Phoenix Day Trips Worth the Drive
One of my favorite things about living in Phoenix is you don’t need a whole vacation to feel like you got away. Day trips are perfect for when you want a change of scenery but don’t feel like booking a hotel or burning a vacation day.
Hop in the car, drive a couple hours, and suddenly the desert’s behind you. Take a day trip from Phoenix and you’re surrounded by red rocks, tall pines, old historic buildings, or some tiny town you’ve probably never even heard of.
Phoenix Day Trips
Whenever friends ask me what there is to do around Phoenix, I always tell them the same thing: visit Phoenix, but look outside the city.
Phoenix itself has incredible food, great museums, awesome trails, but some of my best Arizona memories happened on random day trips. I’ve poked around old mining towns, stopped at viewpoints just because they caught my eye, and stumbled on spots I would’ve driven right past if I’d been in a rush.
For this guide, I consider a day trip to be a destination that can be reached from Phoenix, explored, and returned from in the same day. Most of these drives take between one and two and a half hours each way. The exception would be some of the scenic drives are longer drive times, but that is because driving is the destination.
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Choose Your Perfect Day Trip
| If You Want to… | Destination | Drive Time (one-way) | Best For | Time Needed |
| See Red Rocks | Sedona | 2 hours | Hiking | Full day |
| Escape the Summer Heat | Flagstaff | 2 – 2.5 hours | Cooling Off | Full day |
| Visit a Mining Town | Jerome | 2 hours | History | Half to Full Day |
| See Ancient Ruins | Montezuma’s Castle | 1.5 hours | History & Family | Half to Full Day |
| Enjoy a cute downtown | Prescott | 2 hours | Downtown | Full Day |
| Walk in a botanical garden | Boyce Thompson Arboretum | 1 hour | Gardens | Half Day to Full Day |
| See Petroglyphs | Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site | 1.5 hours | petroglyphs | Half Day to Full Day |
| Take a Scenic Drive | Apache Trail | 3-4 hours | Scenic drive | Full Day |
| Hike | Tonto Natural Bridge | 2 hours | hiking | Full Day |
| Taste AZ Wines | Verde Valley | 2 – 2.5 hours | tour | Half Day to Full Day |
| See Wild Animals | Out of Africa Wildlife Park | 1.5 hours | Family Fun | Half Day to Full Day |
| Ghost Towns | Goldfield Ghost Town/ Tortilla Flat | 1 hour | Family Fun | Half Day to Full Day |
| See Ancient Ruins | Casa Grande Ruins | 1 hour | History | Half Day |
What Type of Day Trip Are You Looking For?
Below is a list of my favorite day trips from Phoenix. I’ve included all the stuff I actually want to know before I go anywhere: how long the drive is, why the place is worth it, what to actually do there, and a few tips to help you pick the right trip for you.
Best Day Trip for Hikers
- Sedona
- Tonto Natural Bridge
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Sedona
Red rock hikes, scenic drives, art galleries, wellness retreats
- Distance: 117 miles one-way
- Time: 2 hours
- Elevation gain: 3,000 – 3,500 elevation gain
- Fees: For many of the trails you’ll need a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking: Free and Paid
- EV Charging: Yes, near Oak Creek
Read the complete guide → Sedona, Arizona
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
- Distance: 60 miles one-way
- Time: 1 hour
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 1,400 feet elevation gain
- Fees:$10.00 – $25.00 as of 2026
- Dog Friendly: Yes. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking: included in ticket
- EV Charging: No
Read the complete guide → Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Tonto Natural Bridge
- Distance: 103 miles one-way
- Time: 2 hours
- Elevation gain: 3900 – 4200 elevation gain
- Fees: Yes
- Dog Friendly: No, dogs are not allowed.
- Parking: Included in fee.
- EV Charging: Payson Village there is a Tesla Supercharger
Read the complete guide → Tonto Natural Bridge
Historic Towns – Day Trip Ideas
Jerome
Historic mining town, mountain views, art galleries
- Distance: 111 miles one-way
- Time: 2 hours
- Elevation gain: 4,200 elevation gain
- Fees: Yes, there are Parking fees
- Dog Friendly: No, you cannot bring your dog into the shops.
- Parking:
- EV Charging:
Read the complete guide → Jerome, Arizona
Prescott
Historic downtown, Whiskey Row, lakes, trails, mountain scenery
- Distance: 100 miles one-way
- Time: 2 hours
- Elevation gain: 4,300 – 4,600 elevation gain
- Fees:
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking:
- EV Charging: Tesla Supercharger – Pine Ridge Marketplace in Prescott
Read the complete guide → Prescott, Arizona
Wickenburg
- Distance: 65 miles one-way
- Time: 1-1.5 hours
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 1,000 feet elevation gain
- Fees:
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking:
- EV Charging: Destination Charger
Read the complete guide → Wickenburg, Arizona
Phoenix Day Trips – Scenic Drives
- Prescott
- Sedona
- Apache Trail
- Read the complete guide → Arizona Scenic Drives
Prescott
The drive from Wickenburg to Prescott to Jerome is one of our favorite scenic drives. Winding roads and sheer cliffs.
