NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA

North Central Arizona is America the Beautiful made better: there are mountain majesties – albeit more red than purple – and fruited plains … and also archeological sites, rodeos, cowboy and Native American history, spas, golf, shopping, stylish towns, and art. And best yet? Perched between desert (to the south) and the soaring San Francisco Peaks (to the north), the area also has pretty much perfect weather. All year long.

Spend the morning hiking before whiling away the afternoon at a winery, but make sure not to linger too long lest you not have enough time check out 1,000-year-old ruins before your scheduled sunset hot air balloon flight. Yes, there are plenty of people who come here for vacation and never leave.

SEDONA

If Sedona’s freakishly beautiful ochre rock towers shooting skyward out of fragrant scrub seem familiar… at least until you remind yourself you’ve never been here before, don’t worry. At least 76 feature films and countless TV episodes and commercials have been fully or partially shot in Sedona. Sedona sits on the high desert surrounded by the 1.8-millionacre Coconino National Forest and under the southwestern rim of the Colorado Plateau which forms the towering vistas – named Coffeepot, Cathedral, Bell and Snoopy for the resemblance to their namesakes – surrounding this unique community 110 miles north of Phoenix. At an elevation of 4,500 feet and protected by the Plateau, the area enjoys four mild, sunshine-filled seasons and clean air, with average high temperatures in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-40s.

Sedona hasn’t inspired only Hollywood: there are more artists per capita here than anywhere else in the country. Raku pottery, hand-hammered wind chimes, fine jewelry, juniper furniture, oil paintings, bronze sculpture – they’re all imagined and made, and sold, here. To check out the latter, head to Tlaquepaque. Actually, art galleries are everywhere in Sedona, but at Tlaquepaque – it’s all conveniently, and very cutely, close. Modeled on a Mexican Village, you’ll want to spend the better part of a day wandering its maze of pedestrian paths and too-quaint alleys and restaurants.

For art of another sort – say that created by none other than Mother Nature – head for Oak Creek Canyon. Hike the Eagle’s Nest Trail in Red Rock State Park. Channel your inner child sliding down slippery rock sluices (one 30 feet long) at Slide Rock State Park. Gawp at towering walls and absurdly abrupt abysses – preferably from the safety of an open air Jeep tour, courtesy of Pink Jeep Tours or Red Rock Western Jeep Tours. Entertaining and informative guides captain tours for all levels of adventure including rugged terrain, stone pinnacles, sandstone arches, famous movie locations and the archaeological ruins. Both companies offer customized special events to meet the needs of your group.

Other popular off-site activities include horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and hot air balloon rides. And, a trip to Sedona wouldn’t be complete without a vortex tour. Sedona’s New Age population claims that a vortex is an invisible source of electromagnetic energy which psychics and spiritual healers can tap into.

Meeting planners have more than 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and some 3,000 hotel rooms available to choose from. Sedona offers a range of choices, from moderately priced national brand hotels to luxurious world renowned spa resorts, some of which rest on the scenic banks of Oak Creek and others located nearby in secluded canyons.

Golf is part of nearly every community in the state and Sedona is no exception.  Tee it up at the Sedona Golf Resort just steps from Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa.  Located on the site of many classic western movies, it’s widely considered among the world’s most unforgettable golf experiences. This popular par-71 championship golf course, designed by Gary Panks, features emerald greens set amid towering crimson sentinels. With its spectacular 17,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse, the facility offers an ideal setting for gatherings following a round of golf. Situated near beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, the newly renovated Radisson Poco Diablo Resort with its nine-hole golf course as well as tennis courts, is another great option.

