If you’re anything like me, when you think of Arizona you don’t necessarily think of unique experiences. Yet, during our 5 day trip down South, we had some pretty cool activities lined up courtesy of Visit Phoenix and Visit Mesa.
In fact, there were many things that surprised me about Arizona. I’m not sure what I expected venturing down there, well except the heat. Immediately upon landing, I found the people incredibly welcoming, the landscape surprisingly beautiful and the food delicious!
So with that, what are some of the best unique experiences to have in Arizona? Read on to find out.
Pasta making at a flour mill
I know, when you think of Pasta making the desert doesn’t come top of mind. This was a really cool experience to have though. Just outside of Phoenix you’ll find Hayden Flour Mills. This family fun operation tries to ensure that all of their flour is of high quality and uses some of the oldest variety of wheat. In fact, one of the wheat products they have came over from England and was almost considered extinct!
The spot is extremely unassuming when you first drive in. There’s a steel looking shed that you walk into and when you walk into the building I was so surprised. Because they house so many events and dinners, they’ve set the dining area with a really cozy design. In the back they have a separate room for the classes.
The class we took lasted about 3 hours and was a great way to spend a super hot day indoors. We were shown how to make different types of pasta (which to my surprise wasn’t actually all that hard) and best of all we got to taste test afterward! It was really cool to make something that came right from the source.
Taste olive oil at an olive oil mill
Again, you won’t find yourself in Italy for this one but instead nestled somewhere in the desert. Another family-run organization, the Queen Creek Mill has become a staple in the community. If you plan on venturing out I would strongly recommend taking the tour.
Our tour guide started with the history of the mill and the family before showing us the way that olive oil was made. She even took us through the different types of oil and what to look for which I found super interesting. Then at the end of the tour we got to try what real olive oil tastes like right from the source.
Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at their in-house restaurant. If you don’t have to take a flight (with just carry-on) I would strongly recommend taking a look at their shop as well and picking yourself up some of their olive oil. They’ve created some pretty cool flavors (like bacon flavoured olive oil) to take your food to the next level.
Take a dip in a river below the mountains
I can’t believe Crescent Moon Ranch isn’t on more bucket list destinations. It has to be one of the coolest spots I’ve been to and it’s so unassuming. Located in Sedona and just outside the main town, you’ll find the ranch. You have to pay to park but I promise the fee is worth it.
A short walk from the parking lot as you follow the path you’ll start to see the stream. Follow it until you see an opening and you’ll see the most beautiful views. It was almost like a picture. With the rock in the background, surrounded by trees it’s the perfect oasis on a hot day.
I would recommend bringing some food and a towel with you so you can spend a few hours comfortably.
Take a boat tour through the desert
This was by far our favourite activity of the whole trip. I’ll admit that when we were first thought about doing the cruise I was hesitant but boy was I glad that we decided to do it. Cruising along the Saguaro Lake in the middle of Tonto National Forest at sunset was incredible.
The cruise had a bar on board and we even got lucky with a live musician on the top. The atmosphere near the end of the trip was hilarious. People were singing along to the music and really enjoying their time.
The cruise itself is 90 minutes which is the perfect amount of time to be cruising around. Plus, going at sunset meant that we weren’t battling the heat and the blazing sun.
So there you have it, our 4 unique experiences to have in Arizona to inspire your next trip!
*This post contains affiliate links which means we might make a bit of money should you purchase through the links provided. It’s at no additional cost to you
