If you’re looking for something to do in Arizona this spring, you’ve got a lot of choices. It’s the perfect season to enjoy all sorts of activities and attractions with idyllic weather throughout much of the state. These are some of the top options to put on your itinerary.
Visit Grand Canyon National Park
What Is It? Grand Canyon National Park is home to one of the world’s most magnificent wonders, the 227-mile-long, mile-deep, and up to 18-mile-wide Grand Canyon.
Why Do It? Spring often brings idyllic weather for enjoying the impressive array of colors and erosional forms of the canyon walls that are even more dazzling at sunrise and sunset.
Good to Know: For an up-close look, you can take a mule ride down to the bottom, or enjoy a hike along the South Kaibab Trail for a variety of awe-inspiring views along the South Rim.
Soak Up the Energy at Sedona's Vortexes
What Is It? Sedona’s vortexes are believed to be areas that emit high levels of natural energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration.
Why Do It? Not only will you be surrounded by jaw-dropping red rock scenery but you might be able to feel the electromagnetic earth energy, and even experience a transformation.
Good To Know: Sedona has multiple vortexes with a variety of hiking trails to reach them, including the Airport Mesa Vortex.
Catch a Spring Training Game, Phoenix Metro Area
What Is It? The Phoenix metro area is home to the Cactus League stadiums where baseball fans can watch major league spring training in action.
Why Do It? It’s a great way to watch your favorite baseball stars as well as up-and-coming players up close and maybe get some autographs too.
Good to Know: The famous Arizona BBQ Festival with its all-you-can-eat short ribs, bourbon, and live music is hosted during the spring training season – you might want to time your visit to attend both.
Check Out the Blooms at Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix
What Is It? The Desert Botanical Gardens showcases 17,000 species of desert plants and a large research center. There are more than 50,000 accessioned plants throughout five thematic trails illustrating topics like desert living, conservation, plants and people of the Sonoran Desert and desert wildflowers.
Why Do It? While it may sound bizarre to have a botanical garden in the desert, you might be surprised to find out that the desert is bursting with life. In the spring, a two-acre wildflower exhibit will be filled with color.
Good to Know: The peak blooming of flowers like desert lupine and Mexican poppies occurs in March and April.
See the Bear Cubs at Bearizona, Williams
What Is It? At this Williams’ safari park, visitors enjoy close encounters with wild bears, wolves, Dall sheep, mountain goats, burros, bison and more before descending into a walk-through section with further exhibits.
Why Do It? Springtime often means the opportunity to see adorable bear cubs in the walk-through area which houses smaller animals. There are also Birds of Prey shows and Keeper Chats, so you can talk to the keepers about the creatures here.
Good to Know: For a special treat, sign up to work one on one with Bearizona animals while they’re in training sessions, available at set times throughout the day.
Backpack to Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon
What Is It? The world-renowned Havasu Falls lies in a remote area of the Grand Canyon, accessed via a 10-mile trek.
Why Do It? The cascades are stunningly contrasted against the red rock canyon walls, with the crystal clear turquoise waters taking on surreal hues due to high concentrations of calcium carbonate and magnesium.
Good to Know: Spring is the best time to go as temperatures will be pleasant and the falls are sure to be flowing. It will be a bit chilly for swimming in March, but April and May are often ideal.
Swim and Enjoy Other Water Sports, Lake Powell
What Is It? Lake Powell straddles the state borders of Arizona and Utah and is considered one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the American Southwest.
Why Do It? The beaches are pristine and you’ll be able to enjoy a desert oasis with great weather for camping and fun outdoor activities like fishing, swimming, and water skiing.
Good to Know: Kayaks, rowboats, fishing boats and houseboats can all be rented here.
Play Golf
What Is It? With so much sun throughout the year, Arizona has some of the best golf courses in the entire country.
Why Do It? This is the season when the weather is usually perfect for a round or two of golf – the British-inspired Troon North Golf Club is considered the best in Phoenix, while the Arizona Grand Golf Course boasts scenic desert and mountain views.