VERDE VALLEY

There’s an area in the western United States that produces some amazing wines. And it’s not Napa. Or rather, it’s in addition to Napa. South and west of Sedona, the Verde and Chino Valleys produce wines so fine three Presidents have poured them for foreign dignitaries at the White House. Javelina Leap, Caduceus (an effort of the multitalented lead singer of the rock band Tool), Alcantara, Page Springs Cellars, and Granite Creek are some of the wineries in the area that welcome visitors. Purely in the interest of scientific inquiry we’re sure, The Wall Street Journal conducted a blind taste test that had Arizona wines facing up against biggies from California, Washington, and Oregon. The findings? Arizona labels topped nearly every category. A particular high-scorer was  Alcantara’s 2005 Chardonnay.

Not surprising given this local wine and vine scene, Clarkdale’s scenic Verde  Canyon Railroad, built between 1912 and 1913 by 250 men, 200 mules, and unknowable amounts of dynamite, does weekly “Grape Train Escapes.” Even if your timing doesn’t match up with one of these Friday rides, the 40-mile out-and-back chug along the banks of the Verde River is worth the four hour investment. (The railroad operates year-round.) Make sure to tear your eyes from the canyon-defining sandstone and black basalt cliffs and the canopy of cottonwoods, sycamores, and ash that stretch like an umbrella over the Verde River to scan for wildlife – deer, javelina, and antelope year-round and, in winter, numerous birds of prey including bald eagles.

If you’re looking for history, nearly a millennium ago Sinagua Indians built their homes at what is now Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma Castle National Monument. Tuzigoot preserves the ruins of a 110-room village from (about) 1125 until (about) 1425, while Montezuma Castle’s 20 rooms soar five stories up a cliff overlooking Verde Valley.

PRESCOTT

Prescott is nearly equidistant from Phoenix, Flagstaff and Grand Canyon at  approximately 90 miles to any. At an elevation of 5,300 feet, the climate is temperate with summer temperatures averaging 85 degrees and winter temperatures around 50 degrees.

Starting with first things first, the pronunciation of Prescott isn’t quite as obvious as you might think. It’s “press-kit.” And no, we don’t know why. What we do know is that Prescott was a consequence of a gold rush that started in 1863 and soon thereafter – say, the next year – when Arizona became an official territory, was named the territorial capital. For much of the rest of the century, it remained the most important, as well as the richest, city in the state. The town could have died in 1890, when a fire maliciously consumed most every building, but plucky residents quickly rebuilt.

With no such structure-destroying disasters since, about 500 of these 1890s-era homes and commercial buildings, all very well-preserved and -looked after, are the reason Prescott is awash with National Historic Districts. Historic structures include a schoolhouse, dozens of doily-esque Victorians, several of which of course have been happily amended into bed and breakfasts, a governor’s log “mansion,” and The Palace, which has been serving up brews and news for almost 120 years.

If you’re crunched for time, get the biggest bang for your historic buck by booking your meeting or event at the Historic Hassayampa Inn with 9,500 sq. ft. of meeting space – it’s located in downtown Prescott near Whiskey Row (a street lined with historic saloons, bars and hotels).

Prescott’s wide range of accommodations includes some 50 hotels with over 1,300 rooms and over 27,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Located just two blocks from Courthouse Square in the historic Whiskey Row district in downtown Prescott, Springhill Suites’ stylish suites are smartly designed for working, relaxing and sleeping, plus have great extras like free Wi-Fi and a desk with ergonomic chair. Prescott’s newest all-suite property, Residence Inn by Marriott is located just off Highway 69 at the Prescott Gateway Mall, and offers upscale studio, one- and two-bedroom suites and 1,700 sq. ft of conference space, making this one of Prescott’s finest hotels.

For those seeking outdoor activities, the 1.25-million-acre Prescott National Forest offers some 20 recreational facilities just a few minutes from the Courthouse Square. The Forest has 450 miles of maintained trails in the tall ponderosa pines for hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Area lakes offer fishing and boating with canoe and boat rentals available at Lynx Lake south of town and Granite Basin Lake, to the northwest, offers camping and fishing. Watson Lake and Willow Springs Reservoir, both inside the city limits, are surrounded by beautiful rock formations, referred to as Granite Dells.