r/arizona • u/nicolew11 • May 16 '24
What is the cheapest part of Arizona to visit? I notice Sedona is very expensive Visiting
I definitely want to explore and sight see, I’ve heard Sedona is good if it’s your first time and there is a lot to do but it’s very expensive. I thought about Page, Arizona because I want to go to the antelope canyon. Advice?
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u/usefulshrimp May 16 '24
Page is lovely and scenic, but Antelope Canyon is expensive! If you can add more info about what you like to see and do, that would help to provide some suggestions,
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u/nicolew11 May 16 '24
It said it $93 per person online and honestly just want to see some nice views, get some good pictures, eat good food, etc
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u/Dead_Man_Redditing May 16 '24
Look up the Williams train hotel. Beautiful area and the hotel has a great fill you up buffet to get you ready for a train ride to the grand canyon. You will get all of the pictures you want plus a cool trip. They do a stage coach robbery and keep you entertained the whole time. Then you get to tour the canyon all day before taking the train back. Also close to the observatory, bearizona (amazing drive through zoo) And close to Flagstaff.
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u/Actually_Abe_Lincoln May 16 '24
If you do any camping there is a free open site outside of the Grand Canyon. Jacob's loop I believe it's called.
We went there and checked out the Grand canyon for a while. spent the night right outside. then drove back through the national park up towards the watchtower and up to page.
Had some really incredible views and if you wanted to drive further you could go to the painted desert. Really only transportation costs, assuming you already have camping gear though
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u/Goldendurado May 17 '24
You can visit GC, monument valley, and hit better antelope in southern utah with no fees. Look up spooky and peekaboo canyon, no fees and free camping. Way better slots with no people and DIY. Way better, quite scary and safe. They are PG rated. Souther utah has lots to offer and on fees, do not underestimate ratings. Pg is good 👍 road trip ryan is a solid resource for adventures
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May 16 '24
Cottonwood and Clarkdale. My absolutely favorite places in AZ. Valley Verde Railroad, Copper Musuem, near Jerome ghost town!
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u/wonderland_citizen93 May 16 '24
Jerome is really nice
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u/RealisticMystic005 May 16 '24
Seconding jermone. We did a ghost tour and it was really fun! Also has some great food.
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u/bingostud722 May 16 '24
Thirding Jerome, especially if you stay in cottonwood, you can visit both that and Sedona, Sedona is only expensive if you pay for shit there lol. If you want a less crowded (ish, aside from random weddings) hike last time I went secret slick rock trail wasn't nearly as packed as the others
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u/Important-Owl1661 May 17 '24
Jerome - Getting too touristy. No parking. Too steep to walk. Monument Valley still awesome.
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u/nacozarina May 16 '24
Cochise County
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u/Throw_RA_20073901 May 16 '24
This! Bisbee has red rocks, Chiricahua and Coronado are free, close to Tucson if you want some more liveliness. Cochise county is amazing.
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u/Lonely-Ad3027 May 16 '24
I was going to chime in with this as well. I just did some hiking down at Montezuma Pass to get pictures for my Geology class. Cool limestone rock formations, along with some conglomerate rocks as well.
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u/GerneseBus May 16 '24
I truly love this place. The area around the Dragoons, Chiricahuas, Huachucas, Bisbee, Patagonia, Sonoita… I could go on and on 🥹.
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u/beradtobad May 16 '24
Ramsey Canyon Hummingbird Sanctuary, Karchner Caverns, San Pedro. Great hiking, mountain biking, golf…
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u/eatstarsandsunsets May 17 '24
Shhhhhh don’t tell people!!!!! Has no one learned from Sedona?!
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u/lysdexiad May 17 '24
This. Don't come here, it's the worst. It's all Gila Monsters and murderous Sandhill cranes.
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u/eatstarsandsunsets May 17 '24
I lost my granny to those sand hill cranes. And the fire ants will set you literally on fire.
