This morning it’s time to get your bearings in Phoenix on a half day City Tour with Detours Arizona. Because the city has grown so quickly during the last century, there is a tremendous diversity of culture, heritage and scenery on display. The tour will take you to South Mountain Park, the largest city park in the world, Camelback Mountain, Old Town Scottsdale and the Scottsdale area, the Arizona State Capital, the Paradise Valley area and the central core of Phoenix. Lunch will be at a unique and authentic Arizona restaurant, such as the Sugar Bowl in Old Town Scottsdale or the Farm at South Mountain, a real working farm dating back to the 1920s where lunch is served under the pecan trees.

Once you’re familiar with Phoenix, you can start your own exploration at the beginning, at Pueblo Grande, the location of the 1,500 year old Hohokam village that preceded Phoenix. The central three-acre portion of the village and the 800 year old platform mound used by the Hohokam for  ceremonies was first preserved in 1924. Since then, archeologists have continued to excavate here, revealing a continuing stream of new treasures.

The frontier era of Phoenix heritage will be revealed at Historic Heritage Square, where the Rossen House dates from 1895. This Victorian masterpiece illustrates just how far the city had come in the 15 years since its founding as an agricultural outpost. Other buildings in Heritage Square include the 1881 Forest’s Carriage House, all that is left of the Francis Marion Mognett Ranch, the 1909 neoclassical Thomas House which houses the Bar Bianco next to Pizzera Bianco and the Teeter Carriage House that now houses Artlink.

The Presidio Trail, a historical walking tour of downtown Tucson meanders through the oldest part of the city. Even though the original fort and Native American village now lying deep under the streets are under excavation, the northeast corner of the Presidio is being reconstructed on its original site at Church and Washington. Nearby, the Tucson Museum of Art has preserved five historic homes, all classic Sonoran houses that were built in the 1860s. Each has period rooms depicting frontier Tucson. Unique architecture also defines the Telles Block which is filled with Old Town Artisans in row houses surrounding an interior courtyard. You can stop for a sip before touring the shops. On the other side of Congress Street, the St. Augustine Cathedral has a magnificent sandstone façade. Thirty-two structures in all line the trail. They all tell part of the story.

Before leaving downtown, be sure to have lunch at El Charro. Established in 1922, El Charro Café’ is the oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation in the United States. Gourmet Magazine called it a true “taste explosion.” A visit to the Arizona State Museum will be a great way to learn more of the story of the entire region. The Museum itself is authentic, having been established by the Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1893. The world’s largest collection of whole-vessel Southwest Indian pottery is complemented by 150,000 archeological artifacts. Alongside, one of the nation’s top Navajo textile collections includes some of the earliest and most rare examples of this type of weaving in existence.

For the best of cactus forests, take the Sky Island National Scenic Byway up to the top of Mount Lemmon.

Distance: 313 miles

The Grand Canyon, a World Heritage Site that encompasses over 1.2 million acres, is a geologic wonder. The immense Canyon averages 4,000 feet deep over its entire 277 miles. It is 6,000 feet deep at its deepest point, and 15 miles wide at its widest. The Canyon is a mosaic of five of the seven life zones found in all of North America and three of the four desert types found on the continent. In its walls is a record of three of the four eras of geological time, along with a rich variety of fossils. To the delight of visitors, the Canyon serves as an ecological refuge for more than 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammal, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian and 17 fish species.

We encourage you to take advantage of the free shuttle buses that operate throughout the South Rim; they ease congestion and impact on the park and make your visit hassle-free. You can pick up the shuttle at Grand Canyon Village and get off at the South Rim Visitor Center at Canyon View Information Plaza to begin your visit. From there, the canyon rim is only a short stroll away! The eight-mile round-trip on Hermit Road takes you to views of the Colorado River at Hopi, Mohave and Pima Points, as well as to Hermits Rest, a historic landmark with a great view of the river. Desert View Drive, a scenic 25 mile one-way self-drive, delivers sensational views of the Canyon and the Colorado River at Moran Point, Lipan Point, and Desert View.

In addition to the historic Yavapai Observation Station, with its exceptional views, visitor centers on the South Rim include the Desert View Information Center and the Tusayan Museum on Desert View Drive. A visit to the museum provides a glimpse of Pueblo Indian life near the Grand Canyon some 800 years ago. The Kolb Studio, spectacularly located in the Grand Canyon Village Historic District, was the home of the pioneering Kolb brothers who first photographed the Canyon.

Accommodation: El Tovar

Distance: 138 miles

There are times when things created out of necessity become things of great beauty. Lake Powell is one of those instances where water rushing off the desert had to be stopped to prevent flooding.

The result is a beautiful 186-mile long lake with 1,960 miles of shoreline — longer than the entire west coast of the continental United States! You will, of course, want to get out on the lake. There are 96 major canyons, most of which can only be reached by boat. Boats can be rented in Page and at each of the four marinas on Lake Powell. Or you can select from one of many tour boat cruises that range from one hour up to seven hours.

You can experience 15 miles of one of the most dramatic stretches of river in the Western United States on a smooth water float trip on the Colorado River. Departing from Page, you’ll travel through the Glen Canyon Dam access tunnel and board a pontoon raft for the down stream journey. You’ll soon find yourself immersed in soaring sandstone cliffs surrounded by crystal blue-green water and lots of wildlife. Stretch your legs viewing ancient petroglyphs.

Recreation opportunities are also available in the Glen Canyon Recreation area which stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry, Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history. It was established to protect the Colorado Plateau, a vast landscape of colourful buttes, mesas, canyons, and cliffs. Plantsand wildlife have developed unique adaptations to the hot, arid conditions of their environment,  contributing to the rich diversity of life in the area. If you do not get onto Lake Powell by boat, go to Antelope Point Marina, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for a lovely meal on the world’s largest floating restaurant, Ja'di' Tooh.

Accommodation: Lake Powell Resort or similiar

Distance: 180 miles

Many say they can feel special spirits in Sedona, others say it’s just the pristine beauty of red rock country here that makes it such a special place. As one would imagine in such a vaunted location, the roots of Sedona date back to a deserted garden and healing spring used by Native Americans for millennia before Europeans arrived. The town’s contemporary roots are much younger. The rugged outposts of Oak Creek Canyon were not claimed until 1876, the same year as Custer’s Last Stand in Montana. It was a Mr. Thompson who discovered the deserted Indian garden and healing spring, but the James family, the next to arrive in the little settlement, who decided that Indian Gardens would be attractive to tourists and began giving place names to the spectacular red rock formations. If you’re up to it, you can climb Bell Rock. Exploring Red Rock State Park will let you get up close and personal with the stunning rock formations on five miles of trails.

The best way to get acquainted with Sedona is on the Sedona Trolley. A 55-minute tour takes you past all the best places in town, including the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross, a church dedicated to art set picturesquely among the spires and pinnacles sculpted by nature on Little Horse Park Rock. The view is astounding and the chapel, a serene respite from the hustle and bustle of life. A second 55-minute Seven Canyons Tour takes in a scenic route west of Sedona, where you’ll be introduced to red rock country.

Accommodation: L' Auberge De Sedona, Poco Diablo or similiar