How much do you know about Arizona? You might be able to rattle off a few names of its major cities, like Phoenix and Tucson, but underneath a basic knowledge of the state lies a land that’s overflowing with mystery, natural beauty, and some of the nation’s most distinctive nationally protected lands. It’s also home to some of the most iconic landmarks in America, including the Grand Canyon, Cathedral Rock, Antelope Canyon, and the Hoover Dam.
Arizona is a state that rewards passionate exploration, and you’re sure to find your own favorite spots and attractions when you pay the state a visit. But we thought we would put together a guide to some of our favorite places in the state to help guide travelers and locals alike. Who knows, even a born-and-raised Arizona native may find something on this list that they haven’t yet discovered.
Our list ranges from the most popular attractions in the state to some lesser-known places that are nonetheless stunning additions to Arizona’s natural beauty. So without further ado, here are the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona.
The Grand Canyon
Why not start with the king of them all? The Grand Canyon is one of the United States’ most popular destinations, and for good reason. This massive and otherworldly canyon is considered by some to be the largest in the world, and it's certainly among the most magnificent. It’s all thanks to the steep cliff walls and immensely deep ravines, colored by layers of sandstone in brilliant hues of red rock, orange, purple, and yellow along with famous landmarks like Horseshoe Bend.
If you’ve ever wondered whether the Grand Canyon is an overhyped tourist trap destination, rest assured—it’s worth your visit. Standing along the upper rim and looking out on what seems to be an endless series of canyons, gorges, ravines, and steep cliff walls will leave you in awe and make it difficult to leave when the day is done.
The Grand Canyon’s marvelous beauty is all thanks to the Colorado River, which has been carving its way through the canyon for millions of years. It makes this one of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona.
The South Rim is the most popular place to view the canyon, though the North Rim offers an entirely different view (though it's closed in winter). You also have the option of hiking directly into the canyon itself—or experiencing the thrill of taking a helicopter ride through the canyon. However you experience it, there’s a reason this American treasure has reached such iconic status. Any visit to Arizona isn’t complete without it.
Monument Valley
You may not know Monument Valley by name, but there’s no doubt you’ve seen it in countless movies and television shows. The magnificent and Mars-like landscape is situated right on the border between Utah and Arizona, and is marked by striking red-rock structures that tower from the earth and seem to suspend precariously above the sand. Here you’ll find strangely-named rock formations like hoodoos, buttes, spires, and more, plus sand dunes that will make you think you’ve suddenly arrived in the Egyptian desert.
Meanwhile, the valley also features the Navajo Nation Tribal Park with its expertly-curated visitor center and a self-drive route that takes you on a 17-mile journey through the stunning park.
We highly recommend paying Monument Valley a visit the next time you’re in Arizona, as you’re certain to glimpse a scene and realize that it’s the exact landscape that you’ve seen in one of your favorite Western films or television shows. And if you’re not a film buff, you’ll be plenty amazed by the sheer beauty and scale of the place. There may be nowhere else on earth that feels more like it belongs on Mars than Monument Valley.
Saguaro National Park
Perhaps one of the most iconic images associated with Arizona is that of the giant cactus. You’ll find plenty of them in Saguaro National Park, where these towering saguaro cactus dot the landscape throughout the park. They can be spotted either from the car or from a range of hiking and walking trails, and there are even some challenging hikes that lead up into the mountains and reach an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet. Located near the city of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is definitely high on our list of the places you absolutely must visit the next time you visit Arizona.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
If you loved Saguaro National Park, then Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is for you. It features an entirely different type of cactus, these ones towering straight up from the earth as high as 25 feet. The organ pipe cactus is also distinctive for the blooming flowers that appear on it during spring and early summer, so be sure to plan your trip around this time when possible.
This area is found on the absolute southern end of Arizona, near the Mexico border, and also features hiking trails and over 30 other cactus species for the nature lover in all of us.
Antelope Canyon
Describing the stunning beauty of Antelope Canyon is not easy to do in words. This absolutely gorgeous canyon will leave you unable to believe your eyes. Sunlight filters through the slim cracks in the slot canyon, illuminating the waving and sloping red stone walls as they descend to the sandy floor of the canyon.
