Attractions Nearby Phoenix, Day Trips and Excursions

(Phoenix, Arizona - AZ, USA)

Despite the huge area enveloped by the Phoenix metropolitan district, it never takes long to escape the city and experience the beautiful landscapes of the Arizona wilderness, its untouched mountain peaks, deep canyons and various desert formations.

Accordingly, the main attractions nearby Phoenix are of the natural variety, while fascinating archeological ruins and historic Western towns are also on offer.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Address: 1100 Ruins Drive, Coolidge, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 513 932 4421
Casa Grande means 'big house' and is one of the largest and most mysterious prehistoric structures in North America and the country's first archeological preserve. These significant ruins include unique earth-walled structures, irrigation canals and various other artifacts up to 1,500 years old, created by the Hohokam people.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, children under 16 free

Apache Trail

Address: Arizona, USA
The best reason to hire a car in Phoenix is to take a day trip along the Apache Trail and enjoy some of the most stunning scenery in the country. Winding through beautiful desert wilderness and featuring breathtaking views and sheer drop to the Fish Creek Canyon below, the Apache Trail is a route that Theodore Roosevelt once called 'the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful panorama nature ever created'. Head for Apache Junction east of downtown Phoenix and decide which direction around the loop you take from there.

Florence

Address: Florence, Arizona, USA
Tel: +1 520 868 4331
A short drive south of Phoenix is the historic Western town of Florence, boasting a stately Victorian courthouse and over 150 other sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The local museum is home to various attractions, including a macabre collection of nooses that have been used in executions.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free, charge for some attractions

Goldfield Ghost Town

Address: Apache Junction, Phoenix, Arizona AZ, USA
Tel: +1 480 983 0333
This reconstructed 1890s gold mining town sits between the Superstition Mountains to the east and the Goldfield Mountains to the west. Goldfield Ghost Town, within each reach on central Phoenix, is a bit of a tourist trap, but walking down the main street and taking in the period buildings is fun, while there are mine tours, train rides, Old West gun fights and panning for gold on offer. The Superstition Mountain Museum is well worth checking out and features an excellent exhibit on the Lost Dutchman goldmine.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for seniors and children, children under six free

Historic Sahuaro Ranch

Address: 9802 North 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona AZ, 85302, USA
Tel: +1 623 930 4200
The Historic Sahuaro Ranch ranch offers a rare glimpse into the agricultural past of Phoenix and surrounding towns from the time when they were nothing more than simple farming communities. Tours of the restored farmhouse are offered, while the old fruit-packing shed is now a gallery.
Open hours: Wednesday to Friday - 10:00 to 14:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday - noon to 16:00
Admission: charge, children under 12 free