The Grand Canyon and Other Great 19th Holes

Maybe you can golf the whole time you’re here. But resist the temptation. Arizona has a lot more to show you, from whispers of past civilizations to trendy dining and shopping adventures. You’ll find natural beauty and human history, contemplative scenery and wild recreation. Whether you’re taking a break from the links or waiting for someone else to finish, take some time to explore. It’ll refresh your soul and excite your senses.

Rafting on the Colorado River – Robert Silberblatt

Grand Canyon

"Spectacular" doesn’t begin to describe this one-mile-deep, more than 10-miles-wide, 277-mile-long "hole" in northwestern Arizona. See the Grand Canyon from a plane, helicopter, or bus. Hike or ride donkeys around the popular South Rim and the less-crowded North Rim. Go to the bottom, where the native Havasupai people still dwell. Take a raft down the scenic Colorado River, which carved this awesome sight over millions of years.

Water!

Manmade dams along the Colorado River in northwestern Arizona provide fishing, boating, swimming, and skiing. Lake Powell rises above Glen Canyon Dam. Hoover Dam feeds Lake Mead. Lake Havasu boasts the added attraction of the London Bridge in nearby Lake Havasu City. For snow sports, check out Flagstaff or the White Mountains.

Natural Wonders

Discover "otherworldly" landscapes. The 93,533-acre Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona has one of the world’s highest concentrations of petrified wood, plus animal fossils. In Navajo country, buttes, pinnacles, and spires rise from Monument Valley, and Canyon de Chelly’s red sandstone walls drop 1,000 feet. Camelback Mountain, the Greater Phoenix area’s famous landmark, and the Superstition Mountains, just southeast of town, offer breathtaking views.

Superstition Mountains – Gene Lower

Flora & Fauna

Cactus, coyotes, and prairie dogs thrive in this desert. Learn about wildlife and native plants at Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, and The Arboretum at Flagstaff in Flagstaff.

Wild, Wild West

Go back to Territorial Arizona with rides, entertainment, and attractions at Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse, a steakhouse and amusement park set in the 1880s. Tortilla Flat, the only surviving stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail, has a general store, restaurant, museum, saloon, and post office.

Shopping

Buy from high-style retail centers, one-of-a-kind boutiques and art galleries, Native American roadside stands, or trading posts such as the famous Hubbell Trading Post, the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo reservation. For a truly Southwestern flair, look for native crafts, cowboy attire, and desert icons.

Heard Museum – Courtesy of Heard Museum

Our Native American Heritage

Arizona is home to more than 20 Native American nations and communities – residents whose ancestors arrived here thousands of years ago. Learn about their history and modern cultures at the acclaimed Heard Museum, the Pueblo Grande Museum, and the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.

Ancient Ruins

Visit dozens of earth and stone buildings left by native peoples who disappeared before Europeans arrived. Some of the more easily accessible include the Wupatki National Monument northeast of Flagstaff, the Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma Castle near Cottonwood, and the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge.

Artistic Endeavors

Architecture and environment blend at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale and Paolo Soleri’s Arcosanti north of Phoenix near Cordes Junction. Savor art from pre-Columbian to modern at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art or the Phoenix Art Museum.

Sports Watch

Enjoy Major League Baseball’s 2001 World Series Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, the NFL’s Cardinals, the NBA’s Suns, the WNBA’s Mercury, arena football’s Rattlers, and the NHL’s Coyotes in Phoenix. Catch numerous baseball teams during Spring Training in the Greater Phoenix area. The University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale is the host of college football’s Fiesta Bowl.

Kai – David B. Moore

World-Class Dining

Top-flight resorts and hotels boast outstanding restaurants recognized by respected travel guides. You can also savor the flavors of the Southwest: spicy Mexican, hearty cowboy, and splashy nouvelle at a variety of local establishments.

Read All about It

To discover more about the culture, lifestyle, hospitality, and excitement of Greater Phoenix, pick up a copy of Valley Guide. You’ll find ideas on what to do, where to eat, shop, play golf, and more. Visit www.phxvalleyguide.com. For additional visitor information, contact the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau and request copies of their Official Visitors Guide to Greater Phoenix.