posted on Feb, 16 2015 @ 03:22 PM
There is a whole lot to see... I've been here for decades and am still finding new places, but the cities are, mostly, blah with little that can't
be seen elsewhere... some of the towns are quaint and quirky, but the natural sights are amazing. The environment is the star attraction, here.
The Grand Canyon is worth a look (understatement) ... Meteor Crater and Sunset Crater (an old volcano) near Flagstaff and Sedona are both neat... so
is the Petrified Forest. Sedona is now an expensive tourist trap, but undeniably beautiful and more than a bit strange.
All those are in the Northern, higher elevation portion of the state... I live in the Southern, Sonoran Desert region, in Tucson, and it has
incredible scenery, too, especially the high desert and mountains around the city, and winter/early spring is the best time to visit... before the
hellish temperatures start. Tucsont has the best Mexican fusion food, heh, but is now a poorly planned suburban sprawl that is ugly on the whole..
.but the area around it is still amazing.
If you make it to the Southern region, the Desert Museum is a great stop... Kitt Peak observatory is, too, if you're a space nerd (or if you like
seeing stars and a sweeping landscape from a mountain peak at night). Mt Lemmon, overlooking Tucson, is a cool drive that takes you from desert to
pine forests in an hour. Tombstone is a rustic tourist trap that can be fun for a few hours and Bisbee is a little copper mining town in the South
East hills that is now an arty little community where most of their buildings have been preserved and it's a neat visit as well.
Basically, if you can get to a more remote B&B, resort or small hotel in the deep Sonoran desert, preferably against a mountain, it's a good,
memorable experience... the views, sounds, smells and general ambiance of the Sonoran Desert is unique... and I highly recommend a hot tub at night on
a hill , overlooking city lights or moonlit desert.
Now I'll apply for the tourist bureau.