Scheduling Your Time in Arizona

If you're from a smaller, more urban-centric state, you may be tempted to plan a trip to Arizona based on more familiar travel experiences. Throw out those East Coast and Midwest touring models; they don't apply to the Southwest. Instead, when devising your Arizona adventure, keep in mind the rules discussed in this article.

More is less

Arizona is so large that, unless you have unlimited vacation time, you have to decide in advance which region(s) you plan to visit. Otherwise, you'll literally be spinning your wheels. Naturally, your specific choices depend on your interests and the time of year you travel.

Remember, too, that you can have too much of a good thing. Try to vary your terrain — literally and figuratively. If you like the great outdoors, you'll be wowed by southern Arizona's cactus-laden landscape — but you don't need to go to Saguaro National Park in Tucson, take a side trip from Tucson to Organ Pipe National Monument, and then go to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, all of which would leave you with no time to view the red rocks of Sedona or the strangely poised boulders of Chiricahua National Monument. Similarly, unless you're on a scholarly research mission, you can pass up the smaller museums of Native American culture if you've visited the Heard Museum in Phoenix. In fact, you don't really need to spend time in both Greater Phoenix and Tucson. The cities are sufficiently similar in their amenities and attractions that you won't gain much by dividing your time between them.

Because distances between Arizona's tourist attractions are so great, basing yourself in either major city may not be your best move. You wouldn't want to bed down in Phoenix, for example, and drive to the Grand Canyon and back in a single day. Getting away from the large metro areas and staying at smaller regional hotels or inns is fun — and often less expensive. On the other hand, if you want to relax in one place, Greater Phoenix and Tucson provide plenty for you to do. You can easily spend a week in either place and take some great side trips. You won't be bored.

Wheels win

Arizona is public transportation-challenged, so if you don't plan on driving, you either have to rely on escorted tours or spend huge amounts of time and/or money trying to get around independently. Yes, the major cities have bus systems, but they're slow and won't necessarily take you where you want to go; moreover, most bus lines shut down at ridiculously early hours. So, for example, if you didn't have a car and wanted to go out to dinner in most parts of Greater Phoenix, you'd have to phone in advance for a cab in both directions — and pay through the nose.

One exception to the you-can't-get-there-without-your-own-wheels rule is visiting the Grand Canyon, a site so popular that the state goes out of its way to transport people to it. You can catch a shuttle from Phoenix to Flagstaff — which, being a smallish college town has a pretty decent bus system, and a nice strollable downtown — then take another shuttle from Flag to the abyss, where, especially in summer, going carless is an asset.

Phoenix rising (and landing)

Don't assume that all parts of Arizona are equally accessible by air. You can fly directly into Tucson from some places — and, if you want to spend your time in that city and/or in southeast Arizona, look into that option — but most airlines offer far more flights, especially economical ones, into Phoenix. Before spending time devising a vacation itinerary, check out flights to Arizona from your hometown. If all signs point to Phoenix, as is likely, plan your itinerary accordingly.

Of course, if you're driving into Arizona, ignore all of the preceding advice. You're probably already distance- and transportation-savvy.