one-of-a-kind experiences

6 Perfect Luxury Adventures

Revel in one-of-a-kind experiences throughout Arizona.

Dinner and a Helicopter Ride

Zipping along the Scottsdale skyline sounds impressive on its own, but somehow Volanti Scottsdale manages to take the experience to, ahem, new heights. That’s thanks to its helicopter tour, which kicks off in the glamorous Aviation Business Center at Scottsdale Airport, just a stone’s throw from some of the city’s best outdoor shopping.

Park in the covered garage, saunter past the private jets and hop aboard one of the helicopters to view such landmarks as Camelback Mountain, Arizona State University and the McDowell Mountains. After a 20-minute flight, return to Volanti’s restaurant to raise a glass to the excursion with a three-course lunch, brunch or dinner paired with your choice of wine, champagne or cocktails. Pro tip: Try to snag a table on the coveted patio.

An Immersive Culinary Retreat

Rare is the resort that is so private, its address is unlisted. Rarer still is the one where the orchards, greenhouses and fields provide much of the bounty that forms the backbone of your visit. Yet all this exists in the form of TERRA farm + manor, an Arizona hideaway in the Prescott National Forest where Private Group Experiences (12 to 20 people) offer up avant-garde dishes, customized menus and a stay that’s as rooted in the region as the dinner ingredients.

TERRA is the brainchild of chef-owner James Porter who wanted to create an escape where food, service and sustainability coexist in a way that feels sumptuous yet natural. The result is a former homestead turned rustic-glam manor where guests can savor that dichotomy through seasonally inspired, hands-on cooking classes and live culinary demonstrations (sometimes with a visiting chef, artisan or winemaker).

Yes, there are other activities like horseback riding and fly-fishing. But those are simply interludes to such decadent experiences like tucking into a Tajima Wagyu tomahawk prepared with foie gras brown butter. Getaway, meet chef’s kiss.

Book the Navajo Experience with accommodations for an off-the-grid escape that delves into historic Native American culture. Before you arrive, get in touch with the owners to request the BMW convertible cruise add-on to level up the adventure.

Highlights include your choice of a sunrise excursion in said BMW 430 convertible to the Colorado River, or a starlit tour with near zero light pollution. The experience also includes a two-night stay in a traditional hooghan (toilets and showers are nearby), as well as dinner highlighted by Navajo storytelling.

Photography Hikes

Sedona’s calling card is undoubtedly the surrounding red rock formations that have attracted hikers, New Age enthusiasts and casual observers for decades. But for a more meaningful interaction with this iconic landscape, consider a Red Rock Photography Tour through Enchantment Resort’s Trail House.

Available to resort guests, Trail House is an on-property hub for such excursions as full-moon hikes and private guided tours of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. The Red Rock Photography Tour, however, combines that spectacular scenery with skills you can use even after you return home. The two-and-a-half-hour hike takes you to some of Sedona’s most iconic vantage points where your guide (who is also a photographer) shares techniques to help you get the best photos possible. Talk about souvenirs you can’t find anywhere else.

Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour

The Museum of Northern Arizona, located in Flagstaff, celebrates the heritage of the Colorado Plateau with more than 800,000 artifacts and objects ranging from minerals and meteorites to fine art by both Native American and non-Native artists.

While you can visit the museum independently, the monthly Behind-the-Scenes Tour provides an in-depth look at some of the most important and historic artworks in the collection. Held just eight times a year, these one-hour tours require advance registration and are limited to 14 people. Indigenous artists sometimes join the group to see pieces by their ancestors or to glean inspiration as they view a rotating selection of pottery, paintings, basketry, jewelry and ancient artifacts.

Aerial Tours of Horseshoe Bend

Lake Powell routinely draws avid boaters, but you can see what is arguably the region’s most dramatic sight — Rainbow Bridge — without the crowds or even a boat ride. Antelope Air, a 100% Native American-owned-and-operated outfit, invites visitors to join the Rainbow Bridge Air Tour from March through October.

You’ll soar over Lake Powell and nearby rock formations like Horseshoe Bend before circling Rainbow Bridge in an unforgettable sweep. As you gaze over the natural arch that soars 300 feet above the canyon floor, be sure to cast a glance at the surrounding mountains and the terra cotta canyon for views to remember.

Looking for a nearby place to stay? The Hyatt Place Page/Lake Powell regularly features collaborative packages and an onsite Adventure Concierge to enhance your experience.