Arizona Travel Guide
The Grand Canyon from Hopi Point. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Arizona's headline is the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world: 446 km long, up to 29 km wide, and over 1.8 km deep. The South Rim is open year-round and holds the classic viewpoints; the North Rim is quieter and seasonal.
The rest of the state is red-rock and desert drama. Sedona's sandstone formations and vortex sites, Monument Valley's buttes on the Navajo Nation, Antelope Canyon's light beams near Page, the saguaro forests around Tucson, and the old mining towns of Jerome and Bisbee.
Destinations in Arizona
Grand Canyon South RimMather Point, Yavapai and Desert View; the essential canyon experience.
Monument ValleyThe great sandstone buttes of the Navajo Nation, on the Utah border.
Antelope CanyonThe slot canyon's light beams; Upper Canyon for beams, Lower for ladders. Navajo-guided only.
SedonaRed-rock formations, Cathedral Rock and the vortex sites; Arizona's spiritual centre.- Grand Canyon North RimOpen mid-May to mid-October; a tenth of the visitors, wilder views.
- Horseshoe BendThe Colorado River's 270-degree bend, a short walk from the Page parking lot.
- Saguaro National ParkThe giant cactus forests flanking Tucson, east and west districts.
- Petrified ForestRainbow petrified wood and the Painted Desert along old Route 66.
- Phoenix and ScottsdaleDesert Botanical Garden, Old Town Scottsdale, spring-training baseball.
- Jerome and BisbeeCliffside former copper-mining towns turned art colonies.
Hover a state to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in Arizona
Regional food
- Sonoran hot dog (bacon-wrapped, Tucson's signature)
- Navajo tacos (fry bread with taco toppings)
- Chimichanga (the deep-fried burrito claimed by Tucson)
- Prickly pear margarita (the desert's pink cocktail)
Getting there
Phoenix (PHX) is the main gateway; Flagstaff (FLG) and Tucson (TUS) cover the north and south. The Grand Canyon's South Rim is 3.5 hours north of Phoenix by car. Summer heat is extreme: plan desert hiking for October to April.