Natural wonders, dynamic metropolises, and beautiful little villages abound in Arizona,  located in the heart of the American Southwest. The Grand Canyon attracts visitors from all over the world, but those who travel further into the state will find attractive vistas and unusual places to visit.

While cities and towns such as Phoenix and Sedona are excellent vacation destinations, you may travel further afield to see Native American cliff dwellings and relics of ancient societies, as well as historic mining ghost towns.

Arizona also boasts a beautiful terrain that is ideal for outdoor activities. Deserts, lakes, mountains, slot canyons, saguaro cacti, buttes, waterfalls, and even a volcano with downhill skiing can all be found in Arizona, providing travelers with a diverse range of experiences.

1. Grand Canyon

One of America's most iconic sights, the Grand Gorge, is a vast canyon created by the Colorado River over millions of years. The park is split into two sections: the more inaccessible North Rim and the more accessible South Rim.

Visitors can engage in adventure activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rafting, fishing, and helicopter tours, in addition to picturesque drives. Furthermore, strolling out on the Skywalk's glass-bottomed floor to witness incredible vistas of the canyon is a fantastic experience.

2. Sedona

Sedona, known for its red sandstone formations, is one of Arizona's most popular tourist destinations because it has so much to see and do. Sedona has several manufactured attractions, including vineyards, spiritual retreats, museums, art galleries, and world-class performance theaters, interspersed with magnificent natural features like Cathedral Rock, Coffeepot, and Thunder Mountain.

Sedona offers a variety of recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, horseback riding, and birdwatching, as well as golf, tennis, and scenic drives, thanks to its beautiful landscapes and state parks.

3. Monument Valley

Monument Valley, arguably the most famous example of the traditional American West terrain, has served as the setting for many western films, including John Wayne's Stagecoach and Back to the Future II.

It's not technically a valley but rather a large flat area punctuated by collapsing rock formations. The buttes and mesas are the only remnants of the sandstone layers that formerly blanketed the entire region and exhibit vibrant red tones due to iron oxide. It's near the Four Corners location, on the Arizona-Utah state line.

4. Heard Museum, Phoenix

The Heard Museum in Phoenix houses an extraordinary collection of Native American artifacts and works of art. The Heard Museum, which holds more than 400 objects, a theater, and an auditorium, is known worldwide for its contents, learning activities, and festivals.

You can find native American jewelry, paintings, sculptures, photography, and other exhibits here. Visitors can also participate in hands-on learning activities, including basketry, ceramics, and weaving.

5. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has turquoise water, desert landscapes, and impressive stone walls. This area is notable for both land-based and water-based leisure activities, as it is home to Lake Powell, one of the largest artificial lakes in the United States.

Between 1956 and 1964, the Glen Canyon Dam was built to dam the Colorado River and create Lake Powell. A 15-mile segment of Glen Canyon runs downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam from the dam to Lees Ferry.

The town of Page is an excellent starting point for exploring the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and its environs. Wahweap Marina, Lake Powell's largest marina, lies approximately 7 miles north of Page.

Antelope Canyon, a nearby slot canyon, is one of the area's most popular attractions. You can either walk through a tiny slot canyon with shafts of light penetrating through the top, illuminating the red walls, or repel down into a ravine, depending on the area of the canyon.

6. Tucson

Tucson is a lovely city surrounded by mountains in the Sonoran Desert. As Arizona's second-largest city, it offers a variety of cultural attractions, historic places, and natural locations to visit.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, El Presidio Historic District, and Old Tucson Studios are just a few attractions.

For nature lovers, hiking routes abound in the city and the surrounding mountains and valleys. The Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway, located just outside Tucson, is a popular driving route with spectacular vistas. Day visits to surrounding sites like Tombstone and Bisbee are also possible from Tucson.

7. Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam, on the Colorado River, stands on the boundary between Arizona and Nevada and is considered an American engineering masterpiece.

The Hoover Dam, a prominent tourist destination, is a large concrete dam built during the Great Depression to manage to flood, generate energy, and provide irrigated water.

Visitors can learn everything there is to know about the dam at the visitor center. They can also take guided tours that include an elevator ride up the canyon wall and a tour of the power plant and generators. The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which is adjacent, provides stunning area views.

8. Canyon De Chelly 

The Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located in northeastern Arizona and is owned by the Navajo Nation. Several Navajo families dwell in this national monument, which has been doing for over 5,000 years.

After checking in at the visitor center, visitors can tour the canyon floor. Mummy Cave and Spider Rock, a sandstone spire that reaches 750 feet (230 meters) into the sky, are two of the canyon's most notable features.

9. Havasu Falls

Havasu Falls is one of the Grand Canyon's most photographed sights, appearing in television shows and periodicals. The Havasupai Tribe owns this magnificent waterfall, consisting of a single cataract that plunges 120 feet (36 meters) into a beautiful swimming pool of blue-green water against a red canyon wall.

Visitors can rest and eat among the shaded cottonwood trees, and picnic tables encircle the waterfall. The journey to the waterfall is just as breathtaking as the waterfall itself. Visitors can enter the Supai town through an 8-mile (13-kilometer) hike, a helicopter flight, or a horseback ride.

10. Saguaro National Park

Encompassing more than 91,000 acres of the Sonoran desert in Tucson, the Saguaro National Park protects the symbol of the American West, the giant saguaro cactus. Although the cacti are beholding, the national park offers much more like prehistoric petroglyphs, historic sites, and wildlife viewing. Within the vast mountain ranges of the park, there are several activities available like scenic drives, hiking, biking, and picnicking.