The American Southwest concentrates more art — per square mile, per capita, per square foot of gallery space — than almost anywhere else in the country. Connecting the dots from Phoenix to Denver traces a route through the centers of Western art, Native American art, Modernism, and contemporary practice that can't be replicated anywhere else. Here's a seven-day itinerary that covers the essential ground without rushing.
Day 1–2: Phoenix and Scottsdale
Arrive in Phoenix and spend the first morning at the Heard Museum — two to three hours minimum. The afternoon belongs to the Phoenix Art Museum, with particular attention to the Western American and Native American galleries. Dinner in the Roosevelt Row Arts District lets you preview what the neighborhood looks like after hours.
Day two belongs to Scottsdale. The Old Town gallery district with its Bentley Gallery, Wilde Meyer, Trailside, and Lisa Sette Gallery can be covered on foot in half a day. End the afternoon at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and time it for the Thursday ArtWalk if your schedule allows.
Day 3: Sedona
Drive north on US-89A through Oak Creek Canyon — one of the most beautiful drives in Arizona — and spend the day in Sedona. Tlaquepaque Arts Village in the morning; Exposures International Gallery after lunch; the Uptown galleries in the afternoon. Stay in Sedona and watch the sunset hit the red rocks from any elevated viewpoint.
Day 4: Santa Fe
Continue north to Santa Fe — four hours via US-89 and US-84, through the Painted Desert and past Ghost Ranch. Arrive in time for the afternoon. Canyon Road needs a dedicated evening opening (Friday) or a full morning. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, New Mexico Museum of Art, and the Railyard's LewAllen Galleries require a full day between them.
Day 5: Santa Fe (continued)
A full day on Canyon Road. Start at Gerald Peters Gallery at the top, work down through Nedra Matteucci, Charlotte Jackson, Zaplin-Lampert, and end at the sculpture garden. Lunch at one of the canyon-adjacent restaurants. Afternoon at Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill.
Day 6: Taos
Drive the High Road north to Taos. Afternoon in the galleries — Blue Rain, Parks Gallery, Harwood Museum — and the Millicent Rogers Museum north of town. Sunset at the Taos Gorge Bridge.
Day 7: Denver
The final drive north to Denver on US-285 through the San Luis Valley and over La Veta Pass is spectacular. Arrive in time for the evening and save the Denver Art Museum for a full morning. MCA Denver and the RiNo galleries — Robischon, Space Gallery, RedLine — complete the itinerary.