Southern Arizona has Arizona’s biggest city, and capital, Phoenix, and lots of golfing resorts, but also old west history, and the strange beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
Arizona’s main airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, is in Phoenix and is where most people will first set foot in Arizona. The arrival is dramatic, by day or by night, and after flying over the mountains and desert you arrive in a vast American metropolis.
Phoenix is the 6th-largest city in the USA and one of the most rapidly growing cities in the States. But beyond the golf resorts and spas there is desert, the wild west, snakes and saguaro cactuses, rodeos and open roads, and a fascinating cultural mix of cowboys, Native Americans, and Spanish settlers.
From Desert to Forest
Desert is what people expect to find in Arizona, and the Sonoran Desert spreads across much of Southern Arizona. If they’re here on vacation they probably also expect to find lush golf courses and luxurious spa resorts, which surround Phoenix and its prosperous neighbor, Scottsdale. What can be surprising is that here also are places like the Tonto National Forest, which is the largest forest in Arizona and the 5th-largest in the United States. It covers an astonishing 2,873,200 acres (11,627 sq km) to the east and north of Phoenix.
The spa resorts and golf courses can be found mainly in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson, where not only are you promised 300+ days of sunshine a year but also unique courses surrounded by mountains and with giant cacti alongside the fairways.
Phoenix
Phoenix is Arizona’s main city, and the 2nd-largest is Tucson, both in the southern half of the state. Phoenix has an elevation of 1,150ft (350m) whereas Tucson is at 2,389ft (728m) and therefore cooler in summer. Phoenix is known for its golf and resorts, and also wonderful museums like the Heard Museum, which highlights Native American culture.
Tucson
By contrast, Tucson still has a wild west feel about it, with its annual rodeo a main attraction, alongside the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which explores and explains the desert landscape of Southern Arizona. The city also has many other museums and open spaces to enjoy, including the Saguaro National Park.
Tombstone
About a 90-minute drive from Tucson is the unique town of Tombstone. Famed in old west lore as the place where the Gunfight at the OK Corral took place, the town has seen a lot of action over the years. Today it’s a mix of genuine old west historical interest, and tourist attraction. The buildings are real, and you can see a reenact ion of the gunfight every day. Some people find it a bit hokey but we love it.
Other Attractions
There are some very surprising things about Southern Arizona too. It has many observatories, like the Kitt Peak National Observatory, which has the largest collection of astronomical instruments in the world. It’s where Arizona’s main vineyards are located, and where you’ll also find old Spanish missions like San Xavier del Bac (‘the dove of the desert’) and the Tumacacori National Historical Park, mid-way between Tucson and the Mexican border. It’s a reminder of the mix of cultures which make this part of the United States so fascinating.