Arizona

Arizona in Southwestern US is nature’s playground for hikers, bikers, golfers, explorers, and history lovers. Anyone wanting to explore National Parks and breathe dry arid desert-like air is encouraged to visit AZ. Sharing the famed Four Corners of western US with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, Arizona’s other neighboring states are Nevada to the northwest, California to the west, plus the international border of Mexico to the south.

AZ is a huge state, the 6th-largest of the great 50 states. Arizona is diverse, with mountains, plateaus, deserts, mesas, canyons, lakes and rivers, and big cities like the capital and largest city of Phoenix, the most populous state capital in the United States. 25% of Arizona is Indian reservation population, with the most land held as American Indian land trust, inhabited by 22 distinct tribes.

Spanish name, Arizonac, means small spring, but its nicknamed Arid Zona – for its dry desert climate, with very hot summers and mild winters. Northern Arizona features forests of pine, Douglas fir, and spruce trees, mountain ranges like the Colorado Plateau, even ski resorts like Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff, which receives significant winter snowfalls.

Arizona’s vegetation is interesting yet hostile – with prickly cacti, agave and aloe ready to poke any trespassers from the path. But when a cactus rose flowers, its a thing of austere beauty. Known for its big diurnal temperature swings, an Arizona day can range from 30 to 80F degrees in a few hours, particularly above 2,500 ft. Arizona is a cool place, that gets really hot in summer months (110+F), so we recommend a spring or fall visit, unless you are planning a family ski trip to AZ snow country!

Arizona is home to 24 National Parks, forests, and monuments, plus the big daddy – Grand Canyon National Park – one of the world’s seven natural wonders of the world. Arizona and Hawaii are the only two U.S. states not currently observing Daylight Saving Time (we wish none did).

Sedona is world-renowned for its powerful energy vortexes, stunning red rocks formations, amazing hiking and star-gazing, and surprisingly good wine-tasting in the Verde Valley. We loved our trip to Sedona, hiking, shopping, exploring and wine tasting. See our Sedona luxury vacation review.

Our favorite Arizona places for hiking, exploring and wine tasting are Sedona and Scottsdale, and the luxury resort hotel – Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.