While Phoenix metropolitan area residents packed their cars and headed to the highways to escape the triple-digit summer heat, azcentral.com Our readers voted for the Best Arizona Road Trips of 2024.
Over the past three weeks, eight popular destinations faced off in a bracket-style competition, with hundreds of readers deciding the best vacation spot for Arizona road trip travelers.
Several surprising locations were eliminated in the first round, setting up traditional Final Four matchups.
The final vote pitted two of the coolest mountain destinations, both with a focus on nature and the outdoors, against each other in the final. Voting closed at midnight on Sunday, July 22nd.
A total of 587 votes were cast in the final round, with voters selecting Flagstaff as Arizona's top road trip destination for 2024, beating out Pinetop-Lakeside.
CNN agrees:Why Flagstaff is one of the best cities to visit in America
What is so special about Flagstaff?
Flagstaff's location at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet gives it a milder climate than other parts of Arizona, making it a major attraction for visitors from around the world. High temperatures over the past decade have averaged 87-91 degrees in the summer and 57-65 degrees in the winter. According to the National Weather Service.
Flagstaff’s location near Arizona’s highest peak, Humphreys Peak, at 12,633 feet, and Coconino National Forest makes it a great spot for anyone who wants to spend time outdoors year-round.
Activities are endless, including hiking, mountain biking and camping. In the fall, many flock to the city to see the changing leaves, while in the winter, snow makes the city a hub for winter sports such as the ski resort at Humphreys Peak, Arizona Snowbowl and Flagstaff Snow Park, where you can go snow tubing at Fort Tutohill County Park.
Flagstaff, America's first International Dark Sky City, is known as a great place for stargazing and is also home to the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered in 1930. Pluto has since been downgraded to a dwarf planet, but Governor Katie Hobbs signed a law this year recognizing Pluto as Arizona's state planet.
There are three national monuments near Flagstaff. Wupatkiprotecting ancestral Pueblo sites. Sunset Crater VolcanoThis is where Arizona's most recent volcanic eruption occurred about 1,000 years ago. Walnut Canyonancient Sinagua cliff dwellings From approximately 600 to 1400.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who has been covering travel and tourism since 2014. His work as consumer travel reporter for The Arizona Republic aims to help readers navigate the stress of travel and get the best bang for their buck on their vacations. Contact him at MichaelSalerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter): Follow.
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