Arizona Travel Guides

Welcome to Arizona, the Grand Canyon State!

Arizona is located in the southwestern quadrant of the United States, bordered by California, Utah, New Mexico as well as the country of Mexico.

This is the 6th largest state in the USA and was admitted to the Union on February 14th, 1912 as the 48th state.

Capital City: Phoenix

Population: About 7.2 million

Time Zone:  Mountain Standard Time (MST) for the majority of the state, but the Navajo Nation within Arizona utilizes Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Arizona Travel Highlights

The Grand Canyon State is a year-round destination. It offers stunning terrain, vibrant cities, historic towns and the largest percentage of land designated to American Indians with a total of 22 tribes.

National Parks In Arizona:

• Grand Canyon National Park
• Saguaro National Park
• Petrified Forest National Park

Want more National Parks? Visit our National Parks page.

Popular Places To Travel In Arizona:

• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Coconino National Forest
• Horseshoe Bend
• Monument Valley
• Hoover Dam
• Sedona
• Tuscon
• Phoenix

Keep in mind this small list just scratches the surface, but you can read about more things to do in Arizona here.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona between Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Over millions of years, the Grand Canyon has been carved out by the Colorado River.

At the Utah-Arizona border, the northeast end of the Grand Canyon begins at Lake Powell, near the city of Page. While the western end of the Grand Canyon terminates into Lake Mead at the Arizona-Nevada border.

Having been to the Grand Canyon multiple times now in different seasons, we highly recommend you visit at least one in your lifetime.

The first time you lay eyes on the Grand Canyon will be a ‘wow’ moment you will never forget.

Grand Canyon South Rim Travel Guides

• Best Hikes Grand Canyon South Rim – A complete list of scenic hikes at Grand Canyon South Rim including easy, moderate, hard and very hard trails.
  
• Grand Canyon South Rim Viewpoints – Dramatic viewpoints beginning with Hermits Rest in the West, through Grand Canyon village as far as Desert View in the East.
  
• Best Time To Visit Grand Canyon – Everything you need to know about Grand Canyon National Park by month and season.
  
• Where To Stay At Grand Canyon – The best hotels both on and near South Rim.
  
• Grand Canyon Sunrise and Sunset – The best photography locations and tips along the South Rim.

Heading to Grand Canyon National Park? Shop our travel ebooks.

Grand Canyon Hiking Trails

There is no shortage of stunning hiking trails at the Grand Canyon South Rim. The best part about hiking at Grand Canyon is many of the trails are out and back so you can hike as far as you feel comfortable.

The two most popular hiking trails at Grand Canyon South Rim are Bright Angel and South Kaibab.

• Day Hiking Bright Angel Trail – 5 Incredible stops on this iconic Grand Canyon hike.
  
• South Kaibab Trail – Featuring points of interest such as Ooh Aah Point, Skeleton Point & Phantom Ranch.
  
• South Kaibab To Bright Angel Trail – The Ultimate Grand Canyon Day Hike.

Grand Canyon Travel Planning

A visit to the Grand canyon is often paired with a road trip to other popular travel destinations in Arizona and the surrounding states. Below are additional planning guides to help with your trip:

• Airports Near Grand Canyon – The 5 closest US and International options if you are planning to fly in for your visit.
  
• Grand Canyon In Winter – Ten important things to know before you visit Grand Canyon National Park in the winter months.

Hiking The Wave

Hiking the Wave in Arizona is easily one of our most memorable experiences to date. But you can not just turn up and hike the Wave. You will need a permit and just a word of warning, rangers are usually on the trail checking permits.

Until March 2022, there was a very elusive lottery permit process which used to take place at a gymnasium in Kanab, Utah. This was how we won a permit to hike the wave at the end of 2021.

We were one of the last groups to score a permit through this in-person process. We stood with many other groups patiently waiting to see if our name was drawn. It was incredibly nerve racking and you could cut the tension with a knife.

But the wave permit process is now held online and we have written a very detailed guide to help you understand the process. Read about the wave permit process here.

Then read our very popular post about hiking the Wave in Arizona. We will cover everything from the updated permit process, to packing, preparation and photography along with a full walk through of the hike.

Need a new hiking app? Check out the best hiking apps and get 20% off a Gaia GPS subscription with our special link.

Travel To Sedona, Arizona

Sedona is another very popular travel destination in Arizona. There is something for everyone including an endless amount of hiking trails, off roading adventures, spiritual mediation and the Verde Valley Wine Trail.

Best Of Sedona

After spending a full 8 days in Sedona hiking, off-roading, sipping wine, exploring the Verde Valley and hunting caves, we have created very detailed guides to help you make the most of your time.

• Sedona Itinerary – The best way to spend 1-7 days in Sedona, Arizona.
  
