Hassayampa Inn, Prescott

This city was Arizona's first territorial capital, home to mountain men and trappers, miners, lumberjacks and cowboys. By the 1880s, a railroad connected the city to the rest of the world, and by the 1920s, the automobile brought tourism and famous visitors such as Georgia O’keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz, Mabel Dodge Luhan and D.H. Lawrence.

The city wanted a first-class hotel to accommodate these high-profile guests, so it raised money through about 400 investors, who purchased thousands of shares of stock at $1 a share.

Architect Henry Trost envisioned a Pueblo-style building, but a number of local residents who came from the Midwest wanted one made of brick. Trost modified his plan, and the Hassayampa Inn opened its doors in 1927.

The hotel has welcomed numerous famous guests over the years: Tom Mix, Will Rogers, Clark Gable, Gen. John Pershing, Tom Selleck, Joan Rivers, Alec Baldwin and George W. Bush. The hotel’s Peacock Room restaurant serves delicious upscale dishes in an Art Deco setting.

Today, Prescott is known for its galleries, antiques shops and swell saloons. The Hassayampa’s downtown location makes it a perfect place to stay while you enjoy these things.

Details: 122 E. Gurley St. 928-778-9434, hassayampa inn.com. hushed tones seem appropriate.

The canyon is the centerpiece of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, nearly 84,000 acres of labyrinthine chasms and desert plateaus that sprawl across the far northeastern section of Arizona.

Pueblos abandoned centuries before Europeans reached the continent stand tucked into alcoves here and there throughout the canyon. But what sets it apart from other ancient sites is that people still live within the canyon's winding walls. Visitors often are surprised to learn that, especially if they are accustomed to walking and camping anywhere they wish in a national park.

Here they can’t. The monument, established in 1931, is tribal trust land held by the Navajo Nation. As such, access is limited. But there’s still a tremendous assortment of activities, from scenic drives to hikes, horseback rides and four-wheel-drive tours of the canyon. Being at the Spider Rock overlook at sunset is classic.

Details: Just north of Chinle on the Navajo Reservation. 928-674-5500, nps.gov/cach.