Arizona
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Arizona

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Arizona Travel Guide

Key Facts
Area

295,253 sq km (113,998 sq miles).

Population

6.8 million (2015).

Population density

23.1 per sq km.

Capital

Phoenix.

A jewel in the USA’s crown, Arizona is a state of seemingly infinite possibilities; a place where you can hike from snow-capped mountains to the dusty depths of the Grand Canyon; where you can dance around campfires with Navajo tribesmen and rattle down Route 66 on a road trip to California.

While the north of the state is criss-crossed with mountain streams and canyons, the south and west offer eye-catching deserts with stunning rock formations, Native American tribes and ramshackle ghost towns from Arizona’s mining days.

Phoenix, the bustling state capital, boasts world-class cultural attractions, restaurants and shopping, not to mention a buzzing nightlife. It borders swanky Scottsdale, one of Arizona’s primary resorts, which is crammed with trendy hotels, spas and golf courses.

Chock-a-block with students, Tucson is a hip and culturally vibrant city. Surrounded by rugged mountains, it has a lively nightlife, heavy Hispanic influence and distinctive downtown.

Flagstaff, meanwhile, is the place for adventure, being as it is the gateway to some of the best hiking, biking and skiing in the state. And then there’s Sedona, a small city in Yavapai County surrounded by stunning sandstone formations and scented pine forests.

For a taste of the Wild West, there’s the notorious, frontier town of Tombstone, which offers visitors the chance to stroll down its saloon-lined high street and watch re-enactments of the famous shooting at OK Corral.

Of course, the Grand Canyon is the big draw, but dig deeper in Arizona, and you’re in for a treat.

Visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing. You should verify critical travel information independently with the relevant embassy before you travel.