A Verde Canyon Railroad Escape: Cooler Air, Bloody Marys & an Old Arizona Afternoon
We had been talking about taking the Verde Canyon Railroad with our neighbors and good friends, John and Andi, for months. It took the four of us until April to actually get it on the calendar—which taught us the first useful lesson of the trip: book early. Reservations are often several weeks out.
By the time we finally boarded in Clarkdale, the timing was perfect: cooler air, canyon views, vintage train cars, and a Bloody Mary that became a surprisingly important part of the afternoon.
An Old Arizona Experience
The railroad itself has a timeless charm. Vintage train cars, friendly staff, and a relaxed atmosphere create the feeling that you've stepped back into a simpler era. And I like that.
The Best Seat on the Train
The indoor car is comfortable, but the open-air viewing car is where you want to be. You can step outside as the train winds through the canyon, feel the cooler air, and see the red cliffs without a window between you and the view.
We moved back and forth between the two, but the open-air car won easily. The scenery is simply too good to watch from your seat.
A Bloody Mary with a View
Once the train was underway, Andi and I thought ordering a Bloody Mary was the sensible thing to do.
The full-service bar makes it easy to settle in, and ours came with a view no brunch patio could compete with: canyon walls, cooler air, and several uninterrupted hours with nowhere else to be.
Apparently, Bloody Marys taste better on a train.
Bring the Experience Home
The train ride ended. Our interest in the Bloody Mary did not.
At home, we recreated a simple version using Filthy Bloody Mary Mix, a rim shot, and pickle-stuffed olives. It is a very good shortcut—although the canyon view is considerably harder to arrange.
→ View the Easy Bloody Mary Recipe
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A Few Favorites for the Perfect Bloody Mary
Dinner Above Cottonwood
After the train, we headed to Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery & Trattoria in Cottonwood for dinner.
Yes, the name means what you think it means. No, it was not chosen by accident. The winery has a definite rock-and-roll pedigree, which may explain both the name and the sense of humor.
Full disclosure: Andi had to explain the name to me. Apparently, I’d been living a more sheltered life than I realized.
You can drive to the restaurant, but we took the little hilltop tram—part transportation, part funicular, and considerably more entertaining than walking uphill after a Bloody Mary.
At the top, you’ll find Arizona wines, house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas, along with sweeping views across the Verde Valley. We stayed for dinner, bought wine to take home, and agreed that this was a very good way to end the day.
Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery, Cottonwood Arizona
Planning Your Visit
The Verde Canyon Railroad operates through much of the year, but this is not a trip to leave until the last minute. Reservations can be several weeks out, especially during the more comfortable Arizona months. We learned that part before we ever boarded the train.
Check the railroad’s website for current departure dates, ticket options, and availability.
Visit the Verde Canyon Railroad Website→
Planning an escape the heat getaway? Browse the Escape the Heat Weekend Picks for a few things we pack, use, and recommend along the way.
Sometimes a getaway doesn’t need to be far away. It just needs cooler air, canyon views, good friends, and a Bloody Mary on a train.
And that, my friends…
is for the Birds.
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From the Escape the Heat Series
Cooler-weather getaways, weekend guides, and a few very good reasons to leave the Valley.
