Arizona, USA
*All work including photos, videos and writing on this page is my own, except the link to the Sky Tourism video, freely available on Youtube.
Arizona is a state synonymous with desert, sun, canyons and cacti, which of course it does have, but not just the Grand Canyon, we enjoyed Antelope Canyon even more than the Grand Canyon!! If you are visiting the Grand Canyon south Rim, the most popular part, do make sure to head up to Page on the East rim as well to see the spectacular Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe bend as these are really amazing and just a few minutes drive from the centre of the small town of Page.
Arizona food features avocado fries, Iron skillet pancake, Fry bread, Medjool dates and Chimichanga ( Created by accident when someone dropped a burrito into a deep fat fryer apparently ). Mexican food also features very high in popularity here and is very good! The weather is swelteringly hot in the summer which regularly gets into the high 40's C and rarely gets below 21c in the winter. Rainfall is less than 8 inches a year. Monsoon season is from mid June when almost all that rainfall can happen in one day and cause flash floods, so keep an eye on the weather forecasts when you are there.
The economy is not totally reliant on tourism, it also features services, technology, electronics manufacturing, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, cosmetics, cotton, fruit and vegetables, banking and finance,
Arizona is a state synonymous with desert, sun, canyons and cacti, which of course it does have, but not just the Grand Canyon, we enjoyed Antelope Canyon even more than the Grand Canyon!! If you are visiting the Grand Canyon south Rim, the most popular part, do make sure to head up to Page on the East rim as well to see the spectacular Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe bend as these are really amazing and just a few minutes drive from the centre of the small town of Page.
Arizona food features avocado fries, Iron skillet pancake, Fry bread, Medjool dates and Chimichanga ( Created by accident when someone dropped a burrito into a deep fat fryer apparently ). Mexican food also features very high in popularity here and is very good! The weather is swelteringly hot in the summer which regularly gets into the high 40's C and rarely gets below 21c in the winter. Rainfall is less than 8 inches a year. Monsoon season is from mid June when almost all that rainfall can happen in one day and cause flash floods, so keep an eye on the weather forecasts when you are there.
The economy is not totally reliant on tourism, it also features services, technology, electronics manufacturing, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, cosmetics, cotton, fruit and vegetables, banking and finance,
My recommendations of Places to visit.
1) Page
Page is a small town in the north of Arizona, close to the Utah border. It sits on the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. I would highly recommend staying here a few days as there are lots of spectacular places to visit, listed below. At the moment there are only some small hotels, most such as the Home2suites by Hilton, where we stayed, which I recommend, looked brand new. This hotel is just opposite the Glen Canyon Dam. Lots of the land near here has been sold or is for sale and I can imagine some larger resort style hotels will open up here. ( A good investment opportunity if you wish to open a hotel here.) The whole town has recently become a must see place thanks to Instagram photos of Antelope Canyon that even Microsoft paid over $1m dollars for as a wallpaper photo. A new Safeway supermarket has added to the new shops and restaurants opening here too.
Antelope Canyon
This is situated on Navajo land and you can only go there with a Navajo tour guide. You need to book in advance. We used Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, which I recommend. We went to the Upper Antelope Canyon, which is the most famous one and the easiest to access, with no steps to get into it and some easy steps on the way out, which as an asthmatic I could easily manage. Below is my video.
Antelope Canyon
This is situated on Navajo land and you can only go there with a Navajo tour guide. You need to book in advance. We used Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, which I recommend. We went to the Upper Antelope Canyon, which is the most famous one and the easiest to access, with no steps to get into it and some easy steps on the way out, which as an asthmatic I could easily manage. Below is my video.
Horseshoe Bend
This stunning natural feature is a meander of the Colorado River, just down from the Glen Canyon Dam. It is just outside the town and easy to drive to or get a tour. I would recommend driving there yourself. You do need to walk about 15-20 minutes from the car park to the viewpoint and back again, so wear suitable UV protective clothing in the summer and bring water or electrolyte drinks with you. It is very popular at sunset, but any time of day it is incredible.
Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell
The Dam itself is free to view, but Lake Powell is in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which is a National Park and there is a fee to enter. This is worth a drive to view, only a few minutes outside of Page. This lake, which is actually a reservoir is situated in the middle of a desert, which makes it a very dramatic contrast to the land where it sits. There is a small hotel and restaurant there, but not much else really. You can take a boat trip or kayak on the lake. This is best booked in advance though.
The wave
The Wave is a beautiful rock formation near Page in the Coyote Buttes region, just over the border in Utah, but easy to get to from Page. This attraction has a capacity limit to preserve it and you have to apply for a permit by a lottery four months ahead of your trip. Unfortunately we didn't get the permit in the lottery I applied for. It costs currently $9 to enter the permit lottery.
The Grand Canyon is probably the most famous attraction in Arizona. The Canyon is made up of four rims, with the South Rim the most visited one. During the summer it gets very busy, especially at the South Entrance at Tusayan which can have queues from 30 minutes to over two hours. Most people arriving from Phoenix 3 1/2 hour drive or Las Vegas 4 hour drive will head to this south entrance. However if you are arriving from Page or Utah you can enter through the East Entrance near Cameron, which is usually quieter. Try to arrive early before 0900 hrs for shorter queues. I would head for the most popular attractions first as well such as the red bus route to Hermits Peak.
There are free buses running within the park, with the red route only accessible by the bus as no cars are allowed in this area. We took the red bus for this part of the park, but drove around the rest of the Park at our own pace, stopping where and when we wished at various viewpoints. The Village has some shops and restaurants and the most popular viewpoints also have toilets. Make sure you take drinks and snacks with you and UV protection sun cream and clothing in the summer.
