Arizona

Arizona is the big-landscape trip: Sedona’s red rocks, the Grand Canyon, and warm, dry winters when it’s wet back home. Phoenix and Scottsdale are the easy base — resorts, golf, spring-training baseball, and desert sun — with two of the country’s most jaw-dropping drives within a few hours.

Getting there — nonstop from Honolulu

Honolulu has nonstop service to Phoenix (PHX) on Hawaiian Airlines — roughly 6 hours, and Sky Harbor is right in town. From there it’s about 2 hours to Sedona and 3.5 hours to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Compare your dates for flights and hotels:

When to go

• November–April is prime — warm, sunny days and cool nights while the islands are rainy; it’s peak season for a reason.
• Spring training (late Feb–March) brings the Cactus League — a fun, low-key way to catch big-league baseball around Phoenix.
• Summer is brutally hot in the desert (110°F+); if you go, base up north (Sedona, Flagstaff, the Canyon) where it’s cooler and greener.

What to do

• Sedona — red-rock hikes, jeep tours, and some of the prettiest scenery in the Southwest; go early to beat the heat and crowds.
• The Grand Canyon — the South Rim is the classic; even a day trip from the Sedona/Flagstaff area is worth it.
• Phoenix & Scottsdale — resorts, golf, Old Town, desert botanical gardens, and spring-training ballparks.
• Desert day trips — saguaro country, Montezuma Castle, and the drive up through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff.

Getting around

Arizona is big and the best of it is spread across the state, so a rental car is essential — grab one at PHX and you’ve got Sedona, the Canyon, and the desert parks all in range. Bring sun protection and plenty of water; distances (and temperatures) are bigger than they look.