Are you planning to visit Arizona and want to see some of the state’s top tourist destinations in Arizona? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Here are our picks for the best places to visit in Arizona, so be sure to include them in your itinerary if you have time during your visit.
While Arizona has some amazing natural wonders, the state’s top tourist destinations are generally the cities and towns where visitors can enjoy fun activities, unique food and entertainment options, and interesting historical sites.
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List of Top 10 Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Arizona
Arizona has many interesting attractions and locations that attract tourists from all over the world. The following list of the most popular tourist destinations in Arizona contains highlights from all over the state, so whether you have time to tour only one area or want to try something new on every trip, you’ll find some great suggestions here.
1. Grand Canyon National Park
Not only is Grand Canyon National Park one of the most iconic natural wonders on Earth, it’s also one of America’s top tourist destinations in Arizona.
Located on the border between northern and southern Arizona, Grand Canyon NP encompasses 847,375 acres, making it larger than Rhode Island.
There are a number of ways to experience its splendor: walking along trails (like Bright Angel Trail), biking, horseback riding or taking a motorized shuttle.
The park sees more than 5 million visitors annually, making it an important economic driver for nearby Flagstaff—the gateway city for visiting Grand Canyon NP—and surrounding communities.
Don’t leave town without visiting Walnut Canyon National Monument (part of Grand Canyon NM), which showcases ancient Sinagua cliff dwellings high above a canyon floor.
2. Coconino National Forest
It’s our number second position among the best tourist spots in Arizona that is Coconino National Forest. If you google you will get this place’s 2nd highest review from tourists.
There are few places on Earth where it’s possible to stand on a high peak, look out and see snow-capped mountain peaks to all four corners of the horizon. Coconino National Forest is one of those places.
This 2.8 million acre national forest holds some of Arizona’s most treasured wildlands. It was first established by Theodore Roosevelt as part of his effort to preserve wildlife habitats, so perhaps it’s no surprise that its nickname is The Emerald Forest.
3. Phoenix Zoo
Phoenix Zoo is a 200-acre zoo and botanical garden, located in Phoenix, Arizona. It opened on April 1, 1962. The zoo is home to more than 3,700 animals representing 650 species of wildlife from around the world and has played an active role for many years in species conservation.
The Phoenix Zoo is one of two zoos located within city limits. It’s home to more than 1,300 animals and offers both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The zoo has a good number of activities for children, including a small train ride around part of its property. So it gets a place among our famous places in Arizona.
Admission to the zoo is free on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to close (5 p.m.). In addition, there are regularly scheduled behind-the-scenes tours for an additional fee as well as special events throughout each month such as festivals and animal feedings.
4. Grand Canyon Skywalk
The Grand Canyon Skywalk at Eagle Point is one of America’s most popular tourist destinations in Arizona.
The Skywalk extends 4,000 feet out over a 70-mile-long gorge and gives visitors an opportunity to stroll along with one of America’s greatest natural wonders.
Grand Canyon National Park sees roughly four million visitors every year, which has helped fuel a resurgence of hotels and restaurants in Tusayan.
5. Tonto National Forest
There are several stunning spots that top my list of best tourist places in Arizona. One is the Tonto National Forest, which is both a vital economic engine for nearby communities and home to some of my favorite recreation sites.
Located east of Phoenix, it’s one of only four national forests managed by USDA Forest Service that is on non-federal land (the others are Angeles, San Bernardino and Cleveland).
The Tonto National Forest spreads across 1.6 million acres, making it one of the largest National Forests in the country.
All these facts add up to one thing – if you want to truly experience Arizona you must visit Tonto National Forest! There are five designated wilderness areas and many recreational opportunities here as well.
6. Meteor Crater Natural Landmark
Meteor Crater is a natural landmark and the best tourist attractions in Arizona. It is the site of a meteor impact that occurred about 50,000 years ago. The crater is about 1,200 feet deep and 4,000 feet across. It is one of the best-preserved impact craters on Earth.
The crater itself is nearly 1 mile across and 570 feet deep. It’s often called The best preserved meteorite impact site on Earth and makes a great day trip from Flagstaff or Sedona or even as a stop along I-40 on your way to Albuquerque.
You can take guided tours of Meteor Crater if you’d like—the hour-long tour includes expert commentary and driving across part of the formation’s rim—but you can also drive yourself around for free.
7. Papago Park
Papago Park is a desert oasis—the largest of its kind in Phoenix, AZ. This urban nature preserve spans more than 200 acres and contains a number of diverse ecosystems including grasslands, lakes, and some pretty spectacular native plants like saguaro cacti and desert willow trees.
The park is divided into North Mountain Park, Papago Park West, and South Mountain Park.
While you can’t go wrong with any section of Papago if you have time I recommend checking out one of my tourist sites in Arizona: Hole-in-the-Rock (it really does look like a giant rock that has been cracked open). You can catch great views from here—but just be careful climbing up to get them.
8. Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park was established as a national park on 26 February 1906. It contains an extensive body of petrified wood, forming features such as logs, snags, and stumps.
These logs are known as petroglyphs because they contain patterns and shapes carved by humans.
The name Petrified Forest originated in 1882 when J. W. Powell, leader of a government survey crew looking for possible railroad routes, sawed off and removed a large slab containing fossilized tree stumps found along Turkey Creek near Holbrook, Arizona.
9. Desert Botanical Garden
Petrified Forest National Park, located about an hour outside of Flagstaff, is a national park that contains some of America’s most impressive natural history.
More than 360 million years ago, these forests were literally petrified. The softwood trees were buried under volcanic ash and became fossilized.
More than 3,000 specimens are on display at the Painted Desert Inn inside Petrified Forest National Park.
The other most popular places to visit in Arizona? Agate Bridge Trail to see one of Arizona’s largest petrified logs—and take pictures with dozens of colorful lizards and other critters that call it home.
10. Chapel of the Holy Cross
One of our top 10 tourist attractions in Arizona, we love visiting the Chapel of the Holy Cross because it’s located on Mt. Tumamoc, a small mountain in Tucson that offers plenty of hiking and viewpoints for watching the sunset.
If you like to mountain bike or hike, you can check out their other trails as well. You’ll even see wild horses from time to time.
There are several campgrounds within a few miles of Chapel of the Holy Cross so it’s a great option if you want to spend an entire weekend hiking and exploring.
It’s also important to note that there are no nearby gas stations so fill up before you head out—your trip will go more smoothly.
Conclusion
Arizona has a lot to offer when it comes to tourism. The state is home to some of America’s most beautiful and unique natural landmarks, from caverns to mountains and everything in between.
If you are planning a trip, you should look into visiting some of these top tourist destinations in Arizona before deciding where else you want to go during your stay.
Don’t forget that Arizona also has a lot of cities that are full of history and will give you plenty to do if nature isn’t really your thing.
No matter what kinds of things interest you, there is always something for everyone if you travel through Arizona.
