Top Ten Places to See in Arizona - Adventurer At Heart

Pack your bags! Arizona is a stunning state below is a list of our top ten places to experience the southwest. You could spend many years in Arizona exploring all the state has to offer and still not see it all.

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We put together, in no particular order, a list of what we think are some of the best sights in the state of Arizona to experience.

If you are visiting Arizona once in your lifetime and are looking for a good overview of the state here are some of the not to miss sights you can’t find anywhere else.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Places to Visit in Arizona

1. The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is Arizona’s #1 attraction. It’s truly a one of a kind place and if you’re visiting Arizona a trip to this National Park should be on your list.

2. Sedona

Sedona, known for its striking red rock formations, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and a great place to unwind. The city is surrounded by breathtaking red rock formations, pine forests, and the meandering Oak Creek. If it’s your first visit to Sedona, check out: An Essential Guide to Sedona Arizona for First Time Visitors.

3. Jerome

Perched on Cleopatra Hill, Jerome is a funky, artsy ghost town with a wild mining past. Explore historic buildings, haunted hotels, and unique shops. Don’t miss the Jerome State Historic Park for a deep dive into the town’s history and visit the Gold King Mine.

4. Saguaro National Park

Yes, saguaro cactus are just about everywhere in and around Phoenix and Tucson. However, if you want to a see a forest of them, the Saguaro National Park is the place to go. The saguaro is a symbol of the southwest and only grows in the Sonoran Desert, so you won’t see this many saguaros in one spot anywhere else in the world.

5. Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is magical. There is nothing like visiting a slot canyon formed by the erosion of sandstone. It’s known for its out of this world beauty, with narrow passages and stunning beams of light that filter down from above. You can only visit with a guide, so make reservations early (like months in advance) to see this one of kind place.

6. Botanical Garden

What better place to learn about the desert landscape and animals that live here than the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix or the Tucson Botanical Garden in Tucson. Cactus are not the only plants in the desert.

7. Cultural Sites & Cliff Dwellings

See one of Arizona’s cultural sites or cliff dwellings. One of the easiest, accessible cliff dwellings to see is Montezuma’s Castle in Camp Verde.

8. Take a Hike

Arizona has some of the best hiking trails and there are so many with easy access within the city of Phoenix and Tucson. You won’t have to go far to take a hike. My favorite hikes are in Oak Creek, and Payson.

9. Unique Arizona Museums

Visit one of Arizona’s unique museums such as the Heard Museum, Museum of Musical Instruments, the Sonoran Desert Museum, or the Arizona Museum of Natural History.

musical instrument museum — Musical Instrument Museum

10. Petrified Forest & Painted Desert

This unique national park is famous for its rainbow-hued petrified logs. Ancient trees turned into stone over millions of years. Just north of the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert stretches across the horizon with its soft hills striped in shades of rose, lavender, and rust.

Blue Mesa Loop Forest-Petrified Forest National Park Arizona

The above are places you’ve probably seen on many must see lists for Arizona. They are on that list for good reason, they are all amazing places. They were chosen because they are not something you will see anywhere else. Sedona, Antelope Canyon and the Grand Canyon are very busy with tourists but they are beautiful places.

Usually people only have a week or two to spend on vacation so it isn’t possible to see all of the amazing places in Arizona.

I’ve lived in Arizona for more than 25 years, so I am always actively looking to explore new areas that you may not see on the top 10 lists. In addition, to the above gorgeous sights in Arizona swimming near a waterfall in Arizona, driving through Monument Valley, kayaking at Watson Lake in Prescott, hiking in the Tonto Natural Bridge area or at Chiricahua National Monument are some of my favorites. The Verde Valley is one of my favorite areas for the natural beauty, but the traffic is terrible in Sedona. Payson and the White mountains are underrated. Such a beautiful area, but not as straightforward of a drive depending on your starting point. The hidden gems, are often less crowded and just as spectacular.