The must see viewpoints in my opinion are the following: Mather Point, Hopi Point,( Especially for sunrise and sunset), Desert View Tower and Grandview Point. Below is my video at Hopi Point
There are free buses running within the park, with the red route only accessible by the bus as no cars are allowed in this area. We took the red bus for this part of the park, but drove around the rest of the Park at our own pace, stopping where and when we wished at various viewpoints. The Village has some shops and restaurants and the most popular viewpoints also have toilets. Make sure you take drinks and snacks with you and UV protection sun cream and clothing in the summer.
The must see viewpoints in my opinion are the following: Mather Point, Hopi Point,( Especially for sunrise and sunset), Desert View Tower and Grandview Point. Below is my video at Hopi Point
3) Sedona
We loved Sedona!! This town is surrounded by magnificent red rock buttes in different shapes, which really glow at sunset! It has Trail heads to over 400 interesting trails through canyons, rivers and pine forests. It sits in the Coconino National Forest, combining the desert rocks and pine trees. The town itself is full of artsy shops and galleries, independent cafes and restaurants as well as local craft shops and tourist shops. My video below.
4) Scottsdale
Scottsdale Is the main resort area in Arizona. We stayed here for a few days and enjoyed the rest in the resort hotel as well as the amazing selection of shops and restaurants! I would recommend a few days here. Scottsdale is actually a Phoenix Suburb and very near to Phoenix Airport and Downtown area. This is the wealthiest part of Phoenix, with great shopping centres.
For shopping centres we particularly liked Fashion Square Mall ( We enjoyed Wonderpaces interactive art museum in this mall and it's indoors, so great for a hot day. ) We also liked Kierland Commons Shopping Centre and Desert Ridge Shopping centre.
Old Town Scottsdale is nice for a stroll around the old style independent shops and restaurants. It is also full of bars and nightlife if that interests you. Paradise Valley, where we stayed is the most upmarket area. We really liked Blanco Taco and tequilas in Paradise Valley opposite the Hilton Hotel if you like Mexican food. You do need to book or be prepared to wait at least half an hour for a table. Photo below.
For shopping centres we particularly liked Fashion Square Mall ( We enjoyed Wonderpaces interactive art museum in this mall and it's indoors, so great for a hot day. ) We also liked Kierland Commons Shopping Centre and Desert Ridge Shopping centre.
Old Town Scottsdale is nice for a stroll around the old style independent shops and restaurants. It is also full of bars and nightlife if that interests you. Paradise Valley, where we stayed is the most upmarket area. We really liked Blanco Taco and tequilas in Paradise Valley opposite the Hilton Hotel if you like Mexican food. You do need to book or be prepared to wait at least half an hour for a table. Photo below.
5) Phoenix
Phoenix and it's suburbs is 517 square miles in the Sonoran Desert, known as the Valley of the sun. It has numerous resorts, golf courses, hotel resorts, desert gardens and museums. Phoenix recently topped Seattle as the fastest growing city in the US, due to affordable property prices and year round sunshine, with abundant job opportunities. It also has arts, cultural attractions and historical neighbourhoods, some with Spanish style architecture. With abundant shopping, dining, galleries and other forms of entertainment it is very popular with tourists from all over the US and the world. The downtown area of Phoenix seemed very quiet when we visited, but to be fair most cities have been quieter since Covid, so I am sure it will come back to life soon, but we didn't spend more than a few hours there.
The top attractions are
Mystery Castle
Hall of Flame
Heard Museum
Botanical Garden
and we really enjoyed the views below from Dobbins Point, South Mountain.
The top attractions are
Mystery Castle
Hall of Flame
Heard Museum
Botanical Garden
and we really enjoyed the views below from Dobbins Point, South Mountain.
6) Flagstaff
We were unable to stop in Flagstaff due to the forest fires there, but that is another place you could stay to visit the Grand Canyon. It is a city full of pine trees and trails and camp sites, surrounded by mountains. It is a contrast to the desert surrounding it.
7) Monument Valley
We also didn't get time to visit Monument Valley, but the whole state is full of rock formations very similar to this, so I would concentrate on the other locations and only go there if you have time. This Park is a Navajo Park straddling the Arizona/Utah border.
We also didn't get time to visit Monument Valley, but the whole state is full of rock formations very similar to this, so I would concentrate on the other locations and only go there if you have time. This Park is a Navajo Park straddling the Arizona/Utah border.
Crime
Phoenix sits around the mid range of cities of a similar size for crime rates, not high, but not low. Most crime though occurs south of the Downtown area, with Desert view and Paradise Valley amongst the safest areas. I felt safe in Phoenix, although we did stay in Paradise Valley just to the north of Scottsdale.
Safety
You must remember these sites are natural attractions, with few safety railings. The Grand Canyon has the highest death rate of any US National Park. This is mainly due to people hiking down to the river in the heat and being unable to climb back up again. Don;t attempt this hike in the summer unless you are an experienced mountaineer. Always stand behind guide rails where provided and where they are not, stand well back from the cliff edges. It's so easy to fall and sandstone rocks are liable to erosion. No photo is worth that risk, I took all these photos and videos well back from the edge.
Places to combine with a stay in Arizona within a few hours drive.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Utah parks such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches National Parks
Palm Springs, California
For more information on Arizona see the tourism guide.
Places to combine with a stay in Arizona within a few hours drive.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Utah parks such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches National Parks
Palm Springs, California
For more information on Arizona see the tourism guide.