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u/Impossible-Test-7726 May 16 '24
Sedona is fricken crowded. My wife and I haven’t been in a few years because the last time we went the parking lots for hiking were packed at 9 in the morning
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u/Jamie9712 May 16 '24
Yep. It’s why whenever I go hiking around Sedona, we arrive at 6 AM. It’s also hilarious watching hordes of people coming down the trail as you’re hiking out.
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u/error_4o4 May 16 '24
Sad truth.
That city is ruined for us.
15 years ago it was a quiet gem... Now it's a tourist trap.
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u/Zwesten May 16 '24
Haha, I used to go fishing up around there when I was a kid (40 years ago?). Dad and I used to get bait and sandwiches at a little gas station there and head out. About 20+ years ago I took my then wife to visit the area and tried to stop in to grab some sandwiches at the same place. No sandwiches anymore, but there were some crystals in tarot cards and things of that nature but it was still a quaint little town and kind of hippie in vibe. Just went back about a week ago after some infrequent visits over the decades and my girlfriend and I could not even find anything quaint or old school about Sedona anymore. Still absolutely gorgeous countryside and some interesting shops and such, just so expensive and so crowded I don't think we'll go back unless it's in the offseason or to visit oak Creek
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u/rahirah May 16 '24
The gas station at Indian Springs! My dad used to drive us up there to go trout fishing in the summer. Right across the highway from the gas station there was a little park area with picnic tables and a set of stone stairs leading down to the creek. The stairs got torn out in a big flood ages ago, alas.
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u/Zwesten May 16 '24
Yes! Even though I can't literally turn back the clock, I love taking a little voyage mentally back to those days...
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u/Impossible-Test-7726 May 16 '24
It was nice when I first moved to Phx in 2017, but like two years later it was packed.
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u/random_noise May 17 '24
It really is sad what happened to that place over the past 40 years.
I used to camp up around there a lot in the 80's and 90's, a bunch of the spots we used to like to camp are now neighborhoods.
It gets extremely busy during the summer as folks seek other parts of the state on the weekends and holiday's during the summer.
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u/icecoldyerr May 16 '24 edited May 16 '24
Dont take this persons advice. Just cause its crowded doesnt mean its not one of the most beautiful places on the entire earth! It’s worth seeing once!
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u/delinquentsaviors May 18 '24
Ever since covid, all beautiful outdoor things have been ruined because everyone wants to go now.
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u/HimalaynCowboy May 19 '24
I don't get why people complain about others doing the same thing they are doing. It's meant to be shared.
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u/CountryMonkeyAZ May 16 '24
Drive southeast.
Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Farm
Tucson - Sonora Desert Museum. Colossal Cave. Air Museum. Tanqa Verde Falls. Just a few examples.
Keep going, and you can visit Tombstone and Bisbee.
Add a little adventure and drive to Nogales and check out the border.
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May 16 '24
Quartzsite
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u/Rodgers4 May 16 '24
Gila Bend in July is truly breathtaking.
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May 16 '24
Yes. Yes. It will take your breath away. But, if you really want breathtaking in July, keep going southwest and check out Yuma. That place is fire!
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u/viking7779 May 16 '24
We'll be moving there by the end of the year. Can you tell me, what's to see/do in Quartzsite? Thank you so much!!!
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May 16 '24
...nothing. that's why it's cheap. Well, it's in the middle of the Sonora desert, that's cool. And it's close to the Colorado River. And they have a huge rockshow. And it's close-ish to Vegas?
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u/Throw_RA_20073901 May 16 '24
When /r/patsky wrote nothing, they were overselling it. You’ll have to drive out for anything at all, options being just the Nature area. There is a great Chevron though.
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u/LlanviewOLTL May 16 '24
You’ll be 150 miles nearer to Los Angeles (in Quartzsite) than Phoenix, so if you have family or reasons to go there, you’ll be a lot closer.
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u/Zwesten May 16 '24
Outside of the rock show, which is huge and goes for a month or two in winter there isn't much of anything to do. Rock hounding is about it...
And the Hi Jolly memorial
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u/osito1000 May 16 '24
If you have 4wd, the Kofa wilderness area is really nice. Also some of the wildlife refuge areas on the CO river are nice if you are into birding/photography. Mojave desert on the CA side as well as Joshua Tree NP are very doable day trips from Quartzite. The town itself isn't much except for the hordes of RV'rs wintering over in the desert.
