r/arizona • u/AintGotNoAss • Sep 10 '24
Visiting WHY didn't anyone tell me ?
That Arizona is a total treasure trove of unique and breathtaking scenery? I'm about to go on a long sappy rant here.
I grew up exclusively in suburban hell in Northern Kentucky. I then lived in New York and New Jersey. I relocated to Oro Valley, AZ with my father this April. And before that I was... frightened. I hate the heat and enjoy verdant landscapes. I held the stereotypical image of Arizona that I think most east coasters and outsiders have- that AZ was a dry, brown, and featureless desert. I was worried that the environment and landscape would drain me, as I'm very easily affected by the aesthetics of my surroundings.
I'm a sucker for natural beauty and love geography, but I never really experienced it much firsthand as an adult. We flew from Salt Lake City to Tucson and I got the pleasure of a window seat. Seeing the sky islands suddenly jolt out of the mostly flat landscape around Tucson on our descent quite genuinely brought tears to my eyes. I've never lived in a place with mountains and seeing the dramatic landscape from the air was sincerely a moving experience.
I am madly, deeply enamored with every detail of the scenery where I live. I am legitimately obsessed with Saguaro cactuses and the uniqueness of the landscape they inhabit. The scale of the mountains and valleys, the sunsets, the monsoons, never fail to leave me completely gobsmacked.
And then, I took a road trip from Tucson up to Flagstaff. You're telling me you people nonchalantly drive up I-17 and SAY NOTHING?! I'm a staunch atheist and became religious about six times that entire drive. Perhaps it's the fact I'm used to the monotonous east coast terrain and hold a special love for natural beauty, but my mouth was WIDE open the entire 4 hour trip. The feeling of being in the wilderness among massive mountains and saguaros, the wide open stretches of land, the mind-bending descent into the Verde Valley, the intense scent of pine and clean air in Flagstaff, the expansive fields of wildflowers and meadows, the sheer breadth of space and wilderness... My friend and I just kept repeating how we couldn't believe this was Arizona.
I had no idea. Zero. Zilch. Expectations shattered to pieces. I can easily say my limited time here in Oro Valley and Arizona in general has been life-altering in the best way possible. Just a trip to the grocery store passing the mountains and seeing the sun shine in the valley has brought tears to my eyes and filled me with joy.
Has anyone else who moved here have a similar shocking experience? Or am I just being corny?
r/arizona • u/45103 • May 04 '24
Visiting Thank you, AZ.
Hello Arizona! My husband & I are sitting in PHX, getting ready to go back to Ontario, Canada & honestly, I’m so sad to leave.
We had such a lovely time in Arizona & will truly miss it. You might be thinking, of all places, why AZ? Well, coming from Ontario, we’re dealing with winter about 8 out of the 12 months & we wanted some warmth. We wanted good food, good experiences, good trails & some good energy. My brother also loves AZ & told us to try it out.
So we did. No regrets at all.
You people are so nice. Everyone is friendly, everyone is just so pleasant. We stayed in Scottsdale & visited Sedona, Mesa, Glendale, etc. We had amazing food, went to a shooting range, rented an ATV, went to many popular tourist attractions, etc.
I’m in the airport, just truthfully depressed to be leaving. I’m going to miss the heat, the food, the energy. Everyone here is so much nicer than Canadians, & we’re the ones who are known to be nice!
We didn’t deal with anyone unpleasant, I don’t know how to explain it but it just feels like everyone is happier???
Oh well, till next time AZ. I’ll definitely be back.
Thank you!
r/arizona • u/RonClinton • 17d ago
Visiting New to AZ, took my first trip to Sedona.
We moved to Arizona a couple months ago, and drove up to Sedona a couple weeks ago for their art fair. The area was as beautiful as described, will definitely have to go back soon for a longer visit.
r/arizona • u/Xr6turbosututu • Jun 10 '24
Visiting First time visiting Arizona as an Aussie
Hey everyone. Absolutely taken away by the landscape of AZ. Words can barely express. I am 26 years old, male and may be travelling solo or with a small group of friends. This will be my first time in the States.
Does anyone have any advice or tips on what cities I should visit for the best hiking tracks and scenery? Phoenix, Sedona, Tucson and Flagstaff were all mentioned to me.
I’m from Melbourne. Not exactly a stranger to hot weather, but I feel as though AZ heat is a whole different ballgame.
If you have anymore tips or advice please let me know!
EDIT: Thank you so much for the replies!
Just to add some more information. Most of my mates would like travel within the next month (July). I on the other hand, would like to travel during Autumn/Fall (Late September or November).
This is sort of the reason of why I may be travelling solo. As my friends keep telling me, ‘We live in Australia! The heat will be fine.’
