About Arizona

Arizona is in the southwest region of the U.S., sitting on the Mexican border just next to the lower tip of California. It became a state in 1912. The capital is Phoenix, which is part of a larger metropolitan area where millions of people live. This is where many vacationers go to experience the blazing Arizona sun without feeling they are stranded out in the desert, thanks to many tourist attractions and big hotels.

When it comes to climate and attractions, Arizona is a bipolar state. During the winter months when most Americans are covered in snow and ice, tourists pour into Yuma, Arizona where it is hot and sunny all year round. Yet, the northern half of the state gets snow and cold weather just like the rest of the country, making it entirely possible for visitors to lie in the desert sun one day and travel into the mountains to a ski and tubing resort the next day.

Flagstaff is the biggest tourist city because it offers adventures in both climates: the rugged desert lands and the colder mountain regions in the north. It is located by tall mountains and even gets snow in the winter months. For travelers, it delivers the calm beauty of the snow capped mountains while maintaining access to big attractions such as railway tours of the Grand Canyon.

Vacationers mostly come to Arizona for the big national parks, namely the Grand Canyon. This amazing gorge spans 277 miles of the Colorado River and visitors get a thrill from railway tours or just standing at the top ledge and looking down at the rocky terrain that seems to go on forever.

Cities in Arizona