Have you ever considered visiting Arizona for your next vacation? If not, then you definitely should! Arizona is best known for its stunning desert landscape, gorgeous canyons, and natural beauty.

Arizona is home to various awe-inspiring destinations that you have to see and experience. Arizona has it all, from cacti to ponderosa pines, cityscape to the desert, canyons to mountains!

1. Saguaro National Park
2. Hoover Dam
3. Phoenix
4. Sedona
5. Flagstaff
6. Grand Canyon National Park
7. Havasu Falls
8. Antelope Canyon
9. Horseshoe Bend
10. Vermillion Cliffs National Monument

Saguaro National Park

One of the best places to travel to in Arizona is the incredible Saguaro National Park! Located in southern Arizona, Tucson is home to some of the largest cacti in the nation.

Experience hundreds of towering saguaro cacti at Saguaro National Park. The saguaro cactus is extremely special because it can take up to 75-100 years to grow its first arm. In addition, the saguaro cactus can grow up to 40 feet tall!

The most popular activity at Saguaro National Park is hiking. The national park is full of well-kept hiking trails suited for short and long treks.

A popular hiking trail is the Freeman Homestead Trail. This trail is only 1 mile long and allows visitors to wander down an old homestead foundation and a grove of giant saguaros.

A longer popular hiking trail is the Loma Verde Loop. This trail is 3.8 miles and takes you through a grove of mature mesquite trees, past the Loma Verde Mine, and a beautiful cactus forest.

Hoover Dam

If you are in Arizona, you must visit one of the most prominent engineered marvels in the country! The Hoover Dam is a significant travel destination for visitors worldwide and attracts approximately 7 million tourists every single year. The dam lies on the border between Nevada and Arizona and is a popular rest stop for those traveling between Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon!

Construction for the Hoover Dam began in 1931 and was completed 5 years later. The dam’s purpose was to control seasonal flooding from the Colorado River and provide irrigation water and hydroelectric power. The Hoover Dam still does everything today, including generating power for Nevada, Arizona, and California.

There are many things to do at the Hoover Dam, including outdoor activities and scenic drives or strolls in designated areas.

In addition, the Hoover Dam offers various immersive tours, where you will have the opportunity to venture into this marvel and learn from the knowledgeable tour guides, observation decks, and visitor center exhibits.

Phoenix

Phoenix, also known as "The Valley of the Sun," is one of Arizona's best and most popular places. Located in the state's central region, this city is known for its warm weather, activities, gorgeous desert landscape, world-class resorts, culture, and outdoor adventures!

If you are visiting Phoenix, your travel itinerary is limitless! The Phoenix area is not only made up of vast desert and cityscapes, but it also happens to be surrounded by beautiful mountain parks and lakes. There is something to do in Phoenix for every type of traveler.

A favorite indoor activity to accomplish while visiting Phoenix is discovering the unique museums located throughout the city. Phoenix is home to The Heard Museum, which celebrates Native culture, and the Musical Instrument Museum, which consists of a collection of over 15,000 instruments from 200 countries.

Popular outdoor activities in Phoenix include having lake days, wandering through the Desert Botanical Garden, and visiting the Phoenix Zoo. Lounging by the pool and soaking up the sun at a Phoenix resort is fun for those who wish to relax!

Sedona

A place you must see while visiting Arizona is Sedona. Sedona is famous for its breathtaking beauty and stunning red rock landscape. This magical destination attracts travelers worldwide to experience its unforgettable outdoor, indoor, and spiritual excursions.

Several popular outdoor activities to accomplish while visiting Sedona Include hiking and biking one of the many trails, a guided ATV tour, a hot air balloon ride, and more. Wish to stay indoors? Get pampered and unwind at one of the many award-winning spas in town, or shop, dine, and explore Uptown, Sedona's "tourist" part.

Sedona is valued as sacred by the Native Americans, and is most notable for being a spiritual mecca and global metaphysical epicenter for those who seek rejuvenation and healing. In fact, Sedona is known to have some of the world's most powerful "energy vortexes"! Exploring Sedona's vortexes are great for those seeking physical or spiritual healing, guidance, and balance.

Flagstaff

Another one of the best places to travel to in Arizona is Flagstaff. Flagstaff is located in the high country mountains of northern Arizona. This city is unique because although it can get hot like other places throughout the state, Flagstaff experiences approximately 108 inches of snow annually during the wintertime.

One of the most notable parts of this city is Downtown Flagstaff. Downtown Flagstaff combines free-spirited, outdoor, mountain culture and consists of small businesses, modern dining, coffee shops, breweries, local art, and community events.