Good to Know: If you head to Troon North, the Pinnacle and Monument courses both have two greens – Hell’s Bunker is the most infamous hole here.
Visit the Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix
What Is It? The Phoenix Zoo is the country’s largest privately owned, non-profit zoo.
Why Do It? There are more than 1,400 animals housed here that can be viewed throughout the 2.5 miles of walking trails, all divided up into four different themes. View American Southwest fauna and flora along the Arizona Trail, rainforest animals on the Tropics Trail, creatures from Africa on the Africa Trail and visit a petting zoo on the Children’s Trail.
Good to Know: The zoo offers lots of fun special programs, including Lunch with a Keeper and Critter Keeper where you can find out what it’s like to be a zookeeper.
Check out the Petroglyphs in Saguaro National Park, Tucson
What Is It? Saguaro National Park preserves a giant saguaro cactus forest that stretches across the valley floor near Tucson.
Why Do It? In the spring, you can see the cacti covering the landscape with a rainbow of color in between. The wildflowers, including desert marigolds, gold Mexican poppy and red penstemons will be blooming, along with many of the shrubs and creosote bushes. There are also fascinating prehistoric petroglyphs to explore.
Good to Know: Watch for animals like coyotes, desert tortoises, and javelinas in the lower elevations and the Mexican spotted owl, deer, and black bear in the upper elevations of the park.
Step Into the Wild West, Tombstone
What Is It? This is the town where in 1881 the legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place, a 30-second gunfight that pitted the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday against Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers,
Why Do It? Today, you can relieve the days of the American West in a safer way, learning about the area’s history and finding out who won that infamous gunfight.
Good to Know: Boothill Graveyard is the town’s cemetery and it’s famous for its ghost sightings. They say you can sometimes see them wandering through the old wooden grave markers. A few have allegedly been captured on film.
Ride a Horse and More, Dead Horse Ranch State Park
What Is It? A picturesque state park with limestone hills, mesquite groves and small lakes that lies along the Verde River about 20 miles from Sedona.
Why Do It? If you like to ride horses, there are one-hour to 2.5-hour rides.
Good to Know: The park’s Trails, Rails, Rhythm & Ribs package includes a one-hour horseback ride, a train ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad to historic Perkinsville and back, and a barbecue dinner with a cowboy show.
Paddle the Black Canyon Water Trail
What Is It? The Black Canyon Water Trail is a 12-mile-long stretch for paddling, filled with dramatic desert landscapes, hot springs and narrow slot canyons along the Colorado River.
Why Do It? You’ll get to paddle through Emerald Cove with water a shade unlike anything you’ve ever seen before – and spring is the best time to go to ensure the water will be high enough.
Good to Know: If you aren’t a highly experienced kayaker, take a guided tour. You’ll not only feel more comfortable, but the expert guide will tell you all about the local geology and point out all the most interesting sights.
See Dinosaur Tracks With a Native American Guide, Tuba City
What Is It? This unofficial off-the-grid attraction lies on rocky land near US Highway 160 in Tuba City, offering the chance to see genuine dinosaur tracks.
Why Do It? The tracks were embedded in the rock surface were said to have been formed in the early Jurassic period, about 202 to 200 million years ago.
Good to Know: A Native American guide will take you on a mostly flat, easy hike that winds around several stone spires and past hundreds of tracks.
Marvel at Chocolate Falls, Near Flagstaff
What Is It? Grand Falls sits about 30 miles east of Flagstaff and is even higher than Niagara Falls, spilling almost 200 feet.
Why Do It: Nicknamed “Chocolate Falls” as the muddy Little Colorado River makes the water look like churning chocolate, as they’re fed by snowmelt and rain, the only time you can witness them flowing is in the spring, with March and April the best time to go.
Good to Know: Getting there requires a half-mile hike, and you’ll need a hiking permit as it sits on Navajo land – it’s easy to procure by visiting navajonationsparks.org.
