Home > Destinations > North America > USA > Arizona > Introduction > The Best Places to Experience Culture & History
Bookstore Travel Talk - Our Message Boards Tips and Tools Book a Trip Deals and News Trip Ideas, Activities, Lifestyles Hotels Destinations Frommers.com Home
Frommer's - The best trips start here. Frommer's - The best trips start here.

FREE Newsletters!		 Sign up for our FREE Newsletters!
Win a FREE Trip!		 Win a FREE Trip
Arizona
Introduction
Frommer's Favorite Experiences
Best Dining Bets
The Best Active Vacations
The Best Bird-Watching
The Best Day Hikes & Nature Walks
The Best Family Vacations
The Best Golf Courses
The Best Historic Places to Stay
The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts
The Best Luxury Hotels
The Best Museums
The Best Native Plant Life
The Best Offbeat Travel Experiences
The Best Places to Experience Culture & History
The Best Family Hotels & Resorts
The Best Scenic Drives
The Best Swimming
The Best Family Experiences
The Best Place to Discover the Old West
What's New
Planning a Trip
In Depth
Active Pursuits
Suggested Itineraries
Arizona Events
Arizona Maps
Message Boards
Arizona Photos
View More Places in Arizona
Index
  Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS

The Best Places to Experience Culture & History

  • Tonto National Monument (east of Phoenix): Located east of Phoenix and reached via the Apache Trail scenic road, this park has one of Arizona's few easily accessible cliff dwellings that still allows visitors to walk around inside the ruins; you don't have to observe from a distance.

  • Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park (Globe): These reconstructed ruins have been set up to look the way they might have appeared 700 years ago. Consequently, this park provides a bit more cultural context than what you'll find at other ruins in the state.

  • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (west of Florence): Unlike most of Arizona's other ruins, which are constructed primarily of stone, this large and unusual structure is built of packed desert soil. Inscrutable and perplexing, Casa Grande seems to rise from nowhere.

  • Montezuma Castle National Monument (north of Camp Verde): Located just off I-17, this is the most easily accessible cliff dwelling in Arizona, although it cannot be entered. Nearby Montezuma Well also has some small ruins.

  • Wupatki National Monument (north of Flagstaff): Not nearly as well known as the region's Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, these ruins are set on a wide plain. A ball court similar to those found in Central America, hints at cultural ties with the Aztecs.

  • Canyon de Chelly National Monument: Small cliff dwellings up and down the length of Canyon de Chelly can be seen from overlooks, and a trip into the canyon itself offers a chance to see some of these ruins up close.

  • Navajo National Monument (west of Kayenta): Both Keet Seel and Betatakin are some of the finest examples of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in the state. Although the ruins are at the end of long hikes, their size and state of preservation make them well worth the effort.


    Back to Top


    Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


      Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS
    Frommer's Arizona 2008 Frommer's Arizona 2008

    Author: Karl Samson
    Pub Date: October 22, 2007
    Price: $19.99

    Buy Now!     		Related Titles:
    Arizona For Dummies, 4th Edition
    Frommer's American Southwest, 3rd Edition
    Frommer's Arizona 2009
    • Home | Destinations | Hotels | Trip Ideas | Deals & News | Book a Trip | Tips & Tools | Travel Talk | Bookstore
    About Frommer's | FAQ | Contact Us | Help | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Advertise With Us
    Add Frommers.com RSS Feed  Add Frommers.com RSS Feed (What's This?)
    Add Frommers.com Deals & News to Your Web Site
    Add to My Yahoo!     Add to My MSN     More RSS Readers
    Add Frommers.com Podcast Add Frommers.com Podcast (What's This?)
    © 2000-2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
    Home > Destinations > North America > USA > Arizona > Introduction > The Best Places to Experience Culture & History