Arizona, my fellow neighboring state, is one of my favorite places to visit when I’m looking for a fun road trip or a quick weekend getaway. Arizona is beyond beautiful and full of adventure. Here are some of my bucket list places to visit across the state.
First up, the area I was most shocked by, for its surprising beauty. A great place to visit when you are up for an adventure and some outdoor time. Page, Arizona, located on the North Central border of the state, less than 20 miles from the Utah boarder, is filled with more outdoor beauty than you can imagine. Horseshoe Bend is of the beautiful, natural attractions you will be able to see while visiting this Arizona town. Horseshoe bend is super easy to get to, only a few miles into the town of Page and a short hike/walk from the parking lot to the bend. It is gorgeous!! Beautiful red-orange colors surrounded by the deep blue water down below. It will leave you in awe. You can also make your way to the bottom of the bend, to hike, paddle board, get in the water if you choose. There are several excursion companies offering activity packages in town you can try if you are interested. Regardless, just the pure beauty of this attraction is a sight to see!
As if Horseshoe Bend was not enough, Page, Arizona is also home to Antelope Canyon. A slot canyon, formed by erosion of the Navajo Sandstone from flash flooding is separated into two canyons, Upper and Lower Antelope Canon. Located on Navajo land, just east of Page at the Navajo Tribal Park, this is one attraction which can only be experienced exclusively by guided tour. Trust me, it is more than worth it! This is a popular attraction and it is a good idea to get your tickets early if you are planning on going at a certain time of day. If not, you may have to wait till the next tour opening, which may be several hours away. Especially, during peak season in the summer. You will be loaded on to Chevy 4×4 trucks and driven across the desert to the Canyon. The drive and transportation are an experience in itself. Definitely, adds to the fun. You will be guided on a tour of the canyon, allowed to take pictures, the really good tour guides will point out where you can take the best shots from, and you’ll enjoy a walk from one side of the canyon to the other. You will then be driven back to site and have completed your tour. You could easy see Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in one day, even morning or afternoon depending on your schedule.
While in the area, you might as well make your way over to Lake Powell for some fun on the water. Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Colorado River, also, sits the border between Utah and Arizona. Most of Lake Powell, is located in Utah but is only miles away from Page and will be the cherry on top of your trip. The reservoir is the second largest to Lake Mead in the United States and is one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. If you are lucky enough to have a boat to truly enjoy the water, many are available to rent for the day, you will discover rock formations and crystal blue water, making it hard to believe you are in the United States. It’s beauty on top of beauty and is a perfect addition to any road trip around Northern Arizona.
Next up is my favorite small town to visit and stay for a few days. Sedona, Arizona. Located in the North central area of Arizona, the city has a backdrop of an array of red sandstone formations. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red colors when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The red rocks form a popular backdrop for many activities, hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails, sliding rocks, river activities, dining, shopping and lots of exploring. Home to many popular attractions such as Devil’s Bridge, Sliding Rock and Seven Sacred Pools, Sedona will awe you with its natural beauty.
Sedona, is one of my favorite Arizona towns, not only for it beauty but also because of the cozy feel of the town and town square. The town square is filled with local places to eat, shop, listen to music and find something to take back home with you. It is perfect after a day of hiking, biking or off-road adventures. Sedona has local hotels, AirBnb rentals and camping spots to help you enjoy your visit.
If you can believe it, there is even more beauty to find in Arizona, probably the most wondrous of them all, the Grand Canyon!! Located along the Colorado River in Arizona the Grand Canyon is more than 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and nearly a mile deep. Of all the Arizona attractions I have talked about, the Grand Canyon is at the top of the list. It is massive and all you see is canyon as far as the eye can see. There are several areas along the canyon, known as the South and North Rim for park goes to enter and explore. We visited the North Rim, not far from Flagstaff, Arizona where we stayed during the evening. This is, for sure, an all day affair. Depending where you stay it will take a while to drive to the park, pay entrance fees, park and start exploring. The museum at the site is a must see, as it gives you tons of information about the canyon and something I will never forget, how the canyon was formed as boulders the size of semi trucks raged down the Colorado River. It is truly magnificent. There are many trails to hike throughout the park, just remember going down into the canyon is the easy part, you still have to hike all the way back up! None the less, you can experience even more spectacular views the further down into the canyon you hike. You can also schedule hikes to the base of the canyon, but must have made camping accommodation reservations, as you cannot hike down and back up in one day. If you are not sure where to start when exploring Arizona, the Grand Canyon is definitely a great place to start discovering what Arizona is all about.
Last but not least, I could not write an Arizona Travel Guide and leave out the capital city of Phoenix! The largest city in Arizona, Phoenix is where you should go to enjoy the city life and all its attractions. Major League Sports such as, football, basketball and baseball, music concerts and music festivals, shopping, restaurants and night life. If you ever happen to be in the area in October as an added bonus you can also enjoy the Arizona State Fair. With all of the life of the city, although Phoenix is a big metropolitan area, the city has plenty of outdoor beauty and activities to enjoy, including several trails and peaks to hike throughout the city and Tempe Town Lake for some outdoor fun. All depending on the time of year you visit the city! Phoenix being one of the hottest cities I frequently visit, with summer temperatures close to or over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, you have to be prepared for the heat and plan out your activities accordingly. I love Phoenix and have been to the city too many times for me to write about you can experience in the city in such a small area of this post. Phoenix certainly deserves a post of its own and I will have to follow-up with a future post about the Best Things To Do In Phoenix, Arizona.
Hope you enjoyed reading about the many wonders of the state of Arizona and it helps you when planning a trip to explore for yourself!