• Best Things To Do In Sedona – The best of Sedona featuring amazing trails, hidden caves, jeep trails, the Verde Canyon Railroad and so much more.
  
• Where To Stay In Sedona – The best places to stay and a range of hotels for all types of budgets.
  
• Best Sedona Photography Spots – Our tried and tested photography guide featuring 15 of the best sunrise and sunset locations in Sedona.
  
• Visiting Sedona In December – Ten important things you should know before visiting in the winter.
  
• Best Ruins in Sedona – A complete guide to the Indigenous ruins in Sedona with everything you need to know including how to find them.

Sedona Hiking Trails

One of the most popular activities in Sedona is hiking. Our advice is to begin your hike very early in the day because trails can be crowded and it can be extremely difficult to park.

• Best Hiking Trails In Sedona – Featuring 20 top rated easy, moderate and hard hikes around Sedona based entirely on our own personal experiences.
  
• Devil’s Bridge – A guide to hiking one of Sedona’s most popular trails with tips to avoid the crowds.
  
• Cathedral Rock Trail – Another one of Sedona’s popular trails which means you need to be organized and even have backup plans for accessing the trail during busier periods.
  
• Airport Mesa – The popular Sedona view trail at sunset featuring both hiking and photography.
  
• West Fork Trail – A complete guide to hiking the West Fork Trail including how to get to the trailhead and what pass you will need for your hike.
  
• Pyramid and Scorpion Loop Trail – An hidden gem if you are looking to escape Sedona’s busy trails.

Want more hiking guides? Head to our hiking page or check out the best hiking trails in the US.

Jeep Trails In Sedona

Off roading is very popular in Sedona and there are many trails just waiting to be explored. Start by reading our best jeep trails guide first and then continue to read about some of the trails individually.

• Best Jeep Trails In Sedona – The 9 best jeep trails to drive off road in Sedona, Arizona.
  
• Diamondback Gulch – How to drive the 6.7 mile long three-quarter loop trail including the steep V shaped ravine.
  
• How To Drive Schnebly Hill Road – The most popular off-roading trail in Sedona.
  
• Broken Arrow Jeep Trail – A complete guide to driving the famous off-roading trail including Submarine Rock, Chicken Point Overlook, traffic circle, slide” and the stairs.

Explore Caves In Sedona

One of our favorite things to do in Sedona was finding many of the hidden caves. These caves are scattered all throughout Sedona, but we have made several helpful guides to help you find each one.

• Hidden Caves In Sedona – A complete guide to finding all seven hidden and mysterious caves in Sedona.
  
• Subway Cave – The most popular cave in Sedona which you have most likely seen on Instagram. We show you exactly how to find it when you hike Boynton Canyon trail.
  
• Roberts Roost and Hideout Cave – Hideout Cave is a secret cave accessed by hiking Robbers Roost Trail in the far northwest of Sedona.
  
• Keyhole Cave – This is the biggest hidden cave in Sedona and we show you exactly how to get there.
  
• Soldier Pass Cave – How to hike Solider Pass trail featuring the Devil’s Kitchen, Seven Sacred Pools and hidden Soldier Pass Cave.
  
• Birthing Cave – An easy hike yet a stunning view with a hidden cave.

Sedona Attractions

If you haven’t had enough of Sedona, there is still so much to explore. Browse through our popular guides below to see what your Sedona itinerary is missing.

• The Verde Valley Wine Trail – The 25 best wineries along the popular Verde Valley Wine Trail near Sedona, Arizona.
  
• The Vortexes In Sedona – Everything you need to know about the mysterious vortexes in Sedona and how to find them.
  
• Best Tours In Sedona – Red Rock Country is a playground for adults with wine tours, ATV excursions, train rides and stunning helicopter tours.
  
• Montezuma Castle National Monument – This monument features some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings found in the American Southwest.
  
• Tuzigoot National Monument – A fascinating ancient multi-room pueblo found within the Verde Valley region.
  
• Verde Canyon Railroad – A complete guide to the gorgeous train ride through the Verde Canyon featuring our personal experience.
  
• Palatki Heritage Site – This is a collection of cliff dwellings and rock art located in Coconino National Forest featuring both pictographs and petroglyphs.
  
• The Honanki Heritage Site – A large collection of well preserved cliff dwellings featuring rock art discovered within an isolated canyon near Sedona, Arizona.

Horseshoe Bend In Page, Arizona

There is an extraordinarily striking 270 degree U-shaped meander in the mighty Colorado River and it is known as Horseshoe Bend. This famous bend is located close to the northern Arizona border and makes for a great road trip stop.

We have visited Horseshoe Bend twice on two different occasions, once at sunset and once at sunrise. In our popular guide, we will compare experiences and tell you the best time to travel to Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.

More Arizona Travel Guides