Live in Arizona? Great places to visit in your own state

Arizona is a wonderful state to live in – there are so many places to visit as a day trip and a weekend getaway.  The following are just a few of the many fantastic places Arizona has to offer.

The Grand Canyon National Park - People around the world save for years to afford a trip to the Grand Canyon and you live just a few hours away to one of the most breathtaking places in the world.  The park has so many incredible places to see log in to https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm for more information.

Tombstone - Imagine the 1880s frozen in time, where tough-looking men wearing dusters fit right in. The frontier facades are largely original, the souvenir T-shirts, mugs and refrigerator magnets are not. Still, there is an Old West charm found nowhere else. Learn about pistol and rifle shooting from the Single Action Shooting Society.  Visit the OK Corral and Historama to hear Vincent Price's dramatic retelling of the shootout. Go see the Bird Cage Theater Museum, a former brothel that has been preserved, not restored. The tattered nature of the museum is as endearing as it is honest. It's OK when something shows its age. www.tombstonebirdcage.com.  For more information go to www.tombstoneweb.com

Prescott - If the United States held an America's Best Hometown contest; Arizona's entry would likely be Prescott. It has all the requisites: quaint downtown (Courthouse Square), area committed to adult beverages (Whiskey Row) and exuberant small-town celebrations. The town has charm as well as a more amenable summer climate, when temperatures can be 15-20 degrees cooler than the Valley's.  From 1881 to 1884, Prescott served as the territorial capitol. It was just enough time to build a governor's mansion, now part of the Sharlot Hall Museum. Go see what constituted a governor's home in those days. www.visit-prescott.com.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park - You've seen it on TV and in theaters. You can't look at the towering rock formations without thinking of John Wayne, cattle drives or insensitive portrayals of Native Americans. But you know what's even better than seeing Monument Valley on the big screen – seeing it in person.

Walpi Village - The ancient village on the Hopi Reservation first appears as if a natural part of the stony ridge 300 feet above the valley floor. Walpi is one of North America's oldest continuously inhabited villages- or so many people believe. Walpi offers a rare insight into Hopi life as well as unmatched vistas. It is an authentic, only-in-Arizona experience, rich in culture and history.

Sedona – A charming area in Northern Arizona and home to Cathedral Rock, Sedona’s most famous landmarks and one of the best places to visit in Arizona. It is located in Yavapai County in the Coconino National Forest. The rock is carved from red sandstone created from sand dunes around the ancient Pedregosa Sea.  Visit Sedona’s museums to learn about the art and history of the area, sample delicious wines along the Verde Valley Wine Trail, and dine at incredible restaurants. Best things to do in Sedona include: Oak Creek Canyon, Palatki Ruins and the Sedona Heritage Museum.

Saguaro National Park - Is located near Tucson was created to protect these rare and magnificent plants. The park is located at the heart of the Sonoran desert, at about 2,400 feet above sea level and is one of the top Arizona attractions. The giant saguaro, a well-known symbol of the American West, grows in very few places in the United States.

Montezuma Castle National Monument - Montezuma Castle is an awe-inspiring National Monument about 50 miles from Flagstaff, which tells the story of the intelligence, ingenuity, and resilience of people who built it thousands of years ago.  It is a five-story dwelling cut into the soft limestone cliffs of Beaver Creek Canyon that is located 100 feet above the canyon floor. The castle consists of twenty very well preserved rooms built by fieldstone glued together by mud and clay mortar.

There are so many more areas to see near Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson.  Check with https://www.visitarizona.com/ to find out about places to visit.