Arizona – five regions of great diversity

Northern Arizona attracts visitors with its incredible natural diversity. The region is home to pine forests, plateaus and rock art, amongst other things, and is a year-round destination with wildflowers in spring, warm summer days, vibrant autumn colours and snow-covered winters. The Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff is a popular ski resort in winter. Among the best-known attractions in northern Arizona are the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in Page, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park on the border with Utah and, of course, the historic Route 66.

Discover Arizona with America Unlimited, the leading tour operator for your individually and personally tailored trip to the USA and Canada. Be inspired by our Arizona tours; America Unlimited would be delighted to plan your perfect dream holiday in Arizona.

North Central Arizona is renowned for its red rocks, which glow like fire in the summer sunlight and, with their peaks dusted with snow in winter, provide an equally stunning backdrop. The town of Sedona is renowned for its palpable energy and remains a place of healing and spiritual renewal. North Central Arizona is also home to the lush Verde Valley, one of Arizona’s three major wine regions, which stretches over more than 1,800 square kilometres .

Central Arizona is the region surrounding Phoenix, the capital of Arizona and the fifth-largest city in the USA. The Phoenix metropolitan area comprises several cities – Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler and Glendale. The area is best known for its year-round sunshine, which is why it is often referred to as the Valley of the Sun. Not only are the desert landscapes characteristic of the region, but so too are luxury resorts and world-class golf courses. Visitors can also enjoy incredible architecture and cityscapes, a wide variety of museums, the authentic culture of the Southwest and endless outdoor adventures.

Southern Arizona is every bit as impressive, welcoming visitors with iconic landscapes filled with saguaro cacti and a vibrant history and culture that reflects the roots of Indigenous peoples, the Spanish, the Mexicans, the military and cowboys. Tucson, the second-largest city in Arizona, is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the USA, a distinction attributed not only to the incredible variety of restaurants but, more significantly, to the city’s 4,000-year culinary history. Visitors are also treated to culinary delights in the local idyllic wine-growing regions of Willcox and Sonoita, one of the oldest wine regions in the USA. Southern Arizona also offers endless open spaces in the countryside, breathtaking rock formations, adventure, Wild West experiences and world-famous dude ranches.

On Arizona’s west coast, visitors can enjoy some of the best water sports and even beaches in the state. This region is home to the dazzling jewel of the American Southwest’s desert – the vast Sonoran Desert, which stretches across the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. White-water rapids, breathtaking canyons and epic fishing in rivers and lakes are just some of the experiences along the Colorado River, which carved out the Grand Canyon and now forms the border between Arizona and California – an area known as Arizona’s West Coast.

Image: Antelope Canyon_Credit S. Kreckel for AOT, Image: Window to Wonderland_Sedona_FY18, Image: Sunrise from Piestewa Peak_Credit Visit Phoenix, Image: An Pham_Mission San Xavier_A853165, Image: Lake Havasu State Park_credit An Pham