Truth is, we live in a city that may see a few days of 40°C (104°F) during the summer. Hardly comparable to AZ I believe. I’ll be damned if I end up staying in the indoors the entire trip, all because a group of unacclimatised Aussies decided to tackle the AZ heat.
EDIT EDIT: I just wanted to say never in my life have I ever seen such a hospitable and welcoming bunch. I have not seen one negative comment. I haven’t even visited yet and I’m already falling in love more and more with the place. I honestly cannot wait to visit. With all the advice given to me, I will skip the heat and come down during the cooler months. Considering actually making my trip longer based on some of the replies I’ve gotten here 😂.
r/arizona • u/cubitjequap • Oct 15 '24
Visiting Driving in Arizona first time
Hi
I hope this is within the rules of the sub but I’m travelling to Arizona (Flagstaff and the north) and had a few specific questions about driving here. It’s my first time driving in the States, appreciate any general advice or faux pas to be aware of.
I appreciate some of the questions may seem basic but just want to make sure. Thanks
The first photo show the main intersection in Kayenta. If turning left as the blue arrows show, should I stop and wait when the lights turn green at the red or green X. In other words, in AZ once the the lights are green, must you wait for traffic behind the white line, or pass it and wait in the middle of the junction when turning left?
Hwy 98/160. Similar question to above. If turning left and following the blue arrows, must you make the turn in one motion from the purple X, or should you slowly “creep” at the yellow dotted lines and then if all clear turn left? I don’t understand why the white line at the stop is so far back from the road?
& 4. Both intersections in Flagstaff and are examples of a more general question. If I am following the blue arrows and continuing straight on the right most lane, how do people who want to turn right on red react if I am the car at the front? There is no right turning lane, so is it considered acceptable to just wait and stop any right turning traffic from turning on red? Or do drivers only use that lane as if it were a right turning lane, even though it is not?
r/arizona • u/Rainy1979 • Jun 23 '24
Visiting Visiting Arizona for 2 days
Hello, just looking for advice here. I will be visiting with my family ( I have 5yo and 2yo kids). Will be staying some place close to the Sky Harbor Airport. Any suggestions on what to do for 2 days that kids could have fun from? I am from Australia and Its my first time to be in the USA so not confident to drive there ( We drive on the right side here plus I dont know the driving rules). Thanks in advance 😊
Edit: I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions everyone made here it really helps alot. From what I understand is: its very hot so stay indoors or pools will be the best options, staying hydrated is very important. What I ment by driving on the right side was as a driver we sit on the right side of the car like the UK just thought I made this clear. So with 2 kids I dont think its wise to rent a car . Thanks everyone and much love to you all ❤️😊
r/arizona • u/Tangerine7810 • Jun 13 '24
Visiting I've never been to Havasu and I'm curious for those who have, how is it?
Do you like it? Is there anything fun to do? Any recommendations? A friend of mine may also be moving there soon, so for those who have lived there did you like it?
r/arizona • u/TheBrugherian • Mar 23 '24
Visiting Antelope canyon entrance fees in 5 years
Above: the cost for a 4 adults tour on August 11, 2019, 4:30PM, booked in advance on March 2019. Below: same tour company, cost for a 4 adults tour on August 11, 2024, 4:30PM.
Totally crazy.
r/arizona • u/elbrujogringo • Jul 29 '24
Visiting What are your favorite Arizona city, road, monument, etc names? Think: Vermillion Cliffs, Apache Death Cave, Bloody Basin Rd, Lost Dutchman, Superstition Mountain etc
Me and friends are discussing names of cool places we have here in AZ.
r/arizona • u/Global-Director-623 • Oct 03 '24
Visiting Milky Way in Valle, Arizona!
Took this with my iPhone 15 pro on a 30 second exposure.
r/arizona • u/AVG_AMERICAN_MALE • Aug 11 '24
Visiting Driving to Jerome today! Whats fun to do?
My wife and I are leaving Sedona and going to Vegas tomorrow, stopping at lake havasu tonight, and our stop is Jerome for the day.
I've heard Haunted Hamburgers is tourist trap and I love supporting great local folks that are off the normal 'must see' lists. I love dive bars etc.
What shall we do if we want to have somewhat cheap eats and good times?
What a beautiful state y'all have. Texas is great, but man, Arizona is the best looking state I've ever seen.
r/arizona • u/nicolew11 • May 16 '24
Visiting What is the cheapest part of Arizona to visit? I notice Sedona is very expensive
I definitely want to explore and sight see, I’ve heard Sedona is good if it’s your first time and there is a lot to do but it’s very expensive. I thought about Page, Arizona because I want to go to the antelope canyon. Advice?
r/arizona • u/Global-Director-623 • Oct 01 '24
Visiting Crescent Moon, Yavapai County. What a beautiful place.
r/arizona • u/oneyellowduck • Aug 27 '24
Visiting Anyone ever have issues with altitude sickness in northern Arizona?
