Explore Nearby
Visit these surrounding areas located approximately 30 minutes - 1.5 hours from the Ranch.
CANYON LAKE
Along the Apache Trail, Canyon Lake provides rugged mountain views, boat rentals and a restaurant.
TORTILLA FLAT
A bit past Canyon Lake check out an old stagecoach stop, restaurant and gift shop.
GOLDFIELD GHOST TOWN
A bustling tourist attraction with mine tours available as well as gold-panning, gunfights, and train rides, also features a saloon and restaurant.
HITCHING POST SALOON
Live music/dancing, live bull riding and restaurant.
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS
Site of the legendary Lost Dutchman gold mine providing many excellent hiking trails (especially the Flatiron Trail) and displays the beautiful desert wildflowers in the spring.
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN MUSEUM
Includes mining, geology, and American Indian exhibits and events.
PHOENIX DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
Dedicated to conserving the desert’s unique plant life with exhibits, tours, Chihuly sculptures and special events.
HISTORICAL DOWNTOWN MESA
Vintage/antique shops, locally owned bars and restaurants, weekly farmers markets and monthly community events.
PHOENIX ZOO
Voted one of America’s top five zoos for kids.
MCDOWELL SONORAN PRESERVE
The Preserve encompasses the McDowell Mountains, where recent discoveries are causing geologists to rethink how the region was formed and evolved and contains many trails and amenities.
ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER
IMAX theater, Dorrance Planetarium, 40,000 square feet of gallery space with over 300 hands-on exhibits.
QUEEN CREEK OLIVE MILL
Arizona's only working olive farm and mill with 100 acres of 7000 olive trees. Visitors can learn first-hand how olives are pressed into fresh extra virgin olive oil on their educational Olive Oil 101 tour conducted daily and enjoy their on-site restaurant.
SCHNEPF FARM
A fourth generation family farm and the largest organic peach grower in Arizona. Experience Arizona agriculture at its finest or attend an event. If planning a day trip, make sure to visit the website and see what’s happening that week on the farm.
HOT AIR EXPEDITIONS
Soar above the Sonoran Desert in a hot air balloon for a truly spectacular experience from start to finish.
MESA RIVERVIEW PARK
Home to the Cubs Spring Training Facility, Sloan Park and a premier recreation destination with playgrounds and shared-use pathways.
TOP GOLF (SCOTTSDALE OR GILBERT)
Interactive driving range and entertainment venue for the whole family.
OLD TOWN SCOTTSDALE
Known as the elite urban center of Arizona with 80 fine art galleries, specialty retail and dining.
RIPERIAN PRESERVE AT WATER PARK
A vast "Important Bird Area" with 7 water basins, various vegetative zones, gardens, a paleontology dig site, an observatory, and approximately 298 species of birds, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
GOLF COURSES
Our recommendations include Las Sendas, We-ko-Pa, Red Mountain Ranch, Eagle Mountain, SunRidge Canyon, and Gold Canyon.
WE-KO-PA CASINO
Slots, Keno, blackjack, bingo, card room, dining and entertainment.
HEARD MUSEUM
Internationally acclaimed museum famous for its artwork from Native Americans of the Southwest.
MESA MORMON TEMPLE
Built in 1922-1927 became the 7th operating temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints includes a visitor center, that brings thousands of visitors to the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world, decorated with thousands of lights and Nativity displays at Christmas.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM
Phoenix’s newest museum has you travel the world through the magic of music.
COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE MUSEUM
Home of the B-17G “Sentimental Journey” along with other historic aircraft exhibits and warbird rides.
PHOENIX ART MUSEUM
Vast collections include art that spans the centuries and the globe, Phillip Curtis, fashion collections, Thorne miniature rooms.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S TALIESIN WEST
Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masterpiece was built in 1937 as his personal home, studio and architectural campus.
PUEBLO GRANDE INDIAN RUINS AND MUSEUM
Site of a 1,500-year-old Hohokam village ruins just minutes from Sky Harbor Airport.
CASA GRANDE INDIAN RUINS
Ruins of the “Great House” of the Hohokam people during the period 300 C.E. – 1450 C.E. is one of the largest prehistoric structures ever built in America.
TONTO NATURAL BRIDGE STATE PARK
Breathtaking natural bridge with cave-like formations located just outside of Payson, AZ.
