The Open Road Travel

Best Place To Stop On A Road Trip From Dallas To Phoenix, Arizona

With a road trip from Dallas to Phoenix, Arizona, taking at least 16 hours to drive, most people want to break the journey up, especially if they plan to enjoy all the attractions the route has to offer.

There are numerous great places along the route to make an extended stop, but we feel none have as much to offer as Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is also conveniently located near the halfway point of our journey.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

The largest and most populous city in New Mexico, Albuquerque is a beautiful, natural city known for its numerous attractions and amenities that display the Mexican style and culture the state is synonymous with.

Some of Albuquerque’s top attractions include the historic San Felipe De Neri Church, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, ABQ BioPark Zoo, International Balloon Museum, Sawmill Market, and Old Town Albuquerque.

Combined with a diverse selection of bars, casinos, racetracks, restaurants, shops, and more, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy. The city also hosts a great range of events each year, like the New Mexico State Fair, Gathering Of Nations, and International Balloon Festival, all of which are worth attending if you are in town at the right time.

You even have a great selection of natural attractions surrounding the city, too. These include the stunning Cibola National Forest, home to the Sandia Peak tramway, which is the longest aerial tram in the western hemisphere, Bandelier National Monument, Petroglyph National Monument, Alameda Paseo Del Bosque Trail, and the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.

Best Hotel To Stay At In Albuquerque, New Mexico – Hotel Chaco

Hotel Chaco is a stunning, 4-star hotel, situated in a historic building in Old Town Albuquerque. Within walking distance of many of the city’s top attractions, it is ideal for immersing yourself in the culture and history of the city.

Each of its beautifully decorated rooms is spacious, pet-friendly, filled with comfortable furnishings, linens, and amenities like a work desk, and has access to room service and the free Wi-Fi that is present throughout the property.



Breakfast is served each morning, while amenities like a 24-hour front desk, ATM, bar, business centre, fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, and restaurant can be found throughout the communal areas. Private parking is also offered for an additional fee.

Top Attractions On The Best Road Trip From Dallas To Phoenix, Arizona

Wichita Falls, Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas, offers a charming mix of small-town hospitality, rich history, culture, and engaging attractions. Visitors will find local boutiques, restaurants, events like the Downtown Farmers Market, and various seasonal festivals, meaning there is plenty to do at any time of year.

The city’s most iconic attraction is the "falls" of Wichita Falls, an artificial waterfall that was made to replace the original one destroyed by flooding in the 1800s. Located in Lucy Park, it is surrounded by greenery, walking trails, picnic areas, and river views and access.

Wichita Falls highlights include the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU Texas, with its rotating exhibits and American art, the Kemp Center for the Arts, which hosts visual and performing arts events all year, the River Bend Nature Center and its interactive science and nature exhibits, and Castaway Cove Waterpark.

Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo is the 14^th most populous city in Texas and the largest and most populous in the state’s northwest section. Widely viewed as the heart of Texas “cowboy country”, sights like cowboy boots and hats, ranchers, steaks, and horses are commonplace, making it a perfect stop for anyone wanting to get a glimpse of the “real” Texas.

Widely used as a filming location for movies over the past century, particularly in the Western genre, it is a similarly great opportunity for film buffs to try and spot some locations from their favourite flicks.

Throw in the natural attractions that surround the city, such as Caprock Canyons State Park And Trailway and its official Texan bison herd, the Alibates Flint Quarry National Monument, where ancient natives lived and worked, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the 2^nd largest canyon system in the U.S., and Amarillo is a city sure to have something for everyone.

Santa Rosa, New Mexico

Santa Rosa, New Mexico, is a hidden gem of a city located on one of the world’s most famous roads, the historic Route 66. Visitors will be greeted with a fabulous combination of vintage Americana, natural beauty, Hispanic and Native American cultural heritage and architecture, and aquatic adventure.

Nicknamed the “City of Natural Lakes,” it’s an unexpected oasis in the high desert that boasts clear blue, spring-fed swimming holes. Its crown jewel is Blue Hole, a deep, crystal-clear natural pool that stays a constant 62°F year-round and draws scuba divers, swimmers, and cliff jumpers from across the country.

Park Lake recreation area is a water park with slides, paddle boating, and a fun atmosphere, and foodies will love the traditional New Mexican cuisine found in local diners and cafés. Meanwhile, petrolania and history fans will enjoy the Route 66 Auto Museum, with its classic cars, history, and memorabilia, and historic churches like St. Rose of Lima.

