Goulding's Lodge, or drive farther to stay at one of several inns in Kayenta. See the valley the next day, then retrace your route back to Highway 89 and head south to Phoenix. Spend the night in Flagstaff or somewhere else along the way.
