Independence Day, and the weekend that follows it, is a great time to celebrate the arrival of summer in Northern Arizona. The cooler weather typically brings visitors from all over the state, especially from our sweltering neighbors down south. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family with a cold drink and an afternoon grilling burgers and dogs (or firing up the smoker for ribs and chicken if you’re so inclined). But the celebration doesn’t have to end in your own backyard; Northern Arizona offers a bevy of activities to enjoy and entertainment options for visitors. So whether you’re a long-time resident looking for something new, or are hoping to find a way to entertain out-of-towners, join us in exploring some of the great events happening up north.

At Dorn Homes we like to think of ourselves as a family, a big and growing family, but family nonetheless. Families support one another, trust one another, and are there in times of need. That’s something to be celebrated. And what better way to celebrate family than by spending time with the people we love doing the things we love? So we’ve put together an itinerary of things to do on this upcoming Mother’s Day to show the moms out there just how much you care.

One of the best parts about living in Prescott or the Verde Valley is being able to enjoy the charm of life in a small town without sacrificing the convenience of being close to a big city. But when you’re living in northern Arizona it’s not just the shopping and entertainment options of Phoenix that are nearby, there are plenty of day-trips to make throughout the region. Whether you’re looking for a quick jaunt for a local vineyard tour or a weekend near one of the Wonders of the Natural World, there’s a lot of fun to be had up here.

As the largest homebuilder in Northern Arizona, the Dorn Homes family has spent time all over the state. Whether it’s exploring new communities to develop, meeting with homeowners or trade partners, or just another day in the office, any day is a good day for a lunch out on the town. With so many of our homeowners coming from out of town or even out of state we decided to ask some of our employees to share their favorite places to eat.

One of the most important parts of finding a new community is making sure it matches your lifestyle. That means a neighborhood full of things you enjoy and friends and neighbors that share those interests. What better way to meet your new neighbors than by doing something you love together? With that in mind we’ve reached out to members of the Dorn Homes family in each community to find out which amenities are most popular with our homeowners.

About an hour northwest of Phoenix you’ll find a desert oasis that fulfills the promises of luxury living in the Modern West. This secluded community offers high-end homes with only the finest resort-style amenities. At Wickenburg Ranch, you’ll find a community designed with your lifestyle in mind. From championship golf and fine dining to hiking, spa treatments, and stargazing, you’ll find everything you need to live life to the fullest at the Wickenburg Ranch Golf and Social Club. Wickenburg Ranch is a Trilogy Resort Community designed for luxurious living and endless adventure.

Whether this Valentine’s Day is your first with a new special someone or your 50^th with your spouse or partner, there’s no shortage of fun experiences and delectable restaurants to explore together. With restaurant specials and special events across Northern Arizona you have practically endless options to enjoy. To help the couples in our communities plan their perfect Valentine’s Day, we’ve decided to highlight some of our favorites here.

As we begin 2019 it’s important to take a moment to look back and reflect on 2018. Whether it’s seeking ways to better serve others or better take care of one another, or it’s looking back in gratitude for the wonderful friends and family in our lives, what we see in 2018 can be a source of inspiration for 2019. Here at Dorn Homes our retrospective is a little of both: gratitude for members of the Dorn Family and the people that choose us to build their dream homes and aspirations for the years to come.

Northern Arizona is the destination of choice for Arizona’s visitors and residents alike when winter arrives. Those living further south and dreaming of a white Christmas flock to Flagstaff, Sedona, and Prescott. Prescott is known as “Arizona’s Christmas City,” after all. Just because Northern Arizona is a great place to be for Christmas doesn’t mean that the holiday celebrations stop there. Across Arizona you’ll find a wide array of events to start the New Year off                                                                    with fun and festivities.

Building a brand new home is a major step for most people, no matter where you are in life. You may be selling an existing home, securing financing, and changing cities, and those are all steps you’ll take before you even start designing your new home. After you’ve chosen your model and met with our professional interior designers in our state-of-the-art Design Center, we get to work building your dream home. All of that work planning, and building culminates in one moment: the moment you step through the front door. We understand just how important that moment is. Because that moment is about more than just what you see as the door opens, it’s about what you’ve dreamt of seeing for the past few weeks or months.

Walking through Old Town Cottonwood it’s easy to imagine yourself on the same street 50 or even 100 years ago. Main Street and the Town Square are modernized but otherwise relatively unchanged. The real difference is that instead of general stores, saloons, or soda shops you’ll find small-batch wineries and locally-sourced restaurants populated by craftsmen and women that are redefining Old Town through passion and good old fashioned hard work. When you live in Cottonwood, you’re only a few minutes from all of the restaurants, art galleries, and wineries that Old Town has to offer. With so much to do in Old Town, we thought we’d share some of our favorite spots.

It’s that time of year again. As fall gives way to winter, most of Arizona embraces the cooler temperatures and respite from our sweltering summers. In Prescott though, where summers are more temperate, winter brings more than just relief. Here winter brings hopes for snow and snow days, and, more importantly, anticipation for the holiday season. For anyone with plans of traveling to experience winter at its finest, there's no better place to celebrate Christmas than Prescott, Arizona's Christmas City.

Northern Arizona is a wonderful place to spend time year-round, but there’s really no better time to experience it than fall. Fall brings cooler temperatures and vibrant colors that you simply can’t enjoy further south. Fall also presents the perfect opportunity to experience everything Northern Arizona has to offer, from sightseeing hikes to art festivals and train rides. Whether you’re already a resident or just a visitor, here are five ways to enjoy fall in Northern Arizona.

Nestled between Mingus Mountain to the west and the Mogollon Rim to the east lies a valley that some have called the heart of central Arizona. The Verde Valley, through which the Verde River flows, is a snapshot of the changing lives of Arizonans over millennia. From the centuries-old Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma’s Castle to formerly abandoned mining towns like Jerome that have been revived as National Historic Places. As Arizona has grown and evolved, the Verde Valley has evolved as well. Small towns that mined copper in the early 20th century are now home to boutique art galleries, antique shops, and wineries.