I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending the last couple days cleaning and getting ready for the new year. While I don’t do traditional resolutions anymore (I focus more on bi-monthly goals), one thing I do want to do this year is travel our state much more often. So, while looking into some places to visit, I also decided now is a great time to compile a list of things do in 2016. Hopefully you can also find something new and fun to do in 2016.
- Walk through Antelope Canyon
Desert Zen/Flickr Still haven’t made it to this slot canyon? What better time to plan a visit than this year?
- Ride the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams
Maarten Otto/Flickr Here’s one that is on my to-do list for the year! There are several packages to choose from so that you can choose a one-day trip or take the train to the Grand Canyon for an overnight stay or two.
- Visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
James Marvin Phelps/Flickr Get all of the beautiful views without the hassle of the crowds along the South Rim. It is closed for the winter, but the roads to the North Rim reopen in May.
- Pat’s Run (April 23 in Tempe)
Kevin Dooley/Flickr The signature fundraising event for the Pat Tillman Foundation, this 4.2 mile race is open to both runners and walkers. Registration begins later this month so hopefully I’ll see you there as well!
- Any of the Phoenix Points of Pride
Alan English CPA/Flickr There are 31 locations to choose from here, and you could easily choose any two or three for a good day visit to the state’s capitol.
- A home game for any of our teams
Alisa Cooper/Flickr You have a lot to choose from: the Cardinals, the Suns, the Diamondbacks, the Mercury, the Coyotes, and plenty of other teams.
- Add your name to the lottery for the Wave at Vermilion Cliffs
Henrik Johansson/Flickr In order to protect the sandstone formation while also allowing the public to view this section of the Vermilion Cliffs, the Bureau of Land Management allows up to 20 people per day to visit via a permit. You can receive a permit by entering a lottery (either online or in-person for next-day permits) for $5.
- See amazing hoodoos at Chiricahua National Monument
Jasperdo/Flickr For a different rock scene, be sure to add a hike at Chiricahua National Monument to your list. Seeing those hoodoos in person is amazing.
- Visit a new museum
Mr.TinDC/Flickr You wouldn’t believe how many people I know who haven’t stepped inside a museum since an eighth grade class field trip. Do yourself a favor and spend at least an hour walking through one. If you need a suggestion, try out the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson or the Heard Museum in Phoenix for something a little different.
- Check out sites like Casa Grande or Montezuma Castle National Monuments for a glimpse into Arizona’s past
Steven Reynolds/Flickr There are actually a lot of these ancestral dwellings around the state, so if you’ve already visited these two, try another.
- Pay a visit to a real ghost town
Barb Mayer/Flickr Whether it is Oatman, Goldfield, or Gleeson, there’s always something new you can learn just by walking around the site. Don’t forget to check out our ghost town article for ideas of where to head.
- Go to a rodeo
Dagny Gromer/Flickr I noticed in one of my previous articles where I talked about rodeos, a lot of readers mentioned they have never attended a rodeo. It’s a western tradition and you live in a western state; go to one! One to visit is the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, which will be in its 129th year this July.
- Tour an old mine.
Dave Bezaire/Flickr One favorite is the Queen Mine, which has former miners as tour guides in their old work location. A tour typically lasts one hour and will run you $13.
- Check out an old trading post
Ron Cogswell/Flickr The Navajo Nation is a goldmine for this where plenty of old trading posts are still in operation more than a century later. You can check out Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado for a museum tour or Burnham & Company in Sanders to see their huge yarn display.
- Spend a day (or two) along one of our wine trails
Kevin Spencer/Flickr If a wine tasting (or “tasting,” depending on your habits) is more your style, you won’t want to miss a trip to one of our three major wine areas: Sonoita, Willcox, and the Verde Valley.
- Try out a new restaurant or cuisine
Alan English CPA/Flickr One of my favorite things to do is eat good food with good people. Look for a restaurant (or food truck) you haven’t visited before. You can check out our previous food articles for ideas.
So, were you able to find any fun activities on that list? Let me know which you would look forward to doing in the new year!
Desert Zen/Flickr
Still haven’t made it to this slot canyon? What better time to plan a visit than this year?
Maarten Otto/Flickr
Here’s one that is on my to-do list for the year! There are several packages to choose from so that you can choose a one-day trip or take the train to the Grand Canyon for an overnight stay or two.
James Marvin Phelps/Flickr
Get all of the beautiful views without the hassle of the crowds along the South Rim. It is closed for the winter, but the roads to the North Rim reopen in May.
Kevin Dooley/Flickr
The signature fundraising event for the Pat Tillman Foundation, this 4.2 mile race is open to both runners and walkers. Registration begins later this month so hopefully I’ll see you there as well!
Alan English CPA/Flickr
There are 31 locations to choose from here, and you could easily choose any two or three for a good day visit to the state’s capitol.
Alisa Cooper/Flickr
You have a lot to choose from: the Cardinals, the Suns, the Diamondbacks, the Mercury, the Coyotes, and plenty of other teams.
Henrik Johansson/Flickr
In order to protect the sandstone formation while also allowing the public to view this section of the Vermilion Cliffs, the Bureau of Land Management allows up to 20 people per day to visit via a permit. You can receive a permit by entering a lottery (either online or in-person for next-day permits) for $5.
Jasperdo/Flickr
For a different rock scene, be sure to add a hike at Chiricahua National Monument to your list. Seeing those hoodoos in person is amazing.
Mr.TinDC/Flickr
You wouldn’t believe how many people I know who haven’t stepped inside a museum since an eighth grade class field trip. Do yourself a favor and spend at least an hour walking through one. If you need a suggestion, try out the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson or the Heard Museum in Phoenix for something a little different.
Steven Reynolds/Flickr
There are actually a lot of these ancestral dwellings around the state, so if you’ve already visited these two, try another.
Barb Mayer/Flickr
Whether it is Oatman, Goldfield, or Gleeson, there’s always something new you can learn just by walking around the site. Don’t forget to check out our ghost town article for ideas of where to head.
Dagny Gromer/Flickr
I noticed in one of my previous articles where I talked about rodeos, a lot of readers mentioned they have never attended a rodeo. It’s a western tradition and you live in a western state; go to one! One to visit is the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, which will be in its 129th year this July.
Dave Bezaire/Flickr
One favorite is the Queen Mine, which has former miners as tour guides in their old work location. A tour typically lasts one hour and will run you $13.
Ron Cogswell/Flickr
The Navajo Nation is a goldmine for this where plenty of old trading posts are still in operation more than a century later. You can check out Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado for a museum tour or Burnham & Company in Sanders to see their huge yarn display.
Kevin Spencer/Flickr
If a wine tasting (or “tasting,” depending on your habits) is more your style, you won’t want to miss a trip to one of our three major wine areas: Sonoita, Willcox, and the Verde Valley.
One of my favorite things to do is eat good food with good people. Look for a restaurant (or food truck) you haven’t visited before. You can check out our previous food articles for ideas.
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