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Arizona is rich in history. The Earp brothers and Doc Holliday "shot it out" with the Clanton gang in October 1881 at the famous O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp had been in a feud with the Clanton gang. Doc Holliday got involved in the "shootout" because he was a friend of the Earp brothers. Also, Geronimo, a famous Apache Indian chief, surrendered in the state in 1885. On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the last of the contiguous states (that is, not including Hawaii and Alaska) to join the Union. Because February 14th is Valentine's Day, the state has been called the "Valentine State." Finally, astronomers at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff discovered the planet Pluto in 1930.
The arts have been an important part of the history and culture of Arkansas from the very beginning. Arkansas's first inhabitants, the Quapaw, Caddo and Osage tribes, made jewelry and pots to express themselves and enhance their daily life. Down through today, Arkansas artists are being encouraged in their endeavors with grants and programs through the Arkansas Arts Council, while Department of Arkansas Heritage museums dedicate galleries and exhibits to showcasing Arkansas visual arts in all its many forms.
Stunning natural beauty is just the beginning in Arizona, where art and culture extend to all corners of the state, and includes everything from contemporary fine arts in high-class galleries to traditional crafts and performances by local Native American tribes. Whether you’re shopping for Arizona art to add to your collection, looking for a refined way to spend the evening or simply seeking an engaging museum where you can spend the day, Arizona has it.
Stunning natural beauty is just the beginning in Arizona, where art and culture extend to all corners of the state, and includes everything from contemporary fine arts in high-class galleries to traditional crafts and performances by local Native American tribes. Whether you’re shopping for Arizona art to add to your collection, looking for a refined way to spend the evening or simply seeking an engaging museum where you can spend the day, Arizona has it.
Arizona has a dry climate, with little rainfall. Temperatures vary greatly from place to place, season to season, and day to night. Average daily temperatures at Yuma, in the southwestern desert range from 43 degree to 67 degree F (6 degree to 19 degree Celsius) in January and from 81 degree to 106 degree F (27 degree to 41 degree Celsius) in July. At Flagstaff, in the interior uplands, average daily January temperatures range from 14° to 41°F (–10° to 5 degree Celsius), and average daily July temperatures range from 50° to 81°F (10 degree to 27 degree Celsius). The maximum recorded temperature was 128 degree F (53 degree Celsius), registered at Lake Havasu City on 29 June 1994; the minimum, –40 degree F (–40 degree Celsius), was set at Hawley Lake on 7 January 1971. The highest elevations of the state, running diagonally from the southeast to the northwest, receive between 25 and 30 in (63 to 76 cm) of precipitation a year, and the rest, for the most part, between 7 and 20 in (18 to 51 cm). Average annual precipitation at Phoenix (1971–2000) was 8.3 in (21 cm). The driest area is the extreme southwest, which receives less than 3 in (8 cm) a year. Snow, sometimes as much as 100 in (254 cm), falls on the highest peaks each winter but is rare in the southern and western lowlands. The greatest amount of sunshine is registered in the southwest, with the proportion decreasing progressively toward the northeast; overall, the state receives more than 80% of possible sunshine, among the highest in the United States, and Phoenix's 86% is higher than that of any other major United States city.
The most famous cities in Arizona are known as much for their cosmopolitan edge as for their stunning landscapes and terrifically varied terrain. Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Sedona, and Flagstaff and Lake Havasu are undoubtedly Arizona's most famous places to visit.
Phoenix, also known as the Valley of the Sun, is the largest city in Arizona and the fifth largest city in the United States. Phoenix is generally flat with neighborhoods organized in a gridded street system and is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. The city of Phoenix is punctuated by Camelback Mountain -- a popular hiking destination for locals -- and Piestewa Peak -- named after the first American soldier killed in the Iraq War. The capital city is also home to Sky Harbor Airport (the 10th busiest in the nation), four professional sports teams, and is known for its extremely hot summers and mild winters.
Sedona, often called "Red Rock Country," is famous for its crimson-colored geological formations and is a favorite destination for hikers, rock climbers, and photographers. Sedona is also known as a metaphysical Mecca and is believed to be a spiritual vortex. With four distinct seasons, more than 300 days of sunshine every year, and nearby Oak Creek Canyon's famous Slide Rock Park, Sedona is a nature lover's paradise.
Flagstaff, located about 30 minutes south of the Grand Canyon, is Northern Arizona's largest city. At 7,000 feet elevation, Flagstaff is surrounded by the ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest and boasts snowy white winters. Hunting, fishing, camping and skiing in nearby Snow Bowl are just a few of the reasons that Flagstaff has become known as an outdoorsman's playground.
Lake Havasu City, put on the map for its savvy acquisition of the London Bridge (yes, that London Bridge), now reigns as a top spot for spring break escapades. Boating, para sailing, jet skiing and all manner of water fun can be had on clear blue Lake Havasu.
Phoenix, also known as the Valley of the Sun, is the largest city in Arizona and the fifth largest city in the United States. Phoenix is generally flat with neighborhoods organized in a gridded street system and is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. The city of Phoenix is punctuated by Camelback Mountain -- a popular hiking destination for locals -- and Piestewa Peak -- named after the first American soldier killed in the Iraq War. The capital city is also home to Sky Harbor Airport (the 10th busiest in the nation), four professional sports teams, and is known for its extremely hot summers and mild winters.
Sedona, often called "Red Rock Country," is famous for its crimson-colored geological formations and is a favorite destination for hikers, rock climbers, and photographers. Sedona is also known as a metaphysical Mecca and is believed to be a spiritual vortex. With four distinct seasons, more than 300 days of sunshine every year, and nearby Oak Creek Canyon's famous Slide Rock Park, Sedona is a nature lover's paradise.
Flagstaff, located about 30 minutes south of the Grand Canyon, is Northern Arizona's largest city. At 7,000 feet elevation, Flagstaff is surrounded by the ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest and boasts snowy white winters. Hunting, fishing, camping and skiing in nearby Snow Bowl are just a few of the reasons that Flagstaff has become known as an outdoorsman's playground.
Lake Havasu City, put on the map for its savvy acquisition of the London Bridge (yes, that London Bridge), now reigns as a top spot for spring break escapades. Boating, para sailing, jet skiing and all manner of water fun can be had on clear blue Lake Havasu.
Arizona's beauty and mild winter are two reasons many tourists go to the state. Visit the spectacular Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, in the northern part of the state. See brilliantly colored rocks and clays that were once hidden under the sand and have been uncovered by erosion in the Painted Desert. Go to the Petrified Forest to see beautiful fossilized trees that died millions of years ago. Visit Montezuma Castle and eight other ancient Indian ruins that have been designated national monuments. Discover animals and plants that aren't found anywhere else in the country at Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Airports with regularly scheduled commercial flights include: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (the largest airport and the major international airport in the state); Tucson International Airport in Tucson; Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa; Yuma International Airport in Yuma; Prescott Municipal Airport in Prescott; Flagstaff Pulliam Airport in Flagstaff, and Grand Canyon National Park Airport a small, but busy, single-runway facility providing tourist flights, mostly from Las Vegas. Phoenix Sky Harbor is the 7th busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft movements, and regularly in the top 15 for passengers.
Public Transportation and Intercity Bus: The Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas are served by public bus transit systems. Yuma and Flagstaff also have public bus systems. Greyhound Lines serves Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, and several smaller communities statewide. Amtrak operates the Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and Texas Eagle through Arizona. A light rail system called METRO opened in December 2008, connecting Phoenix with the nearby cities of Tempe and Mesa, with plans for expansion in the future. In May 2006, voters in Tucson approved a Regional Transportation Plan (a comprehensive bus transit/streetcar/roadway improvement program), and its funding via a new half-cent sales tax increment. The centerpiece of the plan is a light rail streetcar system (possibly similar to the Portland Streetcar in Oregon) that will travel through the downtown area, connecting the main University of Arizona campus with the Rio Nuevo master plan area on the western edge of downtown.
Passenger Rail: Two Amtrak routes serve Arizona communities: the Southwest Chief passes through Winslow, Flagstaff, and Kingman, while the Texas Eagle passes through Benson, Tucson, Maricopa and Yuma. Although the Texas Eagle passes much closer to Phoenix than the Southwest Chief does, Phoenix is linked to the Amtrak system via motor coach from Flagstaff.
Public Transportation and Intercity Bus: The Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas are served by public bus transit systems. Yuma and Flagstaff also have public bus systems. Greyhound Lines serves Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, and several smaller communities statewide. Amtrak operates the Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and Texas Eagle through Arizona. A light rail system called METRO opened in December 2008, connecting Phoenix with the nearby cities of Tempe and Mesa, with plans for expansion in the future. In May 2006, voters in Tucson approved a Regional Transportation Plan (a comprehensive bus transit/streetcar/roadway improvement program), and its funding via a new half-cent sales tax increment. The centerpiece of the plan is a light rail streetcar system (possibly similar to the Portland Streetcar in Oregon) that will travel through the downtown area, connecting the main University of Arizona campus with the Rio Nuevo master plan area on the western edge of downtown.
Passenger Rail: Two Amtrak routes serve Arizona communities: the Southwest Chief passes through Winslow, Flagstaff, and Kingman, while the Texas Eagle passes through Benson, Tucson, Maricopa and Yuma. Although the Texas Eagle passes much closer to Phoenix than the Southwest Chief does, Phoenix is linked to the Amtrak system via motor coach from Flagstaff.
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