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Arizona contains an incredible range of attractions and pursuits within its borders, whether urban,
cultural, or outdoor. From vast canyons to snowy peaks, ancient traditions to modern symphonies,
there are countless attractions worth exploring.
Arizona prides itself on stunning natural attractions throughout the state. Perhaps the most
famous is Grand Canyon National Park, where the
Colorado River winds its way through a rainbow-hued canyon; visitors can enjoy the view or venture
into the canyon by hiking or mule, or even experience whitewater rafting. Another breathtaking
canyon, Antelope
Canyon in Navajo land is a set of narrow, colorful passages visitors can walk into. At
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, visitors
can experience the environment of the Sonoran Desert via road or trail. Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, is the protective home to huge Giant Saguaro
cacti, reflecting the typical representation of the cactus of the American West. At Petrified Forest visitors can view the world’s largest, most colorful displays of
petrified wood. Visitors can also see the surrounding Painted Desert badlands, with ancient fossils
and archaeological sites. Another famous natural attraction is Meteor Crater near Winslow, where visitors can view one of the largest and best
preserved meteor craters in the world.
With its fascinating history, Arizona has much to offer in the way of historical and archaeological
sites. Montezuma Castle National Monument
displays excellently preserved cliff dwellings built by prehistoric Sinagua people. Representing a
partnership between the National Park Service and the
Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly National Monument
is home to one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America, where contemporary
Navajo people live alongside ancient architecture and artifacts in a lovely canyon. Tonto National Monument preserves cliff dwellings in the Sonoran Desert from the
13th, 14th, and early 15th centuries. Chiricahua
National Monument is an assemblage of rock spires formed from eroded layers of ash deposited by
the ancient Turkey Creek Volcano millions of years ago. This area has been home to native Chiricahua
Apaches, Buffalo Solders, and the Erickson and Stafford families. Tumacácori National Historical Park preserves three Spanish colonial mission ruins
in southern Arizona, established by Jesuits and later expanded by Franciscan missionaries. For fans
of Old West lore, the town of Tombstone
has many buildings preserved from the 1880’s era of western heritage.
Arizona also boasts fine cultural attractions such as museums and arts venues. Art lovers can view
many splendid gallery works in the city of Sedona.
In Phoenix, the Heard Museum educates visitors
about the heritage, living cultures, and arts of Native American peoples, particularly those of the
Southwest. The Museum of Northern Arizona in
Flagstaff showcases the natural and cultural heritage of the Colorado Plateau region and provides
education with collections, exhibits, educational programs, publications, and research projects.
Modern art can be enjoyed at the Scottsdale Museum of
Contemporary Art, which features five galleries for showcasing changing exhibitions and works, and
also features an outdoor sculptural garden. At the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg, visitors can enjoy superb Western
art, Native American artifacts, historical displays, and gemstones.
Arizona boasts plentiful opportunities for performing arts aficionados. The 75-member Phoenix Symphony performs 275 concerts and presentations throughout the
greater Phoenix area, to audiences of over 300,000 people per year. The Tucson Symphony Orchestra performs for over 60,000 people annually and also
provides in-school and adult education offerings. The Arizona
Opera Company produces a five-opera season, and performs for opera lovers in both Tucson and
Phoenix. The Arizona Theatre Company is the
professional resident theatre of Arizona and has performed in both Phoenix and Tucson to over 150,000
people since 1983.
Families can enjoy and learn from Arizona’s interesting attractions. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson functions uniquely as a zoo, natural
history museum, and botanical garden, and recreates the natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region
with over 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. At the Tucson Children’s Museum, fun and education abound for children with hands-on
exhibits such as Dinosaur Canyon and the Ocean Discovery Center, in addition to many creative museum
activities. The young and young at heart alike will enjoy the Phoenix Zoo, which features over 1,200 animals, and includes a sanctuary and
special programs for conservation.
Outdoor lovers can rejoice in the Grand Canyon State, where golfing, skiing, fly-fishing, and
bird-watching number among the many possibilities for adventure. Among the more popular ski resorts
are Arizona Snowbowl (http://www.arizonasnowbowl.com/) near Flagstaff,
Elk Ridge Ski and Outdoor Recreation in Williams, and
Flagstaff Nordic Center. Golfing is taken very seriously in Arizona, where the
FBR Open hosts the
PGA TOUR. Over 300 public and private golf courses reside in Arizona. For fly
fishing, anglers can take advantage of the Little Colorado River, Canyon Creek, the Black River, and
Chevelon Canyon Lake, among other locales. Spectacular bird-watching can be had in Madera Canyon,
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, and
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, along with numerous other sites in
the state.
Sports fans will appreciate the professional teams in Arizona. Football fans will enjoy the
NFL team Arizona Cardinals in Tempe, or the AFL team Arizona Rattlers in Phoenix. Baseball fans can cheer the MLB team, the Arizona
Diamondbacks in Phoenix. Hockey fans can revel in the NHL
team Phoenix Coyotes. For basketball
fans, the NBA Phoenix Suns and WNBA team the Phoenix
Mercury are sure to please.
For almost any recreational opportunity, Arizona represents so much more than even the Grand
Canyon.
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