Read the complete guide → Mingus Mountain Scenic Drive
Sedona
Sedona has some of the most scenic drives in Arizona.
Read the complete guide → Sedona’s Scenic Drives
Apache Trail
There is so many fun stops on the Apache Trail including Goldfield Ghost Town and Tortilla Flat, and the Superstition Mountains. Allow a 1 hour drive time from Phoenix to Tortilla Flat.
If you plan on driving the full 48-mile Apache Trail allow another 2-3 hours one -way and then an additional 2-hours back to Phoenix. Plan for a full day adventure, 6+ hours of drive time, if you’re taking this scenic route.
- Distance: 77 miles one-way
- Time: 3-4 hours
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 2,700 -3,000 feet elevation gain
- Fees: No fees for the drive
- Dog Friendly:
- Parking:
- EV Charging: No
Read the complete guide → Apache Trail
Wine Tours
Arizona Wine Tour – Verde Valley
Read the complete guide → Arizona Wineries
Best Summer Escapes
- Day trip to the Lake
- Tubing down the Salt River
- Swimming Holes
- Flagstaff
- Payson
Arizona Lakes
Read the complete guide → Arizona Lakes
Tubing on the Salt River
- Distance: 34 miles one-way
- Time: 40 minutes
- Elevation gain:
- Fees: $22.00 – $28.00, as of 2026 (includes parking, shuttle ride, and tube rental)
- Dog Friendly: No.
- Parking: Parking is included with raft rental.
- EV Charging: No
Read the complete guide → Salt River Tubing
Arizona Swimming Holes
Read the complete guide → Arizona Swimming Holes
Flagstaff
Cool summers, fall colors, Route 66, hiking, national monuments
- Distance: 145 miles one-way
- Time: 2 – 2.5 hours
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 6,000 feet in elevation gain
- Fees:
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking:
- EV Charging: Yes, two Tesla Supercharger stations. One is in a hotel parking lot and the other one is on 89A north of Flagstaff.
Read the complete guide → Flagstaff, Arizona
Payson
Waterfalls, forests, lakes, Rim Country adventures
- Distance: miles one-way
- Time: 2 hours
- Elevation gain: 3,000 – 3,500 elevation gain
- Fees:
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking:
- EV Charging: Yes, Tesla Supercharger in Payson Village.
Read the complete guide → Payson, Arizona
Family-Friendly Day Trips
- Goldfield Ghost Town
- Montezuma’s Castle
- Casa Grande Ruins
- Out of Africa Wildlife Zoo
- Lava River Cave
- Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site
Goldfield Ghost Town
- Distance: 40 miles one-way
- Time: 45 min – 1 hour
- Elevation gain:
- Fees: Free to get in, however there are fees for activities.
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for most outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking:
- EV Charging: No
Read the complete guide → Goldfield Ghost Town & Tortilla Flat
Montezuma’s Castle
- Distance: 94 miles one-way
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 2,500 feet elevation gain
- Fees: Yes
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking: included with admission
- EV Charging:
Read the complete guide → Montezuma’s Castle
Casa Grande Ruins
- Distance: 47 miles one-way
- Time: 1 hour
- Elevation gain from Phoenix: 300 feet elevation gain
- Fees: Free
- Dog Friendly: Yes, for outdoor activities. See more information on specific guides.
- Parking: Free
- EV Charging: No.
Read the complete guide → Casa Grande Ruins
Out of Africa Wildlife Park
- Distance: 93 miles one-way
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Elevation gain: 2,000 feet elevation gain
- Fees: $28.00 – $43.00 as of 2026
- Dog Friendly: No
- Parking: Included with admission
- EV Charging: Camp Verde
Read the complete guide → Out of Africa Wildlife Park
Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site
- Distance: 104 miles one-way
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours
- Elevation gain:
- Fees: $5.00 per vehicle fee as of 2026
- Dog Friendly: No.
- Parking: included with entrance fee
- EV Charging: No
Read the complete guide → Petroglyphs in Arizona
Phoenix Day Trip FAQ
Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Wickenburg, Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Tubing on Salt River, Tortilla Flat.
No, Sedona is only 2 hours from Phoenix.
Sedona, Payson and Flagstaff all have great hiking trails
Yes, any of the day trips can be fun for kids too.
A backpack to keep your water, reusable water bottles, snacks, hat for the sun, light jacket if going to a higher elevation.
Most hikes in Sedona require a Red Rock Pass, National Parks and Monuments require an entrance fee or America the Beautiful Pass.
You can bring your dog to a lot of places. However, usually not to National Monuments or State Parks. Visit the travel guide pages for more information.
Related Posts
- Phoenix Travel Guide
- Best Weekend Getaways from Phoenix
- Scenic Drives in Arizona
- Hidden Gems in Arizona
- Arizona State Parks
- Best Easy Hikes Near Phoenix
- Arizona Guide
Arizona Tours
Adventurer At Heart
Hello, my name is Amber! I'm an Arizona-based traveler obsessed with nature and history.