Clines Corners Travel Center

Clines Corners was established as a rest stop at a busy junction between US Route 66 and US Route 285 by Roy E. Cline in 1934. In the years since, it has grown into far more, as it slowly turned into a thriving community, thanks to opportunities for work and the amenities its creation presented.

In the subsequent years, it has been expanded numerous times, bringing it to the impressive 30,000 square feet (2,800 square metres) that it covers today. Far more than just a regular truck stop, it provides an opportunity to rest, refuel, eat, drink, pick up supplies, and take in some history all at once.

Musical Highway, America The Beautiful

Found just outside Albuquerque, New Mexico, the musical highway is a unique attraction you don’t even have to stop to enjoy.

Created using carefully spaced rumble strips on the highway, this Musical Highway will serenade anyone who travels it at speeds between 40 and 45 miles an hour with a fabulous rendition of America the Beautiful as you pass.

El Malpais National Monument

El Malpais National Monument is a dramatic and otherworldly landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. The name “El Malpais” is Spanish for “the badlands,” and refers to its rugged terrain, which was formed by lava flows, cinder cones, and sandstone bluffs.

Known for its rich geologic history and cultural significance, visitors are greeted by many unique features. These include vast lava fields, lava tube caves, arched basalt formations, scenic overlooks, and evidence of ancestral Puebloan and other Native American cultures.



Popular stops include the La Ventana Natural Arch, one of New Mexico’s largest natural arches, and the El Calderon Area, with its hiking trails through volcanic craters and old-growth forests, and the various caves hidden beneath the surface.

Gallup, New Mexico

The 11^th most populous city in New Mexico, Gallup is affectionately nicknamed the “Native American Capital Of The World”. It became a popular vacation destination for celebrities in the 1930s, as it was seen as a haven to escape the fans, paparazzi, and crowds in Los Angeles.

Legendary stars like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Catherine Hepburn, Ronald Reagan, and more frequently stayed in the city, and plenty of sites from their era and landmarks linked to them remain today.

With attractions like historic hotels, markets, and stunning murals brimming with culture, Gallup is a fabulous place to stop for anyone interested in Native Americans, classic movies, and more.

Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park was established on December 9^th, 1962, making it the 30^th oldest national park in the nation, and its 220,000-acre area makes it the 31^st largest. Petrified Forest NP gained its name from the extensive collection of petrified wood found throughout its beautiful, painted desert landscape.

It features a rich collection of archaeological sites and fossils, making it one of the best national parks in the country for anyone interested in the natural history of the land.



Meanwhile, a diverse range of wildlife that includes species like coyote, deer, pronghorn, and more than 200 types of birds, such as roadrunners, makes it equally well suited to people who simply love nature.

Sitgreaves National Forest

Sitgreaves National Forest is a scenic haven for outdoor enthusiasts and an oasis in the desert. Part of the larger Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, the two combine to cover nearly 2.6 million acres, which feature breathtaking forests, mountains, meadows, streams, and lakes.

It is ideal for activities like fishing, hiking, biking, boating, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, and campers have everything from rustic sites to developed campgrounds with lake views to choose from.

Nature lovers will enjoy the diversity of the wildlife, with species including elk, deer, bald eagles, and wild turkeys living in the forest. You even have winter activities like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on offer, so it’s a destination you can enjoy year-round.

Tonto National Forest

At almost 3 million acres, Tonto National Forest is one of the largest national forests in the United States. An incredibly diverse landscape, it features sun-drenched Sonoran desert lowlands, forested mountain ranges, towering saguaro cacti, rugged canyons, dense pine forests, and scenic, panoramic vistas.

Popular destinations include Salt River, Verde River, and Roosevelt Lake, which are all great for boating, kayaking, fishing, and camping, as well as Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, which boasts a spectacular natural travertine bridge.

The diversity of wildlife on offer is almost as wide as the landscapes, with species like black bears, bald eagles, and javelinas calling the forest home. With countless opportunities for off-roading, horseback riding, hiking, birdwatching, and more, there truly is something for everyone here, no matter when you visit.

Final Thoughts On The Best Road Trip From Dallas To Phoenix, Arizona

That concludes our guide to planning the best road trip from Dallas to Phoenix, Arizona. You should now have all the information required to make the journey yourself, including when to go, which route to use, where to stay, and what to see as you drive.



All that’s left to do is decide what to take with you and what you want to do when you arrive in Phoenix. That way, you can start getting everything budgeted for and booked and look forward to enjoying it all for yourself as soon as possible.