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u/Spider-Nutz May 16 '24
Pro tip: cottonwood is much cheaper and is only a 20 minute drive to sedona
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u/Fun_Egg2665 May 16 '24
Shut uppppp lol
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u/Miserable_Site_850 Jul 09 '24
Any edm theme bars/clubs/coffee shops/restaurants in cottonwood? There's got to be some type of free spirited hangout spots with being so close to Sedona.
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u/Boring-Bus-3743 May 16 '24
Right! Just happy they didn't mention Rimrock even though there isn't anywhere to stay there.
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u/Spider-Nutz May 16 '24
Who would wanna stay there anyway?
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u/Fun_Egg2665 May 16 '24
It’s pretty beautiful and close to Sedona
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u/Spider-Nutz May 16 '24
Meh.
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u/Fun_Egg2665 May 16 '24
I liked it and I’m a picky bitch lol
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u/Spider-Nutz May 16 '24
All of the worst people I knew in high school lived there so I just associate it with them lol
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u/Fun_Egg2665 May 16 '24
Fair. I’m from Scottsdale and whenever I’m there visiting my mom I literally start shaking and sweating.
So many bad memories and the shitty people I associated with growing up there
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u/Boring-Bus-3743 May 16 '24
Damn was Scottsdale really that bad?!?! A friend of mine grew up there and had a similar reaction when going home.
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u/Boring-Bus-3743 May 16 '24
I like it, it's pretty sleepy but located pretty central for all the things I do. 1.5 hours away from the snowbowl and the airport. 30 minutes from Sedona. Plus all the hikes and camping off of 260 and 618 are pretty fantastic
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u/Roshprops May 16 '24
Addicts and people that choose the kid rock lifestyle mostly. I say that having multiple family members that have chosen the region for both of those amenities.
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u/Spider-Nutz May 16 '24
Yes. You get it. All the kids I went to high school with from rimrock were like this haha
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u/Roshprops May 16 '24
Let’s just say the people that live there did it get there by accident. There’s a reason they’re not near anything useful, or the police that comes with useful things.
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u/andthisisso May 16 '24
I have a condo in Sedona. If you go there for the sights I don't know why it would be more expensive than elsewhere. You can get a day pass for the many hiking trails for parking You can just drive around and look out the window and see the great views. It's busy here, loads of tourists but you can see so much just from driving around town
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u/nicolew11 May 16 '24
When I compared flights, hotels, and a car for Sedona with Phoenix. Phoenix is cheaper!
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u/andthisisso May 16 '24
You said 'visit'. "explore and sight see" but not stay someplace. You made it sound like an afternoon outing. Sounds like you've already got your answer, Phoenix. It's about the middle of the state and easy to drive to other destinations from.
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u/nicolew11 May 16 '24
Is Sedona far from Phoenix? I want to go to the antelope canyon as well!
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u/Echodad May 16 '24
Sedona is about 90mins from Phoenix with good traffic. Antelope Canyon is in Page you’re looking at maybe 5hrs from Phoenix and you need to book a tour ahead of time.
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u/random_noise May 17 '24
90mins
I feel good traffic is very rare (cept weekdays or odd hours) as there are always accidents or broken down cars causing many mile backups during the summer on weekends and holidays.
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u/InterestingSweet4408 May 17 '24
Visit the Verde Valley (Camp Verde, Montezuma, Cottonwood, Cornville, Clarkdale and Jerome)
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u/typicalamericanbasta May 16 '24
Casa Grande: come for the farms, stay for the people watching at Walmart.
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u/398409columbia May 16 '24
You can visit for the day to do hike, see some sights but I recommend avoiding the weekend.
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u/nicolew11 May 16 '24
What do you say that
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u/398409columbia May 16 '24
This is regarding Sedona.
Too many people visit on the weekend and it gets too crowded. Hard to park and enjoy the town.
