Ready to make 2018 the best year yet? If you want to do more traveling, then we recommend checking out some of Only In Arizona’s favorite places featured in articles from last year. You’ll find an incredible collection of small towns, ghost towns, parks, and natural areas that will dazzle you.
In fact, we even narrowed the list down to 12 so you can choose one new location to visit each month. Let’s take a look!
- Mystery Castle, Phoenix
J Etzel/Flickr This sprawling home sits in the foothills of South Mountain and is one incredible sight due the size and recycled materials used to construct it. The home has 18 rooms and one fascinating history. For more information, read our article on Mystery Castle by clicking here.
- Coal Mine Canyon, Navajo Nation
John Fowler/Flickr Hiding just off the highway 16 miles east of Tuba City, Coal Mine Canyon is a jaw-dropping landscape filled with colorful, striped spires and jagged cliffs. It may take a while to find but you’ll be absolutely impressed by what you find! For more information, read our article on Coal Mine Canyon by clicking here.
- Chloride
mlhradio/Flickr Want to check out a quirky little town? Chloride, which sits a ways off Highway 93 between Kingman and Hoover Dam, is a small town with some pretty interesting finds. This includes murals, a Wild West “ghost town,” and some interesting junk art. For more information, read our article on Chloride by clicking here.
- The Wave, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Bureau of Land Management/Flickr If you want to see one incredibly surreal sight, then you’ll want to pay a visit to The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona. The textured sandstone creates a striking pattern thanks to centuries of wind erosion. For more information, read our article on The Wave by clicking here.
- Flagstaff Extreme, Flagstaff
Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course & Zip Line/Facebook Looking for some exciting adventures? If you don’t have a fear of heights and like obstacle courses, then you’ll enjoy visiting Flagstaff Extreme. It features varying course levels that range from just a few feet above the the ground to way up in the tree tops. For more information, read our article on Flagstaff Extreme by clicking here.
- Paradise Forks, Sycamore Canyon
Kaibab National Forest/Wikimedia Commons
- Red Mountain, Flagstaff
Graeme Churchard/Flickr Have you ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? Sitting 25 miles from Flagstaff is a fractured cinder volcano that looks absolutely incredible with spires, hoodoos, and even tiny crystals scattered on the ground. For more information, read our article on the Red Mountain Trail by clicking here.
- Keyhole Sink, Williams
Kaibab National Forest/Flickr Hiding about 20 minutes east of Williams is a box canyon known as Keyhole Sink. You’ll find not only a small, beautiful canyon but also a seasonal waterfall, petroglyphs, and wildlife. For more information, read our article on Keyhole Sink by clicking here.
- Jerome
Ken Lund/Flickr Most people tend to visit Jerome for the haunted factor but did you know it’s also home to some amazing restaurants? The small town only has a population of about 450 yet has about a dozen restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and wineries that serve top notch food. For more information, read our article on Jerome’s restaurants by clicking here.
- Saint Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery, Florence
Trevor Huxham/Flickr This pretty place looks like it was picked up from the Mediterranean and plopped down in the Sonoran Desert and that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Saint Anthony’s was founded and built by a group of Greek monks, incorporating their native plants and designs with what you’ll find in the Southwest. For more information, read our article on the monastery by clicking here.
- Kinder Crossing Trail, Mogollon Rim
Coconino National Forest/Flickr Looking for an opportunity to get out into nature? You will love checking out this fantastic trail in Rim Country. The trail is just 2.5 miles and you’ll see some stunning scenery along the way! For more information, read our article on Kinder Crossing Trail #19 by clicking here.
- Arcosanti
James Kirkus-Lamont/Flickr Designed as an experimental desert town, Arcosanti was the brainchild of famed Italian architect Paolo Soleri and is one unique place to visit. It has an earthy yet otherworldly aesthetic and has been a source of inspiration for architects and urban planners for decades. For more information, read our article on Arcosanti by clicking here.
So, how many of these places are you looking forward to visiting this year? Are there any other locations you plan to see? Let us know some of your travel plans for 2018!
J Etzel/Flickr
This sprawling home sits in the foothills of South Mountain and is one incredible sight due the size and recycled materials used to construct it. The home has 18 rooms and one fascinating history. For more information, read our article on Mystery Castle by clicking here.
John Fowler/Flickr
Hiding just off the highway 16 miles east of Tuba City, Coal Mine Canyon is a jaw-dropping landscape filled with colorful, striped spires and jagged cliffs. It may take a while to find but you’ll be absolutely impressed by what you find! For more information, read our article on Coal Mine Canyon by clicking here.
mlhradio/Flickr
Want to check out a quirky little town? Chloride, which sits a ways off Highway 93 between Kingman and Hoover Dam, is a small town with some pretty interesting finds. This includes murals, a Wild West “ghost town,” and some interesting junk art. For more information, read our article on Chloride by clicking here.
Bureau of Land Management/Flickr
If you want to see one incredibly surreal sight, then you’ll want to pay a visit to The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona. The textured sandstone creates a striking pattern thanks to centuries of wind erosion. For more information, read our article on The Wave by clicking here.
Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course & Zip Line/Facebook
Looking for some exciting adventures? If you don’t have a fear of heights and like obstacle courses, then you’ll enjoy visiting Flagstaff Extreme. It features varying course levels that range from just a few feet above the the ground to way up in the tree tops. For more information, read our article on Flagstaff Extreme by clicking here.
Kaibab National Forest/Wikimedia Commons
Graeme Churchard/Flickr
Have you ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? Sitting 25 miles from Flagstaff is a fractured cinder volcano that looks absolutely incredible with spires, hoodoos, and even tiny crystals scattered on the ground. For more information, read our article on the Red Mountain Trail by clicking here.
Kaibab National Forest/Flickr
Hiding about 20 minutes east of Williams is a box canyon known as Keyhole Sink. You’ll find not only a small, beautiful canyon but also a seasonal waterfall, petroglyphs, and wildlife. For more information, read our article on Keyhole Sink by clicking here.
Ken Lund/Flickr
Most people tend to visit Jerome for the haunted factor but did you know it’s also home to some amazing restaurants? The small town only has a population of about 450 yet has about a dozen restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and wineries that serve top notch food. For more information, read our article on Jerome’s restaurants by clicking here.
Trevor Huxham/Flickr
This pretty place looks like it was picked up from the Mediterranean and plopped down in the Sonoran Desert and that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Saint Anthony’s was founded and built by a group of Greek monks, incorporating their native plants and designs with what you’ll find in the Southwest. For more information, read our article on the monastery by clicking here.
Coconino National Forest/Flickr
Looking for an opportunity to get out into nature? You will love checking out this fantastic trail in Rim Country. The trail is just 2.5 miles and you’ll see some stunning scenery along the way! For more information, read our article on Kinder Crossing Trail #19 by clicking here.
James Kirkus-Lamont/Flickr
Designed as an experimental desert town, Arcosanti was the brainchild of famed Italian architect Paolo Soleri and is one unique place to visit. It has an earthy yet otherworldly aesthetic and has been a source of inspiration for architects and urban planners for decades. For more information, read our article on Arcosanti by clicking here.
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