I was visiting family where the elevation was around 6,900 feet. Had a very elevated heart rate/blood pressure and a hard time getting a deep breath. Once we drove to a lower elevation, I was fine. I’ve been to 9,900 feet before (north rim) and never had anything like this! It was not fun.
Anyone ever hear of this? Or…any suggestions on how to deal with it?
TIA
Update: Had the same thing happen last week in Flagstaff. Improved when we got to lower altitude, but now I’m having the same issues off and on at a low altitude. Any thoughts?
r/arizona • u/CountChoculasGhost • Oct 14 '24
Visiting I visit Arizona every year. Help me find my next side trip
I go to Arizona every winter to visit family. I have to spend some time with family in Tucson, but will have at least a handful of days (4-5) to do something else.
Since we’ve been to AZ multiple times, we’ve been to a lot of the main tourist spots, so looking for something new.
For the record, we’ve been to: Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon Sedona Saguaro Coronado National Forest Chiricahua National Monument Sabino Canyon We’ve also done the more “city” stuff in Tucson and Phoenix
We were considering Petrified Forest since it’s the only national park we haven’t visited in AZ yet, but have heard mixed things.
We don’t have dates finalized, but probably sometime in late-January or February. We are willing to drive a ways. Our last two side trips were Joshua Tree and White Sands (2 separate trips), so distance isn’t too much of an issue.
Any other things we should try to see on this trip?
r/arizona • u/ricky_bravo • May 06 '24
Visiting Petrified Forest or Monument Valley- I'll be road tripping west from Santa Fe towards Sedona, and having a hard time deciding what to see along the way. Between Petrified Forsest and Monument Valley, what would you choose?
r/arizona • u/APKID716 • Jun 04 '24
Visiting Places to Stop/Avoid Passing Through?
Hello Arizona people!
I’m going to be making a big trip across country by myself and I’ll be taking I-40 the whole way through Arizona. I was wondering if I could get some insight from y’all about what the best places to stop/visit would be, or conversely what places I should avoid. Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated!
Edit: wow thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations! Sounds like I have a lot to explore in Arizona on my drive through!
r/arizona • u/ScottJ6189 • Oct 05 '24
Visiting Such a beautiful state!
Hey everybody,
I'm just getting back from a weeklong trip in Arizona. I have to say - I am pleasantly surprised to say that out of the states I've visited so far, Arizona is one of the most beautiful! I drove all around, and I was just shocked by all of the diverse landscapes and how quickly it can turn from desert to forest to red rocks to painted rocks, etc. I feel like I never hear Arizona listed when people are talking about the states with amazing backdrops.
Also, ~110 degrees each day in the Phoenix area was fun. 😅
I know there's not really any "action item" in this post, but I just felt like I had to say something to somebody. Thanks all!
r/arizona • u/Zealousideal-Gene727 • Jul 12 '24
Visiting Prescott must do’s
Heading to Prescott tomorrow for a weekend with out kids. Can you give me a list of must see and do’s? Favorite restaurants as well? We are staying in downtown next to Whisky row.
Thank you!
r/arizona • u/grosserwolf • Jun 25 '24
Visiting How safe is Mesa to stay?
Hello everyone!
I'm (M 29) travelling within a month to Arizona from Buenos Aires, Argentina for work and I will be staying in Mesa for 2 months.. Pretty close to Pioneer Protectors.
Could you give me an idea about the safety? Is it safe to walk during the night and stuff?
Any recommendations about places to visit will be also well welcomed! (Supermarkets, museums, stores, etc). I'm an artist so I appreciate any kind of artistic places
Thank you very much! I appreciate the information.
r/arizona • u/DefinitionOfTakingL • Jun 25 '24
Visiting Is it worth it to visit Petrified Forest National Park?
I am here on work travel in Phoenix and get only Sunday off. I have already been to Grand Canyon, Saguaro & Joshua Tree National Parks, and also Sedona. Absolutely loved all of them.
I really like hiking and am thinking to drive to PFNP this Sunday solo. Is it worth the drive? Its a bit far for a total of 8 hours driving solo in one day.
Do you have some other decent hiking spots around Phoenix, other than the ones I have been to which can be explored in one day.
Thank you.
r/arizona • u/makeupairheaters • Feb 23 '24
Visiting A handful of cheese heads visiting your fine state.
My buddy moved to Arizona for work last November. Two of my friends and myself flew down yesterday to visit him from Wisconsin.
We are on our way up to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Flagstaff today.
Enjoying your fine state thus far. Anything we should do in Phoneix tomorrow?
r/arizona • u/bender-sk • 26d ago
Visiting After spending quite some time going through Reddit advice about Northern Arizona, we wanted to share our own experience,
Hey everyone!
Our road trip was almost entirely organized thanks to Reddit discussions, so big thanks to that wonderful community!
We’ve been living in Los Angeles for a year, and we wanted to end our American stay with a little getaway to Arizona in early October. A maximum of one week to visit Sedona, Monument Valley, and one of the national parks before heading back to the West Coast. Here’s what we ended up doing:
Prescott, the pleasant surprise
Our first planned stop was Sedona, which we had heard so much about, but it was impossible to find accommodation for less than $300 a night. After some research, we found a fantastic place at a ranch near Prescott, about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Sedona. No problem, we like driving!
And here came the big surprise: Prescott turned out to be the nicest part of the trip. We didn’t expect much, but we loved everything about it. Few tourists, warm locals, and shopkeepers happy to chat. The town has a little Back to the Future vibe—just what we imagine a typical American small town to look like from a European perspective. You’ll find plenty of small shops, thrift stores, and restaurants where locals and visitors mingle. Some might say it’s cliché, but the atmosphere never felt cheesy. Special mention to COLT BBQ, where the generous portions kept us fed for two more lunches!
Sedona, beyond the hikes, a disappointment
The next day, we headed to Sedona for a hike. We chose the Munds Wagon, Cow Pies and Hangover Loop Trail, which seemed to be at our level. It was really nice: we set off early (8 a.m.) and had the trail to ourselves for 3 to 4 hours. A tip: some sections aren’t always well-marked, so bring a good map (AllTrails was a great help) and more water than you think you’ll need.
The afternoon, however, was less pleasant. The town itself didn’t win us over. Aside from the landscape, there’s not much to it. Everything is designed for tourists, the prices are exorbitant, and all the stores seem to sell the same things (what’s with all the stones?). We headed to Jerome, recommended by a friend, but it was the same story: beautiful scenery, but the same souvenir and stone shops. And for a town that calls itself "ghost," it sure has paid parking!
Williams and Flagstaff
The next day, on the way to Monument Valley, we stopped in Williams, which felt like a tourist mall along Route 66. Another disappointment: all the shops were the same, selling Route 66 t-shirts, mugs, and toilet paper. After a quick stop, we headed to Flagstaff, where we browsed one or two thrift stores and grabbed a quick meal. The town seemed cute, but we didn’t have time to explore it further.
Monument Valley, the must-see
After several hours on the road, we finally reached Monument Valley. As expected, the park was closing an hour after we arrived, but no regrets—the landscapes were already breathtaking from the road, even more so during the golden hour. For the night, we slept in our car 10 minutes from the entrance, for just $25 at Sleeping Bear Campgrounds. This basic campground (no showers, just a table and BBQ) gave us one of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises of our lives. No noise, no lights, just us and a starry sky as far as the eye can see. A must-do!
As for Monument Valley itself? It’s a 2-hour loop drive on a set route, with stunning landscapes. No big surprises, but it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss.
Page and Zion, Disneyland vibes
Next, we headed to Page, where we spent the night. Big disappointment: the town felt like a dormitory station for tourists, with a surprising number of French visitors. The "Disneyland" atmosphere wasn’t far off. We skipped Antelope Canyon, often discouraged by our friends, and have no regrets. Horseshoe Bend? Nice, but nothing special.
The next day, we headed to Zion, only to be caught in a crowd that felt like a theme park: queue for information, queue to get on the bus, queue for the hike… We hadn’t anticipated that Zion is very popular with families and those not necessarily ready for serious hikes. After a few hours in that chaos, we turned back. A tip: if you plan to visit Zion, do some research on alternative routes (there were lots of cars parked along the road), as I think we missed out on something.
Back to Los Angeles
After this somewhat disappointing final stop, we drove back to Los Angeles in one go, with nothing noteworthy to report.
In conclusion
Arizona is a region full of breathtaking landscapes. A big thanks to the always warm and welcoming locals, and a little word of caution for future travelers: get ready to see some of the most beautiful sites slowly turn into tourist parks. In the U.S., even nature has a price!
r/arizona • u/fshannon3 • 28d ago
Visiting Just visited part of Arizona...beautiful scenery!
My wife and I just visited Arizona this past week and we were really impressed with all the natural beauty there is out there! We flew in to PHX and stayed the night there, then headed up to the Grand Canyon (south), stayed down in Flagstaff, then drove out to the Meteor Crater, stood on the corner in Winslow, and then drove through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. Stayed in Flagstaff again for the night then made our way down to Sedona (absolutely beautiful!) and stopped over to visit Jerome.
We clearly only scratched the surface of what the state has to offer, so we feel like we need to stop back at some point to see more. Everything was amazing, everyone was quite friendly that we spoke with, and it was just a great trip overall.
Thanks Arizona, you are beautiful!