Antelope Canyon is a favorite of photography galleries around the world, and it’s not difficult to see why. You absolutely do not want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience, so be sure to reserve your guided tour ahead of time—it’s the only way to visit the canyon that we consider one of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona.
Sedona
Not far north of Phoenix is a beautiful town known as Sedona, where remarkable rock formations and vibrant colors make for a photographer or nature-lover’s dream. Phoenix locals love taking day trips up to this magnificent spot—particularly because of the dreamlike views during the drive north— but it’s well worth a longer stay for those who want to experience everything it has to offer.
The obvious natural beauty of the place can’t be denied, but you’ll also find a bustling main street filled with tourist attractions, beautiful art galleries, and plenty of places to get a delicious bite to eat to fuel your exploration.
Adventure activities also abound, offering everything from off-road 4-wheeling, bike trails and rentals, hiking, and more. Whether you’d like to be part of a guided Jeep tour or explore the area on your own, you’re sure to discover something for you. You can even find preserved Native American dwellings that are hundreds of years old, so history buffs will love exploring the wilderness themselves.
If you’re looking for something a bit more off-the-beaten-path, Sedona also has a thriving culture of UFO investigators and psychics, drawn to ‘energy vortexes’ that have been identified around the town. No one is quite sure what causes these energy spikes, but that hasn’t stopped lovers of the unexplained and extraterrestrial from setting up shop in the area and doing some investigating of their own. Spooky!
Petrified Forest National Park
As you may know, a fossil is created when ancient bone or tissue is dissolved over time and replaced with rock. But did you know that trees can become fossilized? These are known as petrified wood, and its been found throughout what’s now known as Petrified National Forest. But those aren’t the only fossils you’ll find here, as the area is absolutely littered with fossilized reptiles, fish, and other plants.
While driving through the park will give you a glimpse of the unique landscape, we recommend getting out and heading down some of the short trails to get up close and personal with some of the park’s fascinating fossilized areas. You can also check out the visitor center to learn more about how these fossilized remains came to create one of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona.
The Ghost Town of Jerome
The town of Jerome has experienced a fascinating history since its founding over a century ago. It began as a mining town nestled along the mountains, before the local mining industry dried up. The town became a ghost town, and its spooky leftover building facades have now turned it into a distinctive attraction off the beaten path in Arizona.
Just a short day trip from Phoenix, Sedona, or Flagstaff, Jerome must-visit for anyone who loves the strange and fascinating history of the American west. There’s even a hotel in the town if you’d like to tell your friends and family that you stayed the night in a ghost town.
Other attractions in the town include a museum and the Jerome State Historic Park. But maybe the most distinctive attraction is the Sliding Jail, a local prison that was poorly constructed on a patch of clay. Since its construction in 1928, it has since slid a full 2,500 feet away from where it first sat.
Meanwhile, the entire town offers stunning views of the surrounding valley. It’s a wonderful attraction for the entire family to enjoy.
Meteor Crater
Did you know that the world’s best preserved meteor crater is located in Arizona? Oh, and another thing—it’s huge. You won’t believe your eyes when you walk through the visitor center and crest the outer edge to look down into the massive bowl of the crater stretched out below you.
This crater was created when a meteor collided into the earth several hundred millennia ago, and to this day it's one of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona. If you have the chance to stand on the observation deck and stare down into this mile-wide crater yourself, you’ll be in awe of the sheer power of the universe and its ability to impact our little planet.
Lake Mead
Along the Colorado River you’ll find Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the United States. Created from dammed water resulting from the Hoover Dam, the National Recreational Area that encompasses the lake spans over 1.5 million acres and even reaches into Nevada.
You’ll find everything for everyone at Lake Mead, from water sports to camping, fishing, and hiking. Don’t forget to check out Willow Beach, a cute little resort town that’s located right on the Colorado River and features plenty of places to stay the night, eat, and enjoy the local activities. Just don’t forget your sunscreen.
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a place unlike any other. Here you’ll find cliff dwellings built by Native Americans, hewn into the very stone itself, set along cliffs that are nearly 1,000 feet high. If just thinking about that gives you vertigo, imagine living there.
