Best Road Trip Songs About Arizona: 11 Theme Songs for Your Trip

The best road trip songs about Arizona include “Take It Easy” (Winslow), “Get Back” (Tucson), “Last Train to Clarksville” (Clarkdale), “Carefree Highway” (State Route 74), “Oceanfront Property” (Lake Havasu City), and “Centerfield” (Cactus League spring training), plus five more below. With wide-open spaces and stunning scenery at every turn, Arizona is the perfect road-trip destination. Climates range from the sunny Sonoran Desert in the south to the high-elevation Kaibab Plateau in the north.

So, no matter when you visit Arizona, there’s a road trip (or, if you live in the most populous city, Phoenix, a day trip) waiting for you. All you need is a playlist for your Arizona road trip! Arizona landscapes and cities have spawned many catchy tunes to make the miles fly by, which also happens to make the best road trip songs!

Arizona Road Trip Songs at a Glance

Drive times are approximate and start from Phoenix.

Song	Artist	Arizona stop	Drive from Phoenix
“Take It Easy”	The Eagles	Winslow	About 3 hours
“Get Back”	The Beatles	Tucson	About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours
“Last Train to Clarksville”	The Monkees	Clarkdale and the Verde Valley	About 1 hour 45 minutes
“Carefree Highway”	Gordon Lightfoot	State Route 74 and Wickenburg	About 45 minutes to 1 hour
“Oceanfront Property”	George Strait	Lake Havasu City	About 3 hours
“Centerfield”	John Fogerty	Cactus League ballparks	In the Phoenix area
“By the Time I Get to Phoenix”	Glen Campbell	Phoenix	Your starting point
“(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”	Nat King Cole Trio	Flagstaff, Kingman and Oatman	About 2 hours to Flagstaff
“Gold Dust Woman”	Fleetwood Mac	Wickenburg	About 1 hour
“A Horse with No Name”	America	Any desert drive, such as I-10 to Tucson	Varies
“Arizona”	Mark Lindsay	Statewide	Varies

Winslow, Arizona: “Take It Easy” by the Eagles

“Take It Easy” by the Eagles is the song that put Winslow, Arizona, on the map, and you can stand on the real corner today, about 3 hours north of Phoenix. Probably the most famous Arizona theme song is “Take It Easy” by the Eagles. “Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona” is a lyric most of us know by heart. “There’s a girl, My Lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me.”

Winslow, Arizona, is one of my top 50 day trips from Phoenix because it has interesting historic and natural sights. When you visit Winslow, you’ll find a monument dedicated to the Eagles’ Song. You can also stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, and spot that girl in a flatbed Ford. Elsewhere in Winslow, visit the La Posada Hotel, one of the last railroad hotels Fred Harvey built in 1930. Not far from Winslow, you can also visit Petrified Forest National Park, one of Arizona’s three National Parks. Homolovi State Park is also nearby, a site with Native American ruins.

Of course, we can’t forget Johnny Cash. He’s “been everywhere, man”…including Winslow!

Once you are in Winslow, Flagstaff is an hour away, so turn up the tunes and get rolling. With this road trip song and that short a distance, you will literally be taking it easy!

More info on Flagstaff:

• Things to do in Flagstaff
• 7 things to do while visiting Flagstaff
• Weekend adventures driving Route 66 from Flagstaff to Oatman.

Tucson, Arizona: “Get Back” by the Beatles

“Get Back” by the Beatles name-checks Tucson, Arizona, a food-and-hiking city about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours south of Phoenix. In this 1969 Beatles hit, they sing about Jojo who “left his home in Tucson, Arizona.” Living in Phoenix, Tucson is the perfect weekend getaway destination. Known as the “Old Pueblo,” Tucson is smaller and wilder than Phoenix.

For foodies, Tucson does not disappoint! It was the first US city to receive the UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation in 2015. If you love authentic Sonoran Mexican food, you’ll love eating your way through Tucson. Tucson is also home to Saguaro National Park, and several excellent state parks and national forest areas. Tucson is a hiking and foodie paradise!

More info on Tucson:

• Visit Tucson Arizona
• Things to do in Tucson
• More things to do in Tucson
• Get your retro groove on at the Downtown Clifton Hotel
• Enjoy a luxury experience at Hacienda del Sol
• Tucson staycation

Clarkdale, Arizona: “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees

Co-writer Bobby Hart says “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees may have been named for Clarkdale, Arizona, and you can ride the Verde Canyon Railroad there, about 1 hour 45 minutes north of Phoenix. The Monkees released “Last Train to Clarksville” in 1966, and the catchy tune topped the Billboard charts later that year. According to songwriter Bobby Hart, he used to pass through Clarkdale, Arizona, in the summer on his way to Oak Creek Canyon. When they got around to writing the lyrics, they decided Clarksville fit better than Clarkdale. Hart has said the Tennessee town was not the inspiration, though he later noted that an Army base near Clarksville, Tennessee, would have fit the story.