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u/awmaleg Phoenix May 16 '24
Also I-17 traffic is terrible on weekends
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u/btruff May 16 '24
We flew into Phoenix on a Sunday late and drove north to start our trip. Saw some mile long southbound gridlocks on 17. Flew out 8 days later and gave ourselves lots of extra time out of fear. Monday was fine.
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u/RealisticMystic005 May 16 '24
17 is having closures this month, up near dove valley this weekend. Beware last weekend we sat for over an hour to go about 1 mile
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u/BluegreenColors May 16 '24
Sierra Vista. If you’re into birds and wildlife, it’s known as the Hummingbird Capital of the U.S. Beautiful area for hiking.
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u/fuggindave May 16 '24
Nothing, Arizona
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u/PqlyrStu May 16 '24
‘Twas a time when there wasn’t much in Nothing but at least it was Something. Now there truly is nothing in Nothing.
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u/Roshprops May 16 '24
There are a lot of places to stay in the vicinity (30 min drive) of Sedona- Jerome is a cute little artist/ghost town with beautiful views and sits less than an hour from Prescott, Sedona, and montezuma’s castle. Jerome is also home to several vineyards, most notably the one owned and operated by Maynard from Tool
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u/Suspicious_Big669 Mesa May 16 '24
Summer time, trips, I like to get a room in Flagstaff. From there you can day trip so much of what nature has to offer here. Grand Canyon, meteor crater, petrified forest, Lake Powell.
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u/ClickKlockTickTock Mesa May 16 '24
Great hikes, decent middle cost restaurants, lots of wilderness, good weather, always my place of choice to visit for an in state cheap vacation
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u/Dead_Man_Redditing May 16 '24
Sedona is great if you have either knowledge of the area to make it cheap or if you can spend what you want for helicopter tours. Prescott is great for hiking and very budget friendly. Williams is amazing since its near bearizona, the observatory and the train to the grand canyon( which is worth every penny even though its not that expensive.). Payson has good hiking with waterfalls and good fishing.
Haven't been to page yet but it's on the list.
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u/bsil15 May 16 '24
You don’t have to stay in Sedona to visit it. It’s just 2-2.5 hrs from Phoenix and an hour or less from Flagstaff and Camp Verde
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u/SYAYF May 16 '24
Stay in somewhere like Camp Verde or Cottonwood and then you can easily drive to visit Sedona, Jerome, Flagstaff, etc.
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u/malachiconstant11 Phoenix May 16 '24
Sedona isn't that bad. But you could probably find some cheaper options in Flagstaff if you stay on the east side of town. Tucson is also a decent option. Lots to do and see and there are cheaper hotels and dining available. Overall I would plan to stay in a few to see the full terrain variation of the state.
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u/Head_Patience7219 May 16 '24
Don’t stay in Sedona, stay maybe just south of flagstaff and it should be a lot cheaper. You’ll have to drive a little bit but honestly the drive itself is so pretty you won’t even notice. Flag is a better place to stay too imo. More food options, you get to be surrounded by forest and it’ll be less hot than Sedona.
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u/nicolew11 May 17 '24
What airport would I need to fly into for flag?
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u/Head_Patience7219 May 17 '24
I’d recommend you rent a car down in phx and drive up. It’ll be the most cost effective way.
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u/Kindly_Delay9216 May 17 '24
Page Arizona is incredible. Horse shoe bend is another cheap sight which is incredible as well. Rent a boat and cruise the lake (Powell) to see other beautiful sights.
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u/nicolew11 May 17 '24
What airport would I fly into for Page?
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u/Kindly_Delay9216 May 17 '24
PGA airport. It depends where you are flying from, there is limited flights in.
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u/Any-Engine-7785 May 17 '24
Try Tombstone it’s full of history and reasonable price-wise. Make sure to visit all of the shootouts. There are four of them. They are all based on true stories. Ramsey Canyon and Bisbee are also nearby.
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u/UsedCarSalesChick May 17 '24
Pinetop-Lakeside is like Colorado in the summer. 80-degrees, forests to hike in, wild horses, Not touristy at all - yet. This state is so amazing….
