One Day Getaways from Phoenix

Phoenix, located in central Arizona, is ideally located for day-trips around the Copper State. Within just a few hours' drive, you'll find a variety of natural wonders, art communities, history of the Wild West and scenic wineries. Whether you've lived in Arizona all your life or are just visiting for a few days, here are some Phoenix getaways that you won't want to miss:

Sedona
Located about two hours north of Phoenix, the landscape around the small arts community of Sedona is about as different as possible from that of central Arizona. The town of 11,000 is in the heart of Arizona's red rock country, and visitors can take one of several tours to the dramatic formations. Sedona's natural beauty has drawn hundreds of artists to the area and more than 40 Sedona art galleries sell local works.

Arizona Wine Country
Santa Cruz County, in the south-central part of the state, is Arizona wine country. Although less well-known for wine-making than California or Washington State, Arizona wineries grow a variety of wine grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Many area wineries offer tastings at a nominal charge and some have gift shops and food service. Among the best are Sonoita Vineyards and Callaghan Vineyards, both in Elgin, Arizona.

Sonoita Vineyards
290 Elgin-Canelo Rd. in Elgin
520 455-5893
sonoitavineyards.com

Callaghan Vineyards
336 Elgin Rd. in Elgin
520 455-5322
callaghanvineyards.com

Tucson
Tucson, Arizona's other big city, is located about two hours south of Phoenix. Though the city's metropolitan area is home to more than one million residents, Tucson retains a somewhat small-town air. Visitors to Tucson will find a number of restored 19th-century buildings, silver mine tours, an elegant botanical garden with plenty of saguaro cacti, and the San Xavier Mission, founded in 1692.

Saguaro National Park
Located a little over two hours' drive from Phoenix is the 91,400-acre Saguaro National Park. This vast park is home to a large collection of saguaro and other varieties of cacti as well as 165 miles of hiking trails. The park is divided into two sections, separated by the city of Tuscon: the Rincon Mountain District and the Tucson Mountain District. Both areas offer mountain views and trails as well as the desert landscape. Admission is $10 per vehicle.

nps.gov/sagu

Tombstone
The town of Tombstone, which calls itself "the town too tough to die," is located in southeastern Arizona, about two-and-a-half hours from Phoenix. The town, once a silver-mining boomtown, was the site of the 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Coral between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday and the Clanton brothers. Today, the town is a tourist mecca, with 1880s-style saloons, daily reenactments of the notorious gunfight, and a score of restored buildings from the silver-mining era.

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sources:
http://www.sedonaaz.gov/Sedonacms/index.aspx?page=228
http://www.visitsedona.com/article/81
http;//www.sonoitavineyards.com
http://www.callaghanvineyards.com
http://www.cityoftombstone.com/
http://www.sanxaviermission.org/History.html
http://www.visittucson.org/visitor/attractions/