Although Clarksville, Tennessee tends to get the accolades for the song, Clarkdale, Arizona remains a railroad town in Arizona’s Verde Valley. Clarkdale was once a major copper hub in northern Arizona. Beyond the Verde Valley’s wineries, a highlight of any visit to Clarkdale is a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad. This scenic train ride goes through one of Arizona’s lushest valleys, and even into some of the red rock that makes Sedona famous. Standard rides were listed at $139 in 2026, so check the railroad’s website for current prices and schedules. And while the train ride isn’t a road trip, they do play this song while onboard!

While you’re in the area, don’t miss out on the Pueblo ruins at Tuzigoot National Monument, or the Copper Art Museum, which has hundreds of copper artifacts on display.

Carefree Highway (State Route 74): “Carefree Highway” by Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot’s “Carefree Highway” is named for Arizona State Route 74, a road about 30 miles long that runs from I-17 in North Phoenix to US 60 near Wickenburg, less than an hour from Phoenix.  In 1974, Gordon Lightfoot released his song “Carefree Highway,” named after a section of Arizona State Route 74. The singer-songwriter came across the highway on his travels and saved it for future inspiration, and its chill vibes make it the perfect road trip song!

Today, Phoenix visitors looking to hit the open road in the desert can take a day trip on the Carefree Highway, which stretches about 30 miles from I-17 in North Phoenix to US 60 near Wickenburg. The Carefree Highway name also covers a stretch east of I-17 toward the town of Carefree, though that part is not part of the state highway. Its proximity to Phoenix, combined with wide-open spaces, makes it a popular spot for hot air balloon tours.

For Phoenix visitors who want a real taste of the Wild West, a road trip to Wickenburg makes for a perfect day trip. If you are visiting in February, you can experience an authentic Southwest Rodeo at Wickenburg’s Gold Rush Days, which is scheduled for February 11 to 14, 2027.

Lake Havasu City, Arizona: “Oceanfront Property” by George Strait

Oceanfront Property” by George Strait jokes about oceanfront land in Arizona, and Lake Havasu City, about 3 hours northwest of Phoenix, is as close as the state gets, complete with a London Bridge. While this classic country song pokes fun at Arizona by referencing fictional oceanfront property, Arizona does indeed have a “West Coast.” Lake Havasu City claims the moniker of Arizona’s West Coast, as the shores of Lake Havasu line much of the state’s western border.

Lake Havasu is party central (much like Lake Powell, unless you are backcountry camping above the lake at Alstrom Point) in the summer for boaters, but this fun town has something for everyone. The actual London Bridge was dismantled and shipped from England to Arizona, where it sits today on the Bridgewater Channel. It was reassembled and dedicated in 1971.

actus League Spring Training: “Centerfield” by John Fogerty

“Centerfield” by John Fogerty is the unofficial theme song of Cactus League spring training, which runs from mid-February through March at ballparks around metro Phoenix. Spring training 2027 opens February 19. If you visit Arizona in March, you should definitely attend a Cactus League spring training game.

It’s one of the best things to do in Phoenix! As you cruise around the Phoenix-area ballparks, no baseball theme song is better than John Fogerty’s “Centerfield.” You know the one…” put me in coach, I’m ready to play!” It’s a great song to get you pumped for spring training in Arizona, with 10 stadiums and 15 Major League Baseball teams to choose from.

More Songs About Arizona for Your Road Trip Playlist

Phoenix, Arizona: “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” by Glen Campbell

“By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is Glen Campbell’s 1967 recording of a song written by Jimmy Webb, and it is the natural opener for any playlist that starts in the Valley of the Sun. It is a leaving song, so it’s fun to flip around: play it as you pull out of Phoenix on the way to Winslow, Tucson, or Lake Havasu City, and let the miles do the work.

Check out 70+ day trips from Phoenix.

Flagstaff, Kingman and Oatman: “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” by the Nat King Cole Trio

“(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” written by Bobby Troup and recorded by the Nat King Cole Trio in 1946, name-checks Flagstaff and Kingman, two Arizona stops on the old highway. Winslow sits on the same historic route, so this song pairs well with the Eagles stop above. For a longer Route 66 drive, see my weekend adventure driving Route 66 from Flagstaff to Oatman.

Wickenburg, Arizona: “Gold Dust Woman” by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 song “Gold Dust Woman” is tied to Wickenburg through its title: ADOT’s Arizona playlist notes say the name comes from Gold Dust Lane in Wickenburg. Stevie Nicks, who sings it, was born in Phoenix. Wickenburg is about an hour from Phoenix, so it pairs easily with the Carefree Highway drive above.

Sonoran Desert drives: “A Horse with No Name” by America

“A Horse with No Name” by America (1972) is often linked to the desert landscapes of the Southwest, including Arizona’s. It suits the long, open stretches of desert on drives such as I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson, where there is not much to do but watch the saguaros go by.

Statewide: “Arizona” by Mark Lindsay

Former Paul Revere & the Raiders singer Mark Lindsay took “Arizona” into the Top 10 in 1970. It has no single stop, so it works as the song to play when you cross the state line.

Arizona Road Trip Songs: Frequently Asked Questions

After living in the Phoenix area for 2 years, these are the songs that resonated with me as I traveled around the state. I would love to hear if I missed any “Arizona” songs!

How about you? Have another Arizona song? Does the state you live in have any cool songs about locations where you live? Do share!

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