Best places to go for Christmas in Arizona: Cozy cabins, Grand Canyon and more

While everyone seems to be on the road around Thanksgiving, many people like to stay close to home for Christmas.

For seasoned travelers, that by itself is reason enough to plan a getaway. Then consider that Dec. 25 falls on a Monday this year, making for a sweet long weekend. And even longer for some folks whose employers or schools are closed through New Year's Day.

Now it’s time to ponder some options.

How would you like to spend your holiday? Tubing down a snowy hill with the kids? Relaxing in a snug cabin in the mountains? Or walking on a sunny beach beneath palm trees? If you can imagine it, chances are Arizona can provide it. Here are a few of best places to go for Christmas in Arizona.

Williams: Bearizona and gateway to the Grand Canyon

Use Williams as a base camp for an unforgettable holiday escape. At an elevation of 6,916 feet, a white Christmas is a distinct possibility. Enjoy the festive lights of downtown mingled with the neon of Route 66. Then choose your adventure.

Bearizona drive-thru wildlife park is open until 2:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day.

Canyon Coaster Adventure Park is open both days: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Christmas Day. Ride the alpine coaster or go zooming down the tubing hill. The park manufactures its own snow so tubing is a sure thing even if nature doesn’t cooperate.

Check the parks' websites for holiday hours and pricing.

Another option from Williams is to visit Grand Canyon National Park. The South Rim is just an hour away. Experience the ultimate natural wonder without the summer crowds. It’s a chance to see the abyss in the soft luscious light of the season and possibly blanketed in snow. This may be the very definition of winter wonderland. Admission is $35 per vehicle, good for seven days.

Details: bearizona.com, canyoncoasteradventurepark.com, https://www.nps.gov/grca.

Snuggle up in a cozy winter lodge in Hannagan Meadow

If you’re yearning for a quiet spot to decompress after the holiday rush, consider a visit to Hannagan Meadow Lodge.

The resort offers 20 well-appointed log cabins; the largest can sleep 12. Several are dog friendly. The property includes several fire pits, perfect for roasting marshmallows or chestnuts. Cabins start at $349 during the Christmas weekend.

Built in 1926, the lodge sits along a stretch of U.S. 191, the Coronado Trail National Scenic Byway that twists and turns through the eastern edge of the state. Located about 23 miles south of Alpine, you’ll enjoy plenty of peace and quiet.

Hannagan Meadow Lodge has a handful of rooms and eight rustic cabins scattered in the timber. Cabins are adorned with antiques. You’ll have homemade quilts, fireplaces and rocking chairs but no television, telephone or cell service — a sweet trade-off for a few days of peace. Lodge rooms start at $85, cabins at $170.

Cabins have full kitchens but if you don’t feel like cooking, the dining room in the lodge is serving, including a Christmas Day buffet of prime rib and ham. There are cross-country ski trails and a tubing hill with all necessary equipment available for rent.

Details: www.hannaganmeadow.com.

Rent a dreamy creekside cabin in Greer

Prescott may be Arizona’s official Christmas City but the tiny hamlet of Greer has more of a North Pole flavor.

Greer Lodge Resort and Cabins borders the Little Colorado River and the national forest with cross-country ski trails practically outside your door. Sitting above 8,000 feet, there will definitely be a Christmas feeling in the air. And it doesn’t take much imagination for that herd of grazing elk to become reindeer.

Details: www.greerlodgeaz.com.

Lake Havasu City for a waterfront stroll or off-road bar

If you prefer white sand to white snow, head for Lake Havasu City. While it may be too chilly for a lake swim, the mild winter sun will be conducive to relaxing on the beaches or just strolling along the waterfront.

Explore more of the lake with a boat tour or maybe get in a relaxing weekend of fishing. But don’t miss a visit to the Bunker Bar, an off-road watering hole north of Lake Havasu City. There’s live music, food, games, and plenty to drink at this solar-powered desert outpost.

The Bunker Bar is family friendly but pets are not allowed. It's open noon-5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Christmas Eve.

You’ll be back in town in plenty of time for an evening walk through the English Village at the base of London Bridge. The English Village is wrapped in a half-million lights all reflecting off the water for a peaceful holiday moment.

Details: www.bunkerbarlhc.com, www.golakehavasu.com.

Explore Tubac, a historical Arizona arts enclave

What a perfect place to squeeze in a little last-minute shopping if need be.

Arizona’s oldest European settlement has evolved into an artist colony, a rustic version of Santa Fe, New Mexico. More than 100 shops occupy the village plaza, where old adobes, Spanish courtyards and ocotillo fences blend seamlessly with a handful of newer buildings. The history still feels palpable.

When you’re on Calle de Iglesias in Old Town Tubac, you’re traveling on one of the oldest roads in America. Enjoy outdoor sculpture gardens, splashy fountains, rows of brightly painted pots and Old World architecture.

For a restful Christmas Day, take a stroll along a segment of the Juan Anza National Historic Trail. A tree-lined 4.5-mile section follows the Santa Cruz River between Tubac Presidio State Park and Tumacacori National Historical Park.

Details: tubacaz.com, azstateparks.com/tubac, www.nps.gov/tuma.

Camp and fish at Alamo Lake State Park

If you’ve got an angler in the family, travel to remote Alamo Lake tucked away in the Bill Williams River Valley.

The sparkling lake is at the end of a scenic drive surrounded by gaunt mountains about 37 miles north of U.S. 60 at Wenden. This is one of the state’s primo fishing holes for largemouth bass. Alamo Lake also contains crappie, bluegill, red ear sunfish and channel catfish.

The park includes camping for tent and RVs, plus eight camping cabins that overlook the water. Cabins are furnished with bunk beds, table, chairs, electricity, heating and air conditioning. Bring your own bedding.

Campsites and cabins can be reserved online or by calling 877-697-2757. A valid Arizona fishing license is required for anglers 10 years and older.

Details: www.azstateparks.com.

Find the reporter at www.rogernaylor.com. Or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZ or on X, foremerly known as Twitter, @AZRogerNaylor.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family Christmas vacation ideas in Arizona: Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu