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Arizona has more than just the Grand Canyon
Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, is located in southwestern USA just east of California and just north of the Mexican Border. It is most famous for the Grand Canyon, but the state also has many other wonderful attractions and a wide variety of climates.
Arizona's climate varies considerably, from the stark beauty of the warm dry Sonoran desert to the high cool mountains in the northern part of state. The elevation changes dramatically from 70 feet (20 meters) on the Colorado River south of Yuma, to 12,633 feet (4.000 meters) at the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff. In Arizona you can water ski one day and snow ski the next.
Arizona is typical of the Southwest
Arizona typifies the Southwest. It exhibits a colorful Native American (Indian) flavor blended with a powerful Spanish heritage. It is home to the largest Indian reservations in the USA. Spanish Conquistadors established settlements near the present site of Tucson in 1539. But, Arizona's history as a cattle-producing state makes it the home of that famous icon of the old west- the American cowboy.
Giant Saguaro Cactus
©USATourist.com
Story and song have immortalized the town of Tombstone, in the southeast corner of the state, famous for its "Shoot Out at the O.K. Corral." Although many films have been made about Tombstone, most of them were filmed in Tucson (pronounced too-sawn), home of Old Tucson Studios. A short drive east from Tucson is the Saguaro (pronounced sah-war-o) National Monument, where you can view the finest specimens of the giant saguaro cactus which grow only in the Sonoran desert.
They even have the London Bridge in Arizona
Visitors may be surprised to find the original London Bridge in Arizona. Moved here from England in 1970, London Bridge is the focal point of Lake Havasu City, located on one of Arizona's many large man-made lakes. Lake Havasu is in the northwest corner of the state on the Colorado River.
Phoenix, the capital city of Arizona, boasts a population of over 4 million, and has been designated the "Best Run City in the World." Named after the legendary bird that rose from its own ashes, Phoenix is built atop the ancient Hohokam civilization and is located in south central Arizona. It is home to many cosmopolitan activities and has numerous museums, theaters, and performing arts events including the Phoenix Symphony. You can visit the campus of Arizona State University and view the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the United State's most famous architects. You can also attend a big-league football, baseball, or basketball game.
