With the temperature in the valley raising above 108 degrees, a lot of people are looking for cooler destinations to run away from the dry heat. If you are looking for a shorter drive to cool off, then Prescott is the place for you.

Prescott is a town located about 100 miles north of metro Phoenix. It takes around 1 hour to get there depending on where in the valley you are starting from and how busy the road is.

I took a day trip to Prescott last year for the first time and I had a blast! With that being said, I will share with you a few places to check out and things to do while in Prescott.

1- Go to Watson Lake

The water is bright blue and  is surrounded by granite boulders making it one of the most beautiful lakes in Arizona.

There are a lot of activities to enjoy at the lake such as hiking, kayaking, fishing, rock climbing and camping.

There are kayaks available for rental .

The reflection of the boulders on the water is surreal.

Reflection of boulders on the water

2- Go for a hike

There are a few hiking trails in the area to enjoy spectacular view of this lake. The watson lake loop trail or the Dam trail are classics.

3- Visit downtown historic area

Stop by the Yavapai country courthouse square, an area full of Prescott’s oldest history.

4- Visit the world’s oldest rodeo

You heard it right! This is one of the things that this town is famous for. The shows run for 8 days during the month of July. Make sure you check the schedule before your head out there.

5- Enjoy some Mexican food

There is this restaurant that I found called “Lindo Mexico” with a good selection of Mexican food. I also enjoyed the colors and authenticity of the place.

Mexican decorated chaires at Lindo Mexico

I was able to cover places listed above during a one day trip and I hope you can make it to.

Please let me know in the comments section if you have any questions.

Thank you!