Fly and Drive: Road Trip to Arizona’s Red Rocks and High Country

Arizona is made for a road trip. Fly into Phoenix, pick up a rental car and explore at your own pace, stopping for desert gardens, red rock landscapes, canyon overlooks, historic Route 66 and some of the best stargazing in the Southwest.

With just a few hours between Phoenix and Flagstaff, this easy drive offers plenty of variety along a relatively short stretch of road.

Phoenix

Begin at Desert Botanical Garden, where more than 50,000 plants fill 55 acres of the Sonoran Desert. Five walking trails wind past towering saguaros, agaves, yuccas and green-barked palo verde trees. The short Sonoran Desert Nature Trail offers mountain views and passes through an organ pipe cactus forest.

In fall, the Cohn Family Butterfly Pavilion comes alive with more than 1,000 free-flying Southwestern butterflies, including monarchs. Outside, look for colorful glass butterflies, dragonflies and hummingbirds from artist Alex Heveri’s “Glass in Flight” series.

Afterward, head north to the Musical Instrument Museum, home to more than 7,500 instruments from more than 200 countries and territories. Slip on a headset and hear African drums, Andean panpipes and more as you approach exhibits. In the Artist Gallery, see instruments, stage outfits and memorabilia from music legends, including Prince, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Madonna.

Make time for the hands-on Experience Gallery, where you can bang a gong, strum a harp and try instruments from around the world. Catch a demonstration of the 25-foot-long Decap orchestrion, a 2-ton mechanical instrument with nearly 700 organ pipes. Don’t miss the massive red-and-gold organ console from Chicago Stadium, the former home of the Bulls and Blackhawks.

Nearby, stop at HULA’s Modern Tiki for a fun take on a tiki bar, with dishes like citrus ahi bowls and crispy coconut shrimp rolls. Or start the drive north and stop in Black Canyon City at Rock Springs Cafe, a roadside landmark since 1918 known for comfort food and house-baked pies.

Sedona

From Phoenix, trade saguaros and the Sonoran Desert for Sedona’s towering red rock formations. Start on the Bell Rock Pathway, a wide multiuse trail that brings you close to Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. Prefer two wheels? Rent an e-bike or mountain bike at Sedona Bike & Bean, where you can fuel up with coffee before or after your ride.

At Red Rock State Park, 5 miles of trails crisscross a 286-acre nature preserve along Oak Creek. Follow Eagle’s Nest Loop to the park’s highest point for 360-degree views that include Cathedral Rock and the Seven Warriors. Then stop at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, dramatically built into the red rocks. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock.

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Next, follow State Route 89A into Oak Creek Canyon, where the road twists alongside the creek beneath steep canyon walls. At Slide Rock State Park, explore the historic Pendley Homestead, then see the natural sandstone slide that gives the park its name. Continue to Oak Creek Vista for a final look into the canyon and a Native American artisan market selling handcrafted jewelry, pottery and other works.

For dinner, Creekside American Bistro offers an outdoor patio with red rock views. Or reserve a sunset table at Mesa Grill Sedona, set beside Sedona Airport. Order street tacos and table-side guacamole as small planes take off and land against the spectacular red rock backdrop.

Flagstaff

From Sedona, swap red rocks for ponderosa pines and views of the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. Start at Walnut Canyon National Monument, where Ancestral Puebloan people built homes into limestone alcoves more than 700 years ago. The 1-mile Island Trail descends into the canyon and passes 25 cliff dwelling rooms. For an easier option, the 0.7-mile Rim Trail leads to two overlooks with views of the canyon and dwellings below.   

Next, get your kicks on Route 66, which celebrates its centennial in 2026. Start at the downtown Flagstaff visitor center, housed in a historic train station, then follow the self-guided Walk This Talk audio tour along the original Route 66 alignment through the Southside neighborhood.

For an early dinner, head to Shift Kitchen & Bar, a block north of historic Route 66, for small plates like blue corn-crusted pork chop and lamb pasta. Or try Urban Pine Eatery for flatbreads, salads and sandwiches. This downtown spot was voted Flagstaff’s best new restaurant in 2025.

Finish the day at Lowell Observatory, where astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930. Explore hands-on exhibits at the Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center, opened in 2024, then step into its multistory LED theater and rooftop Dark Sky Planetarium. At the Pluto Discovery Dome, see the 13-inch astrograph Tombaugh used to find Pluto.

After dark, head to the Giovale Open Deck Observatory, where six telescopes offer views of planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. You may also get a chance to peer through the historic 24-inch Clark Telescope, once used to help map the moon for the Apollo 11 mission.

Plan your trip with a AAA travel advisor and rent your car with Hertz. AAA members can save up to 20% on Hertz rentals.

Featured image: Courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden