The northwestern corner of Arizona encompasses one of the great natural wonders of the world: the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. However, it's not the only reason to visit this ruggedly beautiful state. Arizona also has 27 State Parks and numerous natural wonders that provide access to a wide variety of activities, fauna and flora, and landscapes.

The Sonoran Desert and Sagauro National Park feature typical desert scenery, with canyons, red cliffs, and sandstone pinnacles, coyotes and rattlesnakes, and the giant multi-armed cacti that typify the Arizonian landscape. The Painted Desert and the magnificent sandstone spires of Monument Valley in the northeast, the spectacular Red Rock Country of Sedona, and the mountains and forests of Flagstaff are just some of Arizona's special natural attractions.

Phoenix and Tucson offer 21st-century comforts such as luxurious resorts, shopping plazas and golf courses, and provide a wonderful change of pace from the state's legendary natural beauty. Accompanied by continual air-con, these sprawling metropolises are oases in the desert. The region's continuous sunshine and dry desert air have restorative properties as well, and thousands of people continue to visit local health spas.

Outside the cities, the Native Americans who have lived in Arizona for centuries make up the majority of the population, and more than a third of the land is encompassed within Indian Reservations. Northeast Arizona is known as Indian country, where the Navajo and the traditional Hopi tribal groups reside, and is where the beautiful Canyon de Chelly, and numerous Ancestral Puebloan sites are to be found in the cliff walls and valleys. The Apache live in the southeastern mountains and were the last tribal group to concede to the US government. For those interested in Native American heritage Arizona is the ideal travel destination.

Fans of the Wild West should visit the old mining town of Tombstone, which is the site of the famous shootout at the OK Corral. Today, it has staged gunfights, swinging saloon doors and old wooden buildings that bring to life the harsh cowboy past.