Arizona

Arizona sits in the southwest of the U.S. and is most famous for the magnificent Grand Canyon National Park, the steep sided canyon carved by the Colorado River displaying millions of years of geological history in its layered bands of red rock. The main gateway to this outstanding area is Flagstaff, a ponderosa pine-covered mountain town. 

Phoenix is the capital of the state and is known for its year round sunshine and is the hub of a region known as the Valley of the Sun. Visitors come here to play golf on world-class courses year round and there are other attractions to enjoy as well such as the internationally renowned Heard Museum, focussed on Native American history, the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Art Museum. Here you can expect to encounter 'real' cowboys, see red-rock buttes and cartoon-like cactus. 

Further south, in and around Tucson, expect out of this world type scenery, with vast swathes of desert speckled with enormous cacti and wonderful opportunities for stargazing, interesting museums and visitor attractions including Biosphere 2 and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum as well as many hiking and biking opportunities. The region has some great Mexican inspired cuisine and some quirky craft beers, made using desert sourced ingredients.

Perhaps an unexpected feature of the state: in Arizona’s high deserts, three major grape-growing regions have been established in Sonoita, Wilcox and Verde Valley.