Phoenix to Grand Canyon South Rim drive: 17 ranked stops worth the detour

Chrome-and-neon 1950s diner right on West Route 66, rescued by its longtime manager after a 2019 closure and back to slinging shakes and blue-plate breakfasts. Kids love the jukebox-era booths.

Nepalese and Indian curries, momos, and tandoori on the Milton Road strip — the town's go-to when a road trip needs a break from burgers. Mountain-town portions built for post-hike appetites.

cool pine-forest singletrack at 7,000 ft

Where Pluto was discovered, on a hill above Route 66 Flagstaff — the night sky as the main event.

Flagstaff's original brewpub since 1994, pouring house brews alongside comfort food and wood-fired pizza — a cozy landing spot after a mountain day.

Flagstaff's special-occasion standby in a 1911 Craftsman bungalow with a stone fireplace and porch seating. The polished-but-unfussy move for dinner after a South Rim day trip.

A 35-time Best of Flag winner where everything — bagels, breads, quiche, cinnamon rolls — is baked from scratch each morning. Fuel up here before the 80-minute run to the South Rim.

a neighborhood Phoenix brewery widely rated among the state’s best

A wedding-cake "castle" on a cactus hill in Phoenix, ringed by one of the oldest saguaro gardens in the country.

Sedona red rock and ponderosa high country

Chef Lisa Dahl's playful 'couture burger lounge' in the Village of Oak Creek, with a marble bar, 40-plus bourbons and boozy milkshakes — the most fun, low-key stop in her Sedona family.