The best places to visit in Arizona are the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Monument Valley, with Saguaro National Park, Tucson, and Phoenix rounding out a first trip. Northern Arizona holds the big canyon scenery, central Arizona has the red rocks, and the south offers desert parks and old mining towns. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons.
Arizona is big, and most of its headline sights need a plan before you arrive. Some need a guided tour, some need a permit won months ahead, and since 1 January 2026 a few carry a new surcharge for international visitors. This guide groups the 15 best places by region, so you can see what sits close together, and it flags the booking and fee traps that trip people up.
Quick picks: which Arizona place fits your trip?
| If you want… | Go to | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|
| The one must-see | Grand Canyon National Park | Lodging, yes |
| Red rock scenery and easy hikes | Sedona | Parking pass or shuttle |
| Slot canyon photos | Antelope Canyon, Page | Guided tour required |
| An iconic overlook | Horseshoe Bend, Page | No, parking fee |
| Navajo landscape and culture | Monument Valley | Guided tours advised |
| Cities, food and art | Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson | Restaurants, resorts |
| A bucket-list hike | Havasupai or The Wave | Permit, months ahead |
| Quiet and underrated | Chiricahua, Bisbee | No |
Northern Arizona: canyon country
1. Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is Arizona’s most famous sight, and the Colorado River carved it into several distinct areas you can visit. Most people head to the South Rim, where Mather Point, the Bright Angel area and the Desert View Drive viewpoints make a good half day or full day. The Desert View entrance on the east side often has shorter lines than the main south entrance.
Entry is $35 per vehicle, or $20 per person on foot or by bike, according to the National Park Service. New for 2026: visitors who are not U.S. residents, aged 16 and over, pay an extra $100 each, or hold the $250 America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass. The fee applies to commercial bus tours too, and it is based on the date you enter the park. Bring a passport, state driver’s license, or green card if you want to show U.S. residency.
2. Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon, near Page, is a narrow sandstone slot canyon with smooth, wave-like walls, and it sits on Navajo Nation land. You can only enter on a guided tour run by Navajo-owned operators, so book before you travel. There are three main areas: Upper Antelope Canyon, known for its light beams and flat walking path, Lower Antelope Canyon, and Antelope Canyon X.
Light beams in the upper canyon are strongest around midday in the warmer months, and operators charge more for those slots. A traveler’s 2026 account put prime-time tours at roughly $120 to $160 per adult including a Navajo permit fee, so check current prices with the operator. Expect rules on bags and selfie sticks. Tours are short, so build the rest of your Page day around Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell.
3. Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is a sharp U-turn of the Colorado River about five miles south of Page. The overlook is a short walk from the parking lot, roughly 1.2 miles round trip, on a hardened path. There is no entrance fee, but the City of Page charges for parking, reported at about $10 per standard vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass does not cover it, because the lot belongs to the city and not the National Park Service.
Parking on US-89 is prohibited, so use the lot. Go early or near sunset for softer light and fewer people, and keep your phone and kids well back from the edge. The overlook sits inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, so the same visit pairs easily with Lake Powell.
4. Monument Valley
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park straddles the Arizona and Utah border and is best known for its towering sandstone buttes. It is run by the Navajo Nation, so it is a chance to learn about Navajo culture as well as see the scenery. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to photograph the buttes, when the red rock turns deep orange.
Plan to drive the valley loop or join a Navajo-guided tour that reaches areas private vehicles cannot. Fees and tour options are set by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation department, so check their site before you go. Because the valley is remote, fill your tank and carry water, and book lodging well ahead in peak months.
5. Havasupai (Havasu Falls)
Havasupai is famous for turquoise waterfalls inside a canyon near the Grand Canyon, on the Havasupai Reservation. It is not part of Grand Canyon National Park, and the Havasupai Tribe sets its own rules. Every visitor needs a reservation, because there is no day hiking. Reservations are made through the tribe’s official website, and recent seasons have opened in early February.
The hike to the village of Supai is about eight miles, with the lodge in town and a campground beyond it. Treat this as a serious trip: reserve early, train for heat, and book only through the tribe’s own site. Helicopter rides also run, but they use a daily waiting list instead of reservations.
6. The Wave (Coyote Buttes North)
The Wave is a swirling sandstone formation in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, near the Utah line. The Bureau of Land Management limits entry to 64 people a day, and permits are awarded by lottery. The advance lottery runs each month, four months before your date. If you miss it, a daily lottery handled through an app covers visitors who are in the area.
The suggested route is a strenuous 6.4-mile round trip with no marked trail, so you need navigation skills and a permit that comes with a photo guide. Permits cannot be sold or transferred. If you do not win, Coyote Buttes South is a separate permit area, though it needs its own permit.
7. Flagstaff
Flagstaff mixes mountain-town charm with a lively downtown on historic Route 66. At roughly 7,000 feet, it stays cooler than Phoenix in summer, so it makes a good base for the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Use it for breweries, trails in the Coconino National Forest, and the nearby San Francisco Peaks. It is also a sensible overnight stop between the canyon country in the north and the cities farther south.
