The Arizona Republic has begun a countdown of the top 50 places to see in Arizona. We’ll visit sites familiar and unfamiliar, reintroducing you to a state that is full of surprises. Giving credit where credit is due – please find the original article at azcentral.com
No. 50: Swansea – A reviving ghost town
Despite the site’s formidable access road, tourists and history buffs have been coming to Swansea from around the world for decades. Every year, 3,500 to 5,000 people explore the miners’ barracks, slag heaps and smelter ruins. An iron fence surrounds the main shaft, which is 1,200 feet deep.
No. 49: Summer celebrations in White Mountains
The White Mountains sprawl across eastern Arizona, a land of rugged peaks, tall pines and lovely lakes. Other than the San Francisco Peaks, it is the highest mountain range in Arizona, with several peaks topping out at more than 11,000 feet.
No. 48: Shake, rattle and roll at South Mountain
South Mountain Park is one of the great recreational resources of the Valley. With more than 50 miles of multiuse trails crisscrossing more than 16,000 acres of rugged desert beauty, the park is adored by hikers, bikers and horseback riders alike.
No. 47: Camelback Inn endures
Marriott’s Camelback Inn lies between two of the Valley’s signature mountains and smack in the middle of many locals’ hearts. Nominated as one of 50 favorite places in Arizona by readers, the 70-year-old resort has played host to movie stars, business tycoons, political leaders and legions of tourists, but the hometown crowd is among the most loyal clientele.
No. 46: Playing Arizona
Arizona and Las Vegas casinos both offer the chance to win and lose large amounts of money, but ours are different from the Vegas brethren. Arizona’s are scattered around the state, rather than being concentrated on or near a strip and downtown. However, there are advantages to the Arizona experience.
No. 45: Rustic fantasy
Wouldn’t it be great to have a cabin tucked away in the mountains or hidden in the forest? For most of us, that’s a fantasy. But thanks to the “Rooms With a View” program run by the Forest Service, the dream can become a reality, at least for a day or two.
No. 44: Walking in beauty
After writing four Arizona hiking guides and hiking thousands of miles on hundreds of trails in the past dozen years, I still discover hidden jewels. But some trails linger in my mind’s eye and keep me coming back. Here’s a selection of the 10 most scenic trails.
No. 43: Arizona Strip remote wonderland of beauty
Arizona is full of remote, backcountry beauty. No place, though, is quite as remote or difficult to reach, or, arguably, more beautiful than the Arizona Strip, a 5 million-acre swath of splendor between the Colorado River and the Utah line.
No. 42: Santa Cruz’s little acre
Besides birds, Santa Cruz County also is well known for destinations such as the arts colony at Tubac and the old mission at Tumacacori. It’s a county rich with lesser-known destinations, too, such as the Amado Territorial Inn that houses restaurants and artist studios.
No. 41: Sizzling summer resorts
Scorching triple-digit weather means triple-digit savings in the neighborhood of $200 to $1,000 a night at some Valley resorts. Stay at resorts during the off-season, now through September, and experience how celebrities, presidents and the wealthy live – without spending what they spend.
No. 40: Sycamore’s secret splendor
Sycamore Canyon may be the best place in Arizona you never heard of. The second-largest canyon in the state – 20 miles long and, in places, seven miles wide – slices through the Mogollon Rim just a dozen miles northwest of Sedona. It has been described as Oak Creek Canyon without the people.
No. 39: 2 mountain hamlets lure big-city refugees
Leave the hustle and bustle of city life – and the triple-digit heat – and head north to experience the neighboring mountain communities of Pine and Strawberry. Just 15 miles north of Payson, the air is fresher and 15 degrees cooler than metropolitan Phoenix.
No. 38: A relaxing train of thought
No matter how many times you ride the Grand Canyon Railway or the Verde Canyon Railroad, there’s something different to see. And there’s always a new group of guests eager to explore another area of the state.
No. 37: Jerome strikes it rich with art
Jerome draws visitors with its Old West history and sends them away with a healthy appreciation for its modern-day charm. Today, the town is home to artists, writers, merchants, hippies and restaurateurs.
No. 36: Chino Valley winery
Granite Creek Vineyards is a 20-acre organic winery in Chino Valley, a town known more for its mishmash of farms, retirement villas and sandstone pits than Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
No. 35: Mount Lemmon lifts desert-baked spirits
Mount Lemmon is a cool place – literally (the daytime temperature rarely gets higher than 80 degrees), figuratively (as in “Cool!”) and superlatively (“Way cool!”).
No. 34: Tonto Bridge a natural high
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park features picnic areas, four steep trails into the gorge, paved paths near the parking lot, designated viewpoints and herds of javelinas.
No. 33: Undergound fantasy
Kartchner Caverns State Park is 2-1/2 miles of nearly unrivaled wonders and as magnificent as that big hole in the ground north of Flagstaff. It’s the Grand Canyon with a lid.
No. 32: Canyon de Chelly awes
There are several ways to view the labyrinth, and they’re all good, because the canyon is one of those spectacular creations that have no bad side. The south rim drive alone seven wondrous overlooks.
No. 31: Riordan Mansion, a treasure in the pines
Visitors will see a home filled with the Riordans’ belongings — from flypaper to luggage. Their furnishings include nearly pristine, now priceless, handcrafted chairs, tables and rockers by Gustav Strickley.
No. 30: Chiricahua Mountains
In few places on Earth are the forces of geology on such extravagant display as in the Chiricahua Mountains, in the southeastern corner of the state.
Check back soon for the rest of the “top 50″ places in Arizona!
Post update – 1/22/2008: See #29 – #11 and #10 – #1 right here on Arizona Travel.
These were some really cool places in Arizona that you highlighted! I really am not exciting about exploring Jerome and visiting those hippies you described :) The Marriott’s Camelback Inn also sounds awesome. After all, who doesn’t want to stay in the same place as movie stars!