Some Unique Sites to See in Arizona

For many people the main reasons to visit Arizona are the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Others may come for baseball’s spring training. Of course other folks come just for the sunshine and warmth, especially in the winter. My parents spent time in Yuma, Arizona for that very reason the winter before my mom died.

However, like most states, there are actually quite a few unique and different places to enjoy in Arizona beyond the Grand Canyon and the baseball fields. While this post is hardly a comprehensive list of these locations, I hope it does offer some different ideas about what is available in the Grand Canyon state for your next visit.

Let’s start with gardens. That might not be the first thing one would think of when visiting Arizona, but Arizona’s desert atmosphere creates an environment for some unusual flora. Of course we are not talking gardens with lush green lawns full of colorful flowers. Nevertheless, the gardens here definitely have a beauty of their own.

The first garden we visited was in Tuscon. As is often the case, the Tuscon Botanical Gardens was originally the home and garden of Rutger and Bernice Porter. Separately the Tuscon Botanical Gardens was started in 1964 by plant collector Harrison G. Yocum. Subsequently in 1974 the Porter property was given to the Botanical Gardens organization to use and maintain. The garden has only grown from there.

We visited in 2012. While a section of the garden is dedicated to cactus and succulents, the garden is more than that. In fact a number of small garden areas focus on different kinds of plants. There are also a number of mature and large trees that help provide a cooling environment for plant growth. One of the fun parts is the children’s garden. The gardens are a little over five acres so it’s not a large space, but it does provide a lovely spot to spend a few hours with some greenery in the desert.

Along with the plants the gardens also feature a variety of art pieces both serious and whimsical.

A larger garden, and one probably better known lies east of Phoenix. Boyce Thompson Arboretum is located in Superior, Arizona. Boyce Thompson was a wealthy man who had an interest in horticulture. He built a home here and began to develop a garden in the mid 1920s. Later the arboretum was officially dedicated in 1929. The garden grew over the years, and in 1963 the University of Arizona began to co-manage the arboretum. Finally, in 1976 the arboretum became a part of the Arizona State Parks.

The current arboretum covers 135 acres and is set in a desert environment away from the city. To look beyond its borders is to see the desert. One small man-made lake and some small streams provide water for the area.

The arboretum has a number of specific types of gardens. Many of the gardens relate to desert conditions, but not all. There are two rose gardens as well as an herb garden and a children’s garden. Because they were the most unfamiliar to us, I enjoyed the succulents and cactus the most. When visiting it should be noted that there is little shade in much of the garden. Therefore a morning visit might be more comfortable, especially in the summer.

If one enjoys the architecture of the Spanish Missions, then a stop at Mission San Xavier del Bac is a must. The mission was started in 1692. The Franciscans started constructing the current building in 1783 and completed it in 1797. Some consider the building the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the US. In fact the mission was designated a national historic landmark in 1963. It is a beautiful building and open to visitors.

Discovering unique towns is always a great experience. During our visits to Arizona, we discovered a couple. Tubac is north of Tumacacori National Historic Park which I included in a previous post about US Historical Parks. If you are going to check out the mission at Tumacacori, it’s worth stopping in Tubac. The town puts forth an artistic vibe, and there are a number of galleries around. What I enjoyed were the large metal pieces on display outside. They were quite interesting although too big to stick in one’s suitcase.

Another town we discovered while on our way to Sedona. If you plan to visit Sedona from Phoenix, most people just travel north up the 17 freeway. However, a more scenic route would be to go west and then north through the Prescott National Forest. The view coming down from the mountains into the valley is really lovely.

After coming through the pass, one comes to the old mining town of Jerome. The town is built on the side of the hill and retains much of its past historical features. At one point the town was a thriving copper mining town, but after the mine closed, the population dwindled. However it has been somewhat revived as a tourist destination having been declared a National Historic District in 1967. It was quite busy the day we stopped by. We enjoyed lunch at a restaurant higher on the hill and later found the town to be a great place to visit.

While you may not think of Arizona as an art location, a well known artist lived and worked near Tuscon. His work has its own style, and there’s a good chance you have seen his work at some point. The artist is Ted DeGrazia who is well known for his paintings of native southwestern children. In 1965 he opened his Gallery in the Sun, and it still operates today as a museum for his work. There is a small admission charge to enter.

The gallery includes a number of buildings. The main building has a unusual entrance which reminded me of a mine entrance. One of the more interesting structures is the chapel which has beautiful paintings along the walls of the sanctuary. Another building is the old guest house which is also open for visitors. Of course if you like his art work, this is a great place to find a large number of options from original works to less expensive posters.

Another unique site worth mentioning is the Biosphere 2. I wrote about this location as part of a previous post. However, it’s worth mentioning again as it is truly a one of a kind location to visit.

Frank Lloyd Wright is probably one of the premier American architects. Many people know and love his work. However, some may not know that he had a home in Scottsdale, Arizona. This was his winter home named Taliesin West. It was established in 1937, and over the years various buildings were added and changed. Wright’s intent was that the site would fit in with the local desert environment. Today a foundation operates the building, and they use it for a variