Things to do in Arizona
Welcome to Arizona
Arizona—also known as the Grand Canyon State, thanks to its best-known natural wonder: Grand Canyon National Park—combines a desert- and mountain-dotted landscape with increasingly cosmopolitan cities to form one of the United States' best places for exploring the outdoors mere minutes from bustling downtowns. In Phoenix, Arizona's modern capital, enjoy baseball's sping training in March; hot air balloon rides over the city; tours of the city's burgeoning craft cocktail and farm-to-table dining scene; and helicopter flights. Meanwhile, nearby Scottsdale entices with its 200 golf courses and major tournaments. To the north, Sedona's red rocks are best enjoyed on Jeep tours of the open desert, while the Montezuma Castle National Monument offers an impressive display of Pre-Columbian cliff dwellings. To the south, Tucson serves as a melting pot of European, Mexican, and Native American cultures, all of which inform its architecture and gastronomy. If you really want to travel back into Arizonan history, take a custom tour of the original Apache Trail. And, of course, it's impossible to overlook the importance of the Grand Canyon National Park, home to some of the most awe-inspiring views in the world which can be marveled over on a helicopter tour from most Arizona cities.
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5-Star activities in Arizona
Top 15 attractions in Arizona
#1
Grand Canyon West Rim
The Grand Canyon’s West Rim, located just outside Grand Canyon National Park, is home to the vast Hualapai Indian Reservation and includes 108 miles (173 kilometers) of picturesque canyon views. The closest section of the canyon to Las Vegas, the West Rim is famous for the lofty Grand Canyon Skywalk, Guano Point, and Eagle Point.More
#2
Oak Creek Canyon
The road that winds 16 miles (26 kilometers) through leafy Oak Creek Canyon is the most scenic route between Sedona and Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon. With dramatic red rock formations to either side, the gorge is an outdoor playground for camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming.More
#3
Camelback Mountain
Visible throughout most of Phoenix, Camelback Mountain rises 2,704 feet (824 meters) above the Sonoran Desert. The red sandstone formation gets its name from its resemblance to a resting camel, and it’s one of the metro area’s most popular spots for hiking, rock climbing, and other outdoor adventures.More
#4
Old Town Scottsdale
Old Town Scottsdale ranks among the Southwest’s top retail destinations, particularly for shoppers looking for Southwestern and Native American art and jewelry. The area is also home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of the West, and the Scottsdale Historical Museum.More
#5
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Built directly into the side of a red-rock hill not far from downtown Sedona, the Chapel of the Holy Cross is a modern architectural marvel as well as a religious place for reflection. Visitors flock to the Roman Catholic chapel primarily to take in the outstanding views of Sedona’s awe-inspiring desert scenery.More
#6
Desert View Watchtower
Enjoy a sweeping panoramic view of the Grand Canyon from the historic Desert View Watchtower. Architect Mary Colter created the tower, built in the early 1930s, as an homage to the watchtowers built by the Ancestral Puebloan people who once inhabited the Four Corners area. The murals inside were painted by a local Hopi artist.More
#7
Bell Rock
Bell Rock is a colorful bell-shaped red rock formation set in the desert outside of Sedona. The area is home to popular hiking trails, wildlife—keep an eye out for coyote and fox tracks—and vista points overlooking the surrounding valley and rock formations. The site is also known as an energy vortex and is a popular meditation destination.More
#8
Grand Canyon South Rim
The South Rim is the most popular area of Grand Canyon National Park, boasting easy access to the canyon, the bulk of available amenities and services, and the panoramic vistas for which the natural wonder is famous. One of the most famous attractions in the American Southwest, the area offers breathtaking views over the Colorado River and the chance to immerse yourself in Native American culture.More
#9
Grand Canyon Visitor Center
The National Geographic Visitor Center is both a gateway to the Grand Canyon and a destination in its own right. Conveniently located near the South Rim entrance, the center makes a logical first stop at Arizona’s iconic landmark. Visit the center for guidance on your trip, and to experience its IMAX Theater, cafe, and exhibits.More
#10
Wupatki National Monument
Walk in the footsteps of the Native American tribes who built their pueblos in the deserts of the American Southwest at Wupatki National Monument. For thousands of years, tribes like the Anasazi and Sinagua lived in these rugged deserts, and among the myriad pueblos left behind is Wupatki Ruin, one of the largest and most elaborate in the region. It was three stories tall and had almost 100 rooms when the Sinagua people built it about 800 years ago. Along with exploring the ruins of a dozen pueblo villages, visitors can also hike the easy Doney Mountain Trail to the top of a volcanic cinder cone, and the visitor center has exhibits describing the culture and history of the people that lived here.More
#11
Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village
Get a feel for the art scene of Sedona and pick up unique gifts at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. Located along the banks of Oak Creek, this picturesque outdoor shopping complex and artist community is home to more than 45 art galleries, boutiques, and specialty shops selling hand-made crafts and one-of-a-kind artistic creations.More
#12
Glen Canyon Dam
In 1964, the Colorado River’s roaring waters needed to be harnessed, so the towering 710-foot-tall (216 meter) Glen Canyon Dam was built. The resulting 186-mile-long (299 kilometer) Lake Powell, the second largest man-made lake in the US, took 17 years to fill to capacity. Today, the dam provides hydroelectric power to the American West.More
#13
Apache Trail
Originally built as a copper trade route, the Apache Trail now guides travelers past steep desert mountains, cliff dwellings, lake shores, eroded canyons, and old mining towns. This scenic road winds 120 miles (193 kilometers) through Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, from the outskirts of Phoenix to the vast Theodore Roosevelt Lake.More
#14
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
The red rim and colorful slopes of the Sunset Crater set it apart amongst the surrounding pine forests of Northern Arizona. The Sunset Crater erupted less than 1000 years ago, making it the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. You can learn about the eruption’s effects on the landscape and historic populations on a visit to the park.More
#15
Cathedral Rock
This towering 4,965-foot (1,513-meter sandstone butte stands sentinel over Sedona’s red rock landscape. An icon of Arizona, its image is often emblazoned on postcards and tourist materials. The formation draws camera-toting visitors who want to capture the sight as well as hikers who trek up the short-but-steep Cathedral Rock Trail.More
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Currency
US Dollar ($)
Time Zone
MST (UTC -7)
Country Code
+1
Language(s)
English