Central Arizona: red rocks and old towns
8. Sedona
Sedona is known for red rock formations, easy trails and scenic viewpoints, and it is also popular for spa and wellness trips. Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Bell Rock, Boynton Canyon and Soldier Pass are the headline hikes, and Oak Creek Canyon is the shady alternative on hot days.
Most trailheads sit on Coconino National Forest land, where a Red Rock Pass is required if you leave your vehicle: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $20 annual. An America the Beautiful pass ($80 annual) also works at most of those lots. A few sites, such as West Fork and Crescent Moon Ranch, use a separate concessionaire Coconino Pass instead. The Sedona Shuttle runs seasonally to some busy trailheads, so parking is easier to solve than it used to be.
9. Jerome
Jerome is a former copper-mining town clinging to a steep hillside above the Verde Valley, and it works well as a day trip from Sedona. Wander the galleries, tasting rooms and old buildings, and enjoy the views across the valley. It is smaller and quieter than Sedona, and the drive in is part of the fun. Give it two to three hours.
10. Phoenix and Scottsdale
Phoenix, the state capital in the Valley of the Sun, is the best place in Arizona for art, architecture and food. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale is the architecture highlight, and the area also has the Desert Botanical Garden, resorts, spas and golf. Summer afternoons are extremely hot, so visit between fall and spring, or keep outdoor plans to early morning. Phoenix Sky Harbor is also the easiest airport for starting a loop through the state.
Southern Arizona: desert, history and quiet corners
11. Tucson and Saguaro National Park
Tucson feels outdoorsy, artsy, historic and food-focused all at once, and it is the base for Saguaro National Park, whose giant cacti are the symbol of the Sonoran Desert. The park has two districts, east and west of the city. Go near sunset for the best light, and carry far more water than you expect to need. Tucson’s food scene and murals make it a good city stop, and Tumacacori National Historical Park lies a short drive south.
12. Bisbee
Bisbee, the old “Queen of the Copper Mines,” is one of Arizona’s most distinctive small towns. Steep streets, colorful houses, and museums such as the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum tell the mining story. It is an easy base for Tombstone and Chiricahua, and it suits visitors who prefer character to crowds.
13. Tombstone
Tombstone leans hard into its Wild West history, with staged gunfights, saloons and a famous theater said to be haunted. It is touristy, but fun if you enjoy frontier lore, and it fits neatly into a Bisbee day.
14. Chiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua is one of the state’s most underrated places, with rock pinnacles and quiet trails in the southeast corner. If you are already near Bisbee, add it for a peaceful half day away from the big-name crowds.
15. Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest, in the northeast near Route 66, protects fossilized logs and painted desert badlands. It is an easy stop on a drive between Flagstaff and New Mexico, and it is far less crowded than the Grand Canyon.
Fees and permits at a glance (2026)
This table pulls the money and booking rules into one place, because they are the most common planning mistakes.
| Place | What you need | Cost or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon | Park entry | $35 per vehicle; $100 extra for non-U.S. residents 16+ |
| Any 11-park trip | Non-Resident Annual Pass | $250, covers pass holder plus 3 adults |
| Antelope Canyon | Guided tour | Required; price varies by slot |
| Horseshoe Bend | City parking | About $10 per vehicle; passes not accepted |
| Sedona trailheads | Red Rock Pass | $5 day, $15 week, $20 year |
| The Wave | BLM permit | Lottery; 64 people per day |
| Havasupai | Tribal reservation | Required; no day hiking |
Treat every figure as a snapshot and confirm it on the official site before you go, since agencies change fees without much notice.
When is the best time to visit Arizona?
Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for most of the state, with mild days and, in spring, wildflowers. Summer is very hot in Phoenix, Tucson and the low desert, so shift your itinerary toward higher ground such as Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon rim. Winter is ideal for the cities and southern parks, but the South Rim and Flagstaff can be cold and snowy. As of late October, you are entering prime season across most of the state.
How many days do you need?
Three days covers Phoenix, Sedona and a Grand Canyon day trip, though it is rushed. Five to seven days lets you add Page with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, plus Monument Valley. A week and a half allows the southern loop through Tucson, Bisbee and Chiricahua. Arizona drives are long, so budget travel time between regions and rent a car, since public transit is thin outside the cities.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number one place to visit in Arizona? The Grand Canyon. It is Arizona’s most famous attraction, and most first-time itineraries are built around it.
Is Arizona worth visiting for a week? Yes. A week covers Phoenix, Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Page, or a southern route with Tucson and Bisbee.
Do I need a reservation for Antelope Canyon? Yes. Antelope Canyon can only be visited with a guided tour, so book before you arrive, especially for midday slots.
Do international visitors pay more at the Grand Canyon? Since 1 January 2026, non-U.S. residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 per person, or can buy a $250 annual non-resident pass.
What is the cheapest way to see Arizona’s best scenery? Hike Sedona with a $5 Red Rock Pass, walk to Horseshoe Bend for the parking fee only, and drive Desert View in the Grand Canyon.