Travel Oracles 50 States: Arizona

As part of my summer series - Travel Oracles 50 States - I am revisiting each os the fifty American states as an overview on travel culture and history. Today: Arizona

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Joined: Arizona became the 48th state on February 14, 1912. During the civil war, the Confederacy declared Arizona a territory on 1 August 1861 at the start of the war for which Arizona supplied 3 Confederate military units. The Arizona Territory sided with the Confederacy, while the New Mexico Territory sided with the Union.

Original Indigenous Peoples: There are 22 federally recognized Tribes in Arizona, with the first first Native Americans arriving in Arizona between 16,000 BC and 10,000 BCE. Today, the main groups consist of Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Navajo Nation, Quechan Tribe, Zuni Tribe.

First Settlers: The history of Arizona as recorded by Europeans (Spanish) began when Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, explored the area in 1539. Coronado's expedition entered the area in 1540–1542 during its search for Cíbola.

History moment: There are several tied to the wild west and gold rush path to California, but let’s go with the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, or the location where Geronimo surrendered

Known for: The Grand Canyon, The Desert, Native American heritage, Saguaro cacti

Cities: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, Mesa, and not a city but my favorite stop: Sedona

Movie setting: Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma, Raising Arizona, Little Miss Sunshine, Grand Canyon

Musicians from: Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Alice Cooper

Surprising facts: There are 22 national parks and monuments, Arizona Doesn't Follow Daylight Savings Time, Phoenix Is the Hottest City in the US

This southwestern state, is best known for the Grand Canyon, the mile-deep chasm carved by the Colorado River. Flagstaff, and vast nature destinations include Saguaro National Park to Sedona's red rocks and the living Sonoran Desert. Arizona’s stunning canyons, blooming deserts, raging rivers, petrified forests, and scenic mountains enthrall lovers of the outdoors in pursuit of hiking, rafting, golf, picturesque spots to watch the sunset, and spa/retreats galore. Let’s travel to Arizona

My experience: I have been to Arizona many times - Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Prescott - either to meet friends in the desert heat, or driving through on my many road trips from California to Colorado. I joke that Scottsdale and Palm Springs, CA are half-owned by Canadian snowbirds (true) so I know plenty of folks there, but it’s the natural magic of Sedona, and the giant saguaros (tree-like cactus trees) that intrigue me the most.

Phoenix & Scottsdale: “The valley of the sun” is the nation's fifth-largest city, still growing past its boundaries. Warm weather, stunning sunsets, year-round golf/sports, and historic central corridor have beckoned visitors to Phoenix for generations. Nearby, Scottsdale offers a welcome vacation for many snowbirds from the north, and offers a wide selection of spas, restaurants and places to golf (sort of like Palm Springs)

Tuscon: Located in a valley ringed by mountains, and the Saguaro National Park bookending the city, the central portion of the city has most of the shops, restaurants, and businesses, while pp north in the Catalina Foothills are first-class resorts, restaurants, and hiking trails, most with spectacular views of the entire valley. (In recent years, there has been a lot of real estate interest here)

Sedona: I previously wrote on things to do here as well as one of my favorite road trip routes. It's easy to see what draws so many people to Sedona from its Red-rock buttes -- Cathedral Rock, Bear Mountain, Courthouse Rock, and Bell Rock, among others -- that reach up into an almost always clear blue sky.

Nature: Some favorites include the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park, Lake Havasu, Monument Valley, Apache Junction, Saguaro Lake, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Coconino National Forest, Lake Powell, Saguaro National Park

Ranking in US: Per the annual US News report, Arizona is currently ranked #39 out of 50 in 2021, down from #34 in 2019. The state has a robust economy, but lags behind in education and fiscal stability.