We’ve made a couple of quick trips to Arizona, my husband to work and myself as a tag-a-long adventurer. We usually try to add a day to the beginning or end of the trip so that I am not doing all of my adventuring solo (both my kids are in college, so this trip was empty nest adventuring). This is the itinerary from our most recent trip. I ended up rearranging my schedule as my husband wanted to see Ro Ho En and Butterfly World, so I had to fit those in around his schedule. I did not make it to the Rincon Mountain District, as I ran out of time, having spent more time in the Tuscon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park than I anticipated.
Arizona Itinerary (Phoenix, Saguaro, Butterfly World)
Sunday – Flight UA 667 – 8:03 am – 12:02 pm – Chicago – Phoenix
Pick up car
Stay at the Biltmore – 2400 E Missouri Ave, Phoenix
Monday – Saguaro National Park – Tucson Mountain District – 2700 N. Kinney Road, Tuscon
2 hours (130 miles)
Visitor Center 520-733-5158 (9am-5pm) $15 entrance fee
Take I-10 to Avra Valley Rd (exit 242) and drive 6 miles to Sandario Rd.
Turn left of Sandario Road and drive for 14 miles
Turn left on Kinney road – The Red Hills Visitor Center is 2 miles on the left.
12 mile loop
Rincon Mountain District (East) 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, Tuscon – 45 mins – 28 mi
Take I-10 – exit 275 (Houghton Road) – drive north 8 miles
Turn right on Escalante Road and drive for 2 miles
Turn left on Old Spanish Trail – Park entrance is on the right in .3 mi.
2 hours 15 mins to hotel
Tuesday – Ro Ho En – 1125 N. 3rd Ave, Phoenix – 10am-4pm – $7
19 minutes – 8.5 miles (closed on Mondays)
Possibly Desert Botanical Garden – 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy. Phoenix – 8am-8pm – $24.95
17 mins from Japanese Garden – 25 minutes to hotel
Wednesday – Butters Pancakes and Café (best breakfast ever, you should eat here!) – 8390 East Via de Ventura – 25 mins
Butterfly Wonderland – 9500 East Via de Ventura, Scottsdale – 8 mins
9am-6pm – $23.95/adult – Butterflies are most active between 9am-3pm
Return Car – E. Sky Harbor Circle North – 23 mins
Flight UA 1855 – 11:54 pm – 5:20 am
If you are interested in the itineraries for some of our other trips, click on the links below.
13 Day Road Trip from Wisconsin to California
15 Delightful Days in Kauai ~ A Travel Itinerary
Joshua Tree National Park – One Day Whirlwind Itinerary
See the Entire Island of Maui in 10 Days
What to See and Do in San Diego
Visit All Four Vortices in Sedona in One Day
Pin for later!
4 Days in the Sun ~ Arizona Itinerary
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