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A charming mountain city surrounded by forested peaks, Flagstaff makes a scenic base for adventures in the great outdoors. From here, winter visitors can ski the slopes, and hikers can enjoy stiff climbs and dramatic descents at any time of year.

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Arizona's natural attractions are breathtaking, and the cities are pretty spectacular, too. As Arizona's largest city and state capital, Phoenix pitches upscale resorts, top museums, and colorful architecture against a magnificent backdrop.

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The oldest European structure in Arizona, San Xavier del Bac was founded in 1692, and the existing building dates back to 1797. A fine example of Spanish colonial architecture, it's located just outside the city of Tucson.

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Visitors to Apache Junction can get a taste of the Old West at Goldfield Ghost Town. A former mining town established in 1893, it lay abandoned for years before being redeveloped as a replica boomtown.

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East of Phoenix, Apache Junction is home to some of the state's most photographed peaks and trails. Visitors flock here to catch sunrises and sunsets over the Sonoran Desert and Superstition Mountain.

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Of all Arizona's incredible natural attractions, this slot canyon near the city of Page is one of the most astonishing. Carved through sandstone over the course of millions of years, its tall, wavy beams and dramatic shafts of light make it a photographer's dream.

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Swimming, boating, and hiking take place against a backdrop of blue skies and towering peaks at this popular park. Visitors can catch stunning views over the Parker strip, an 18-mile (28.9-km) stretch of land running alongside the Colorado River between the Parker Dam and the Headgate Dam.

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One of the most dramatic natural landscapes on the planet, Monument Valley's red sandstone mesas and buttes have featured in many a movie. The astonishing formations can be viewed via the looping, 17-mile (27.3-km) Valley Drive.

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Formed some 40,000 years ago, this mind-boggling landmark is the best-preserved impact crater on Earth. East of Flagstaff in the northern Arizona desert, it's flanked by a visitor center offering tours and site information.

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Just minutes from downtown Phoenix, Papago Park offers hikes around red butte formations—including the popular Hole-in-the-Rock trail—as well as fishing, golf, and family-friendly attractions such as the Phoenix Zoo.

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Just south of the Utah state line in Coconino County, the eerily beautiful Vermillion Cliffs are a favorite destination for hikers and photographers. Some areas of the park require permits, which makes for crowd-free sightseeing as long as you plan in advance.

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Unearth fascinating relics of the past at this national park in northeastern Arizona. Fossils and colorful petrified wood can be found in abundance, and the Rainbow Forest Museum has interesting paleontology displays. Hike, cycle, or take a horseback ride to discover remains of a lost village.

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A three-hour drive west of Phoenix, Lake Havasu City is awash with opportunities for drinking, dining, camping, and hiking. But perhaps the biggest attraction is London Bridge. The actual 1830s bridge that once spanned the Thames River was rebuilt here in 1971!

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Formerly a thriving mining town, Bisbee is a gold mine of opportunities to peek into southern Arizona's past. Visitors can explore the disused Copper Queen Mine, visit a mining museum, and even take a ghostly after-dark tour of reportedly haunted buildings.

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Flanking either side of the city of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is famous for its magnificent collection of native saguaro cacti. It's also home to prehistoric petroglyphs and historic sites, and the sunsets are spectacular.

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This vast park in northeastern Arizona is filled with towering sandstone cliffs, fascinating formations such as the Spider Rock Spire, and prehistoric rock art. It was inhabited by Native American peoples for thousands of years, and there are visible remains of ancient villages.

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Surrounded by towering red sandstone peaks, the town of Sedona is a tourist attraction in itself. Artsy types flock to the many museums, galleries, and theaters, while outdoorsy folk can head out of town for biking, fishing, and birdwatching.

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On the border between Arizona and Nevada, the Hoover Dam was constructed during the Great Depression and is a magnificent feat of engineering. For the best views, stroll to the nearby Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

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Carved into the rockface near the town of Camp Verde, this 12-century structure is made up of 20 rooms spread over five levels. A visitor center and museum displays relics and artifacts from the building's history.

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One of the most impressive visitor attractions in Phoenix, the Heard Museum is packed with Native American artifacts and artworks that shed light on the history and culture of Arizona and its people.

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Located inside Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Park has the world's finest collection of arid plants. There are over 50,000 desert plants on display, dotted along themed trails that illustrate topics such as conservation and desert living.

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In northern Arizona, Coconino National Forest is remarkable for the diversity of its landscape. Head here for everything from red rock peaks and desert to pine forests and alpine tundra.

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Beloved among transport enthusiasts, the city of Kingman, in northwestern Arizona, has a prime position on Historic Route 66. Here, you'll find the Arizona Route 66 Museum, the Kingman Railroad Museum, and a renowned collection of breweries, wineries and distilleries where non-drivers can shake their thirst.

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The ominous-sounding town of Tombstone, in southwestern Arizona, brings the Wild West back to life. The original courthouse and an Old West graveyard are still standing, and costumed characters reenact famous gun battles.

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It's impossible to talk about Arizona attractions without mentioning the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River carves a path through layered red rock for 277 miles (446 km), much of which is contained within the Grand Canyon National Park. Visitors can hike or take rafting tours on the more accessible sections.

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One of the most photographed attractions in the Grand Canyon, Havasu Falls is a stunning waterfall that crashes 120 feet (36 m) down to a pool of turquoise water.

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On the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park, the village has some of the best overlooks in the park. A visitor center provides information on hiking routes and points of interest, and a shuttle bus runs along the rim of the canyon, stopping at key viewpoints.

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Driving the Old Route 66 across Arizona is a road-tripper's dream. The state is home to some of the best surviving stretches of the old route, and you'll take in redrock mesas, arid desert, and old highway towns as you enjoy the route.

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In the Black Hills of Yavapai County, this former mining town was founded in the late 19th century. Today it provides an intriguing glimpse into boomtown life, with the mighty Douglas Mansion, built in 1916 by a mining magnate, and a series of mining-related attractions.

Sources: (Visit Arizona) (US News) (Touropia)

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The sunbaked southwestern state of Arizona is home to some of the most jaw-dropping sights in the United States. Home of the Grand Canyon, Arizona is filled with national parks whose curious rock formations have an otherworldly beauty. Mirror-smooth lakes reflect pine forests and rugged cliffs in rainbow colors, and 'ghost towns' reveal a glimpse of the Wild West. The cities and small towns offer intriguing architecture, excellent museums, and a stellar dining scene, while the surrounding countryside provides almost limitless opportunities for outdoor adventure.

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