Throughout the year, there are different events, including movies shown at Heritage Square in the summer and concerts and farmers' markets in the spring and fall.

Arizona Snowbowl is a popular destination for travelers and Arizona locals in the winter. Arizona Snowbowl is one of the few ski resorts in Arizona and is located on the San Francisco Peaks with an elevation of 11,500 ft. During the winter, you can ski, snowboard, experience a scenic gondola ride, lodge, and more as you are surrounded by crisp cool air and snow-capped trees.

Grand Canyon National Park

Within the northern region of Arizona lies one of the amazing Natural Wonders of the World. Grand Canyon National Park is one of Arizona's best places to travel to and attracts approximately 5.9 million visitors each year. The Grand Canyon is home to gorgeous vistas, vibrant colors, and incredible geology.

One of the most popular ways to discover and explore this enormous landscape is flying! A helicopter Grand Canyon tour allows you to experience the canyon’s beauty and discover its remote nooks and crevices from a unique viewpoint. A helicopter ride at the Grand Canyon is ideal during any season and enables you to visit multiple rims of the canyon quickly.

There are other fun seasonal activities to accomplish while visiting the Grand Canyon, allowing you to explore the canyon from different perspectives.

Stay cool in the summer by whitewater rafting down the Colorado River, get some fresh air during the spring, and hike along the canyon's rim on one of the many provided walking trails at the park.

During the cooler seasons, mule rides and train rides are popular things to do at Grand Canyon National Park.

Havasu Falls

If you are up for a challenge, Havasu Falls is one of Arizona's best places to travel to. Located within the Havasupai Indian Reservation, just outside Grand Canyon National Park, are stunning turquoise waterfalls that plunge more than 100 feet into a pool of clear water.

Havasupai translates to "people of the blue-green water." So if you are an avid and experienced hiker, a trek to see Havasu Falls should be on your bucket list!

Hiking to Havasu Falls is not a quick trip, as you will need to spend a night at the Havasupai Lodge or underneath the stars at the designated campsite. The landscape surrounding the falls is quite strenuous. Therefore visitors are expected to plan.

Permits are required and must be arranged in advance. A hike to Havasu Falls is not easy, but the breathtaking views are definitely worth the challenge!

Antelope Canyon

Near Page, Arizona, is a hidden gem of slot canyons. Antelope Canyon is well known for its unique and magnificent natural structure. The canyon contains wave-like detailing and has slits that allow sunrays to peek through and shine beautifully.

Antelope Canyon gets its name from local Navajo stories regarding antelopes that had once graced the canyon during the cooler seasons. Antelope Canyon was carved out over millions of years and resulted from water and wind erosion. This canyon is sacred to the Navajo people, and guided tours are required to visit.

You can experience and explore both Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is great for easy hiking on flat and sandy terrain, with ground-level entry. Lower Antelope Canyon immerses visitors between the canyon’s walls and is a longer, more challenging hike as you will experience several elevation changes.

Horseshoe Bend

One of the places you must see to believe in Arizona is the iconic Horseshoe Bend in Page. Horseshoe Bend is very special because its geological formation creates a 90-degree turn. The Colorado River flows through Horseshoe Bend from east to west and has contributed to its shaping. Horseshoe Bend is approximately 4,200 feet wide and 1,000 feet deep and comprises three rock layers, including Kaibab limestone, Coconino Sandstone, and Hermit Shale.

You can visit Horseshoe Bend by hiking. The hike to the overlook is 1.5 miles round-trip over a hardened path. Some great things about Horseshoe Bend are that it is open year-round, it is accessible under the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and pets are allowed.

Vermillion Cliffs National Monument

Vermillion Cliffs are an isolated maze of rock formations located in northern Arizona. The cliffs are steep and consist of sandstone, siltstone, limestone, and shale—the elevations of this monument range from 3,100 feet to 6,500 feet above sea level. Permits are required to explore the cliffs.

Hiking and overnight camping are permitted in designated areas and must be approved beforehand. The park is a great place to visit because you will be surrounded by rich eroded rock layers and abundant flora and fauna. More than twenty species have been observed, including raptors, eagles, bighorn sheep, and more. In addition, the Welsh milkweed, a rare plant species, grows on sand dunes and helps stabilize them and is known to exist only in the monument and one other area in neighboring Utah!

As you can see, the list of best places to visit in Arizona is endless! There is something to do in Arizona, from canyons to mountains, for every traveler.