Gold Canyon is doing pretty well. Not nearly as sexy as Sedona, but if you want quiet areas, striking views, easy to get there and trails/golf nearby, it's worth a look. Gold Canyon Candles are made there. Weather will be very similar to the metro Phx area ( awesome ). It's a little over an hour to the Biosphere and access to Tucson is via a great back-roads drive.
Gold Canyon Trails - Best Gold Canyon camping, hiking & biking trails | AllTrails.com
I've done 3 of these hikes.
Peralta is tough/vertical, Wind Cave easy/vertical, Pass Mtn is 8+ miles ( been awhile, we took a couple breaks, was awesome )
Lost Dutchman State Park is just around the mountain. Gold Canyon is just to the right of the picture on the Lost Dutchman page. I hear the Handlebar Pub and Grill in Apache Junction decent.
Arizona State Parks: Lost Dutchman: Home