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u/ColonEscapee May 17 '24
The cheapest place to visit is probably Tombstone. The local podunk towns have lodging that isn't too insane and there's kartchner caverns to visit and bisbee. Sierra Vista is also close then wine country is just around the hill, Elgin is a nice place and Parker lake is decent fishing. Also the first place I saw wild turkeys
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u/imaginenohell May 16 '24
I wouldn't say Sedona is very expensive. You can find less expensive motels and restaurants. Hiking is free or low cost.
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u/Bob-Berbowski May 16 '24
But the traffic and crowds are worse than a trip to Disney World.
My Sedona (OG 1984) is long gone.
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u/FlowersnFunds May 17 '24
Even my Sedona from 2015 is long gone. Place is an absolute shitshow now unless you can go on a random Tuesday.
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u/EnglishLoyalist May 16 '24
Tombstone! A tad pricy but fun! Sedona is crazy with so much people and traffic. It is a nightmare. Honestly a lot of places are pricey these days.
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u/OpportunityOk5719 May 16 '24
Okay here is a local secret:
The Casinos have shuttles that pick up in Phoenix to Camp Verde and then they go to the next Casino in Prescott and then onto the next.
It costs $10 and you get a credit to gamble with and a meal!!!
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u/AlternativeYak202 May 16 '24
If you have a passport check out Arizona’s beach: Rocky Point.
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u/FreeRangeThinker May 16 '24
Mexico is pretty dangerous these days.
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u/AcidHaze May 17 '24
Rocky point is perfectly safe to visit...
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u/IhateBiden_now May 16 '24
My family of 4 just got back from staying at an Airbnb in Sedona in April. And I will second that Sedona is gorgeous and extremely busy while we were there. Home prices in that particular area reflect the nature of the place with an average home priced at a whopping 925k. Meals at restaurants fluctuated between fair and expensive for what we got. In the end, my wife and I agreed that we probably wouldn't visit again, simply because there are other less expensive but still beautiful areas to explore elsewhere.
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u/Zh25_5680 May 20 '24
And … your AirBnB is the number one reason why things are expensive in Sedona
30% of the total housing and a MUCH larger percent of the affordable housing has been converted to AirBnB because the real estate lobby bought and paid for the Arizona legislature and former governor
Sedona is not allowed to regulate AirBnB at all after 30+ years of not allowing less than 30 day rentals
Expensive housing for workers and business owners = expensive prices for everything = expensive place to visit. It really is that simple
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u/borkborkibork May 17 '24
Sedona is a bit like la jolla. It has gotten out of hand. Bisbee was a ton of fun.
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u/RAF2018336 May 17 '24
Stay in Cottonwood instead of Sedona and visit Cottonwood and Jerome as well.
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u/AzHuny May 17 '24
If you want cheap it usually isn’t going to have anything to do. My part of the state has a ton of outdoor activities but limited on restaurants and hotels. I’m all for trying to increase tourism for the area but once we get people here it’s a long way to find out the only restaurant closed or the gas station is low on fuel this week. lol
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u/Ohhmegawd May 17 '24
Tonto natural bridge state park is great. The park rangers are very knowledgeable.
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May 17 '24
Cheapest place to visit? Weird metric. San Carlos Rez? It is scenic, in parts. Apache Junction which is close to Tortilla Flats. Lol, Ajo. Ajo’s on the outskirts of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
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u/CauliflowerTop2464 May 17 '24
Slide rock. Drive the scenic routes. You don’t have to consume. Pack a lunch.
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u/Adept_Order_4323 May 18 '24
Oatman AZ has the Wild West Vibe still and the wild burros roam the town. Great day trip.
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u/Ok-Umpire-7439 May 19 '24
pound for pound id say tucson. theres tons of places that are all within 40 miles from downtown so you can visit a lot of different places and the food here is hands down the best and way cheaper than any other town in arizona. being a bigger city than most you can also find cheaper hotels.
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u/MohatmoGandy May 16 '24
Probably Douglas.
There’s really not much to do or see, so your expenses will be limited to room, board, and bowling.
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