ROOSEVELT LAKE & DAM
Roosevelt Lake is a large reservoir formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River which flows into a chain of lakes, including Saguaro Lake and the Lower Salt River. This water system provides Phoenix with most of its water.
Day Trips
Visit some of these popular Arizona cities and attractions, located within 2-3+ hours (one-way) from the Ranch.
UPPER SALT RIVER CANYON
Beautiful canyon views; opportunity for whitewater rafting the Salt River from February - May. Learn more at RaftingSaltRiver.com
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK
A National Park featuring scenic views, hiking trails & picnic areas are offered at this home of the country's largest cacti, the Saguaro.
OAK CREEK CANYON
A breathtaking river gorge along the Mogollon Rim between Sedona and Flagstaff; Slide Rock Park family fun in the summer.
TUCSON
As the second largest city in Arizona, 118 miles south of Phoenix, Tucson is home to the University of Arizona and surrounded by mountains in every direction.
BIOSPHERE 2
Built in 1986 to research and develop self-sustaining space colonization technology, Biosphere 2 provides daily tours.
SEDONA
A picturesque city with enchanting red rock formations surrounded by national forest; Pink Jeep trips, hiking, shopping, and resorts abound.
PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Fossilized trees over 225 million years old, ruins of ancient villages, tools, and grinding stones, Painted Desert vistas, and colorful badlands.
PAGE SPRINGS
Scenic drive outside of Sedona, home to many Wineries
PRESCOTT
Mile-high hamlet in Arizona’s central highlands; first capital of Arizona territory; offers historic districts, art galleries, Prescott National Forest, and horse country.
FLAGSTAFF
Home of Northern Arizona University, Lowell Observatory, just south of Arizona’s highest peak, Mt. Humphreys (12,633 ft) – other area highlights include: Meteor Crater, Route 66, Snowbowl, one of Arizona’s two ski areas.
BISBEE
Nearly bordering Mexico, this eclectic former mining town is full of art, music and funky places to lodge and dine.
MT. LEMMON
Located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, Mt. Lemmon is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,159 feet (2,792 m). This ski area surrounded by Sonoran Desert receives an average of 200 inches of snow annually.
TOMBSTONE
Historic frontier boomtown and the largest productive silver district in Arizona, famous for Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the gunfight at the OK Corral.
Seasonal Events
Plan your next adventures in Arizona with these destinations in mind.
FIESTA BOWL
Held at the University of Phoenix Stadium (January).
BARRETT JACKSON CAR AUCTION
Collector car auction in Scottsdale (January).
LOST DUTCHMAN DAYS RODEO
Annual rodeo with family fun in Apache Junction, AZ (February).
ARABIAN HORSE SHOW
Annual Arizona event is one of the largest Arabian horse shows in the country held at West World in Scottsdale (February).
CACTUS LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING
Arizona is the spring training home of 15 teams playing across 10 stadiums including the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies; all games within one hour of the ranch (February - March).
NASCAR RACING
Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale (March).
COUNTRY THUNDER
4-day country western music festival in Florence (April).
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
MLB baseball at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix (April - October).
ARIZONA CARDINALS
NFL football at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale (September - January).
PHOENIX COYOTES
NHL hockey at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale (October - June).
PHOENIX SUNS
NBA basketball at US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix (October - June).
GILBERT DAYS RODEO
Held at Gilbert Rodeo Park in Gilbert (November).
CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE
Festive display of lights on Tempe Town Lake (December).
Where to Next?
After your visit at Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, we suggest you visit some of these popular attractions.
GRAND CANYON
One of the seven natural wonders of the world and Arizona’s premier tourist destination; one mile deep, up to 18 miles wide and 227 river miles long.
LAKE POWELL
The ultimate playground with 2,000 miles of shoreline and magnificent scenery – house boating, resorts, & guided expeditions.
CANYON DE CHELLY NATIONAL MONUMENT
One of the largest continually inhabited landscapes of North America located entirely on Navajo Trust land – ruins, spectacular rock formations, hiking, jeep trips.
FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT
Guests can stand in 4 states at once at this Navajo Nation monument with a visitor center.
MONUMENT VALLEY
This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet, framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor of the Navajo Nation.