Things to Do in Arizona
Ten stops covering the desert's better-known landmarks and a handful of ones most visitors drive straight past without realising.
Arizona's landscape does most of the work here, red rock, deep canyons, and light that turns everything a different colour depending what hour you catch it. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Grand Canyon South Rim
The South Rim handles the vast majority of visitors, considerably more accessible than the North Rim and open year-round rather than seasonally. Several viewpoints along the rim trail offer sweeping views without much walking involved, a good option if mobility's a concern for anyone in your group, and the trail itself stays paved and stroller-friendly for a good stretch.
Sunrise and sunset both bring out the canyon's colours properly, the rock face shifts through oranges and reds that flatten out considerably under harsh midday sun, time at least one viewing around either end of the day.
Best time Sunrise or sunset for the best light; spring and autumn for milder temperatures
Address Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Sedona's Red Rocks
A small town surrounded by dramatic sandstone formations, considerably more compact and drivable than the Grand Canyon, most of the well-known viewpoints sit within twenty minutes of the town centre. Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock both draw hikers looking for a manageable, well-marked trail with a proper payoff at the top.
Jeep tours run out into the surrounding backcountry for anyone who'd rather not drive the rougher tracks themselves, a good, kid-friendly way to cover more ground than a standard hike allows in a single visit.
Best time Spring and autumn; summer runs seriously hot
Address Sedona, AZ
Antelope Canyon
A narrow slot canyon on Navajo land near Page, carved smooth by centuries of flash flooding, the walls curve and twist in a way that catches light dramatically when the sun sits at the right angle overhead. Guided tours are mandatory, this isn't a site you can wander into independently, and the most popular midday slots book out considerably in advance during peak season.
Upper Antelope Canyon is the more famous, more photographed half; Lower Antelope Canyon runs a steeper, more physical route with considerably shorter queues, a solid option if you'd rather skip the crowds.
Best time Late morning through early afternoon for the light beams
Address Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Monument Valley
Towering sandstone buttes rising straight out of flat desert floor, the backdrop for countless Western films and one of the most recognisable landscapes in the country, straddling the Arizona-Utah border on Navajo Nation land. A 17-mile scenic drive loops through the valley floor, manageable in most vehicles though a high-clearance one handles the rougher sections more comfortably.
Guided tours run by Navajo operators reach areas the self-drive loop doesn't cover, adding real context on the land's cultural significance alongside the scenery itself.
Best time Sunrise or sunset for the best light
Address Monument Valley, AZ/UT border
Saguaro National Park
Split into two sections either side of Tucson, protecting the largest concentration of saguaro cacti anywhere, some individual plants old enough to predate Arizona's statehood entirely. Scenic drives loop through both sections, a good option for seeing the desert without committing to a full hike in the heat.
Cacti this size take decades to grow their first arm, a slow drive beats rushing through, the scale only really lands once you're parked beside one rather than driving past.
Best time Early morning, before the heat builds
Address Saguaro National Park, Tucson, AZ
OdySea Aquarium, Scottsdale
The largest aquarium in the Southwest, properly unexpected given how far Arizona sits from any ocean, a moving underwater tunnel runs directly through the main shark and stingray tank. Touch pools and a dedicated penguin exhibit round out a solid few hours, this consistently ranks as one of the better indoor options if the desert heat gets to be too much.
It sits within the same complex as Butterfly Wonderland and a few other attractions, a good combination if you're making a full day of it with younger kids.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-9pm
Address 9500 E Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ
Kartchner Caverns State Park
A living cave, meaning the formations inside are still forming, water still dripping and depositing minerals rather than a dried-out historic cavern. Discovered in 1974 but kept secret for over a decade to protect it before opening to the public, the formations remain considerably more vivid and intact than most show caves as a result.
Tours run on a timed, guided basis only, book ahead, particularly during winter when demand from snowbird visitors runs high.
Hours Daily, tours run on a set schedule
Address Kartchner Caverns State Park, Benson, AZ
Meteor Crater
One of the best-preserved meteorite impact sites on Earth, formed when a meteor roughly 150 feet across struck the desert floor at speeds fast enough to leave a crater still visible from space. NASA astronauts trained here in the 1960s, the terrain considered close enough to the moon's surface to be useful preparation.
The visitor centre includes an actual meteorite fragment you can touch directly, a small but properly tangible detail that tends to land well with kids interested in space.
Hours Daily, roughly 8am-5pm
Address Meteor Crater Rd, Winslow, AZ
Sonoran Hot Dogs & Mexican Food Culture
Arizona's proximity to Mexico shows up directly in the food, particularly in Tucson, which UNESCO designated a City of Gastronomy specifically for its food history. The Sonoran hot dog, a bacon-wrapped dog piled with beans, tomato, onion, and a mayo-mustard mix, originated right along this border region and remains the state's most distinctive contribution to American street food.
El Güero Canelo in Tucson is widely credited as the dish's most established, well-regarded spot, seek it out specifically if this is on your list.
Address El Güero Canelo, 5201 S 12th Ave, Tucson, AZ
Out of Africa Wildlife Park
A wildlife park built around close, guided encounters rather than distant viewing, a Safari Park tour drives directly among free-roaming animals including giraffes, zebras, and rhinos. The Tiger Splash show, animals interacting directly with trainers in a pool setting, remains the park's signature draw, though it runs on a specific schedule, check ahead.
This works particularly well for younger kids who find traditional zoos a bit static, the close, active format here keeps attention considerably longer.
Hours Daily, roughly 9.30am-5pm
Address 3505 W State Route 260, Camp Verde, AZ
Best time to visit Arizona
October through April covers the most comfortable window for the majority of this list, particularly the Tucson and Phoenix stretches, where summer heat runs seriously dangerous rather than just uncomfortable.
The higher-elevation stops, Sedona and the Grand Canyon specifically, stay considerably milder through summer than the desert floor further south, a good reason to prioritise those months if travelling June through August.
Getting around Arizona
A car is essential for this list, the distances between the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and the southern stops run into several hours each. Phoenix and Tucson both have walkable downtown pockets if you'd rather leave the car within either city for a day.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Arizona worth visiting beyond the Grand Canyon?
- Yes, easily, Sedona, Antelope Canyon, and Monument Valley all offer landscapes that feel completely distinct from the canyon itself, a proper trip built around more than one pays off.
- How many days do you need in Arizona?
- Seven days gives a comfortable pace to cover the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and either Antelope Canyon or the Tucson stretch without excessive driving.
- Is Arizona expensive to visit?
- Moderate, national park entry stays affordable, most of the cost on this list shows up in guided tours for the canyon sites specifically.
- What's the best Arizona trip for kids?
- OdySea Aquarium and Out of Africa Wildlife Park both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a state that rewards slowing down between the famous stops.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
