Flagstaff, Arizona, is not only a good destination to escape the hotter weather of Southern Nevada, it serves as the perfect base camp for a few one-day side trips to the state’s greatest sights. Within an hour or two from town you can be at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, sliding down a natural water chute near Sedona or visiting any of three national monuments.
Mammoth Lakes, California, in the eastern Sierra Nevada, is best known as an international winter ski and snowboard resort. However, mid-July through September it transforms into one of the best hiking and mountain-biking paradises in the state. It offers the bonus of being the best jumping-off place to visit Devils Postpile National Monument, about 7 miles from town, and is a must-see destination.
