Arizona is a choose-your-own-weather adventure, which is why I love using this Arizona Travel Guide to plan trips by season:
Spring (March–May): Chef’s kiss. Perfect hiking temps, wildflowers blooming, pool weather in Scottsdale, and the kind of sunshine that makes you want to extend your trip forever.
Fall (September–November): Another all-star season. Fewer crowds than spring, still warm, and ideal for Sedona, Flagstaff, and national parks.
Summer (June–August): HOT. And I mean “don’t touch your rental car seatbelt” hot. But it’s great for lake days, water activities, early-morning hikes, and snagging luxury resort deals. The higher elevation towns (Flagstaff, Williams, the Grand Canyon) stay surprisingly cool.
Winter (December–February): Mild in Phoenix and Tucson (hello, golf and sunshine), but snowy and magical up north. If you want a two-season vacation in one trip, this is your sign to visit in winter.
If you’re using this Arizona Travel Guide to build your itinerary, start with these highlights:
Bucket list–level views that look Photoshopped in real life.
Red rock hikes, vortexes for your mystical side, and the best sunrise scenery in the state.
Iconic slot canyon beams + a curve in the Colorado River that will make you gasp out loud (I did).
Foodie heaven, relaxing spas, golf, shopping, and resort pools that deserve their own award show.
Cool mountain weather, breweries, and a great home base for Route 66 or Grand Canyon adventures.
An entire park dedicated to giant saguaros — peak “Arizona aesthetic.”
For when you want to feel like you’re inside a movie scene. Because you basically are.
Flying into Arizona is super easy, and this Arizona Travel Guide breaks down the best options:
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX): The main hub with endless flight options, rental cars, and quick access to Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe.
Tucson International Airport (TUS): Perfect for Southern Arizona trips (Tucson, Saguaro NP, Bisbee).
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG): A smaller airport, but incredibly convenient for Northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon.
Las Vegas (LAS): Believe it or not, it’s a popular starting point for Grand Canyon, Page, Lake Powell, and Monument Valley road trips.
A few things I always tell people (and now they’re officially in this Arizona Travel Guide):
Hydrate like you’re training for the desert Olympics. Seriously — bring electrolytes.
Start hikes early. Sunrise will be your new best friend.
Don’t rely on cell service. Download offline maps before you go.
Pack layers. Arizona can swing 30 degrees in a single day—desert drama.
Respect tribal land rules. Places like Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley are Navajo Nation lands and require guided tours.
Sun protection is not optional. Hat, SPF 50, sunglasses, the whole kit.
This Arizona Travel Guide recommends renting a car — and I mean strongly recommends. Arizona is built for road trips, scenic drives, and hopping between destinations at your own pace.
Options include:
Rental Car: Best flexibility for all major regions.
Rideshare: Fine for Phoenix/Scottsdale but not designed for national park days.
Tours: Great for Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Grand Canyon day trips if you prefer not to drive.
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
