Prescott National Forest
The desert meets the mountains in Prescott National Forest, where a Sonoran landscape of cactus, yucca, and juniper gives way to mountains enrobed in ponderosa pine. Equestrians, mountain bikers, and off-roaders flock to the park for its 450 miles of trails, but perhaps the biggest draw is Lynx Lake. The 55-acre, pine-ringed shoreline attracts fishermen, boaters, and birdwatchers looking for a mountain getaway. Rental boats are available at the Lynx Lake Store and Marina, which also runs a cute, cabin-esque cafe where you can snag avocado toast and Micheladas made with Arizona brews.
Whiskey Row
In 1900 a devastating fire destroyed downtown Prescott’s notorious Whiskey Row, so dubbed for the plethora of saloons lining the street. Legend holds that cowboys yanked a 24-foot-long oak bar from the Palace Saloon and finished their drinks across the street as they watched the wooden buildings burn. This unflappable spirit (and thirst) is undoubtedly what inspired the town to rebuild, and a new Palace Saloon — made of brick — opened in 1901, alongside a number of other resurrected establishments. You can still enjoy a whiskey at the Palace, which is the state’s oldest continuously operating business. Whiskey Row retains its name and Western style, but many of the former watering holes have since been remade into art galleries.
Sharlot Hall Museum
This museum’s namesake is a woman who was fiercely independent for her times. Sharlot Hall, born in 1870, criss-crossed the region soliciting signatures to admit Arizona to the Union as its own state rather than combine it with New Mexico. Determined to preserve Arizona history, she founded her museum in 1928. Her unique vision included acquiring significant buildings and moving them onto the museum grounds. Here you can visit 11 historical structures, including a 1864 log cabin that was once the Governor’s Mansion and the evocatively named Fort Misery, the oldest surviving cabin in Arizona.