That said, Canyon de Chelly is a must-see destination. Seeing the perfectly preserved homes etched into the cliffside is a fascinating experience, and the national monument also features guided tours to some of the most famous dwellings including Antelope House and Mummy Cave (we’ll let you guess how that one got its name.)
The homes in this area were built and occupied somewhere around 1,000 to 1,500 years ago, so visiting this fascinating destination is like taking a trip back in time.
Havasu Falls
You’ve probably seen images of Havasu Falls on your favorite photography-based social media account. This stunning destination is located in the midst of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, and permits are required to visit. But you’ll be rewarded with some of the most stunningly beautiful landscapes in North America. The turquoise blue waters and crashing waterfalls seem like something out of a science-fiction movie, making this one of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona.
Havasu Creek feeds the waterfalls and pools at their base, and the area is still home to roughly 500 Havasupai Native Americans. The name itself means ‘people of the blue-green waters.’
The Hoover Dam
Engineers around the world will tell you that there have been few achievements in human history more impressive than the Hoover Dam. The fact that it was completed nearly a century ago makes it even more incredible.
The dam itself is over 700 feet high and 1,200 feet wide, and it creates the largest artificial lake in the United States—Lake Mead. There is enough water in Lake Mead to flow through the entire Colorado River for two years. If that’s not impressive enough, just wait until you see the dam itself in person. You’re welcome to walk or drive over the dam at no charge, and you can even take a guided tour of the dam or its accompanying power plant. Be sure to check out the visitor center, too, where you’ll learn about the creation of the dam and everything that went into the construction of this modern marvel.
Phoenix
No list of places to visit in Arizona would be complete without its urban jewel, the city of Phoenix. It may not have the reputation of major metropolises like New York City, but Phoenix’s location serves as a great central spot for exploring Arizona. It’s also loaded with attractions, from local resorts to shopping, restaurants, world-class golf resorts, hiking trails, and everything in-between. The beautiful skyline is also a favorite among photographers, particularly thanks to its backdrop of mountains and the trees that dot the urban landscape.
If you haven’t given Phoenix a thought, now may be the best time to open your mind to everything this up-and-coming city has to offer. Besides, there’s no better place to start your journey through all the natural splendor the state has to offer than its largest city.
Emerald Cove
Nestled in the Colorado River, Emerald Cove is a beautiful area found in Black Canyon. Microscopic organisms in the water give it its otherworldly green color, and it’s a favorite destination for kayakers and swimmers alike. If you want to experience the serene peace of this magnificent cove, don’t miss your chance next time you’re on the Colorado river.
Glen Canyon
You might imagine Arizona as a dry desert, but it actually features some of the most stunning waterscapes in the nation. Among these is Glen Canyon, a massive recreational area that’s define by dramatic cliffs that plunge directly into pristine blue waters.
Glen Canyon’s centerpiece is Lake Powell, among the largest man-made lakes in the world and a popular destination for boating, water-skiing, tubing, fishing, and a wide range of other activities.
When visiting Glen Canyon Dam Recreational Area, we recommend making the nearby town of Page your starting point. From there, you can head north to the Wahweap Marina. This is a great place to rent boats and other water gear.
Glen Canyon also serves as an excellent home base for other nearby attractions, including the slot canyons found in Antelope Canyon.
If you really want to have a brand-new experience and are looking for unique things to do in Arizona, ditch the land-based accommodations altogether and rent a houseboat. There’s nothing quite like waking up in the morning, heading up to the deck for breakfast, then riding a water slide off the top of your houseboat into the pristine blue waters of Lake Powell.
Blue Canyon
Blue Canyon offers beautiful white and red patterned boulders and rock formations, and is located on the edge of the Painted Desert near Petrified Wood National Forest. These natural sandstone formations will have you wondering whether someone created them with a paintbrush, but they are 100% naturally colored and arranged by wind and erosion. If you want to experience Arizona’s natural beauty while escaping the crowds, this should be one of your go-to spots.
This is a truly magnificent state, and we hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the 17 most beautiful places to visit in Arizona. Looking to drive in Arizona? Find cheap car insurance in AZ with Freedom National thanks to our cheap car insurance quotes online.
