The Ultimate Arizona Travel Guide
Arizona: Diverse landscape with deep canyons and arches painted in vibrant colors, blue-green waterfalls, Arizona’s natural beauty is unparalleled! Here is my Arizona travel guide outlining major Arizona attractions!
To make it easy for you to navigate the content, I have organized my Arizona travel guide into two sections. (1) A brief introduction to Arizona, a little history, some geography, commute, and weather. (2) Major Arizona attractions, if you wish, you can skip the introduction and move on to the next section, Arizona Attractions.
History: Originally part of New Mexico, the land was ceded to the United States in 1848, and became a separate territory in 1863 and finally achieved statehood on February 14th, 1912. Arizona got its nickname from the famous Grand Canyon, considered as one of the seven natural wonders. Arizona is known to be the leading producer of copper in the US.
Geography: Arizona is the sixth largest state in the US, in terms of area. It’s bordered by California on the west, Nevada on the northwest, Utah on the north, New Mexico on the east, and Sonora (Mexican state) on the south. Phoenix, located in the south-central part of the state, is the capital and largest city in Arizona.
Getting There
Flight: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and Tucson International Airport (TUS) are the major airports in Arizona. However, I recommend flying to Las Vegas (LAS) because (1) Major attractions are more accessible from Las Vegas (2) Flying into LAS is more economical.
Drive: If you live in any of the neighboring states, you could drive to Arizona, but if you live far from Arizona, I would recommend either flying or taking a train to Arizona.
Train: Amtrak provides a rail service that passes through many states, including Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.
Climate: Summers are scorching and dry in Arizona. Winter begins in December with temperatures in the range of 18°F to 45°F, with southern Arizona receiving no to light snowfall, while the northern mountainous receiving a large amount of snow. Autumn is the most suitable season to visit. Check current weather conditions in Arizona.
Time zone: Mountain Standard Time UTC-7
Getting around: Arizona is the sixth largest state in US, I recommend renting a car in Arizona. Greyhound offers some bus services, but trains and busses are very limited, making renting a car and driving the best option to explore Arizona.
Best Places To Visit in Arizona
One of the seven natural wonders of the world, Grand Canyon, does justice to its name. It’s a gigantic deep valley carved by the Colorado River over a period of 6 – 7 million years.
The West Rim, also known as Skywalk, is conveniently located near Las Vegas. It provides an awe-inspiring way to explore Grand Canyon: walk on a see-through glass floor on the Skywalk.
Havasu Falls is a gorgeous blue-green waterfall of Havasu Creek, within Havasupai tribal lands located in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. You need a reservation to visit this world-renowned waterfall.
Is a beautiful and awe-inspiring slot canyon, formed by the water flowing through the sandstone over several thousand years. It’s is a must-see and one of the most photographed and visited slot canyons in US.
The iconic U-shaped bend in the Colorado River, also referred to as the East Rim of Grand Canyon, is part of the Glen Canyon. The view of the Colorado River and the Horseshoe Bend is one-of-a-kind.
Hoover Dam is known to be the largest concrete arch-gravity dam in the US, located on the border of Nevada and Arizona. It is a popular sightseeing destination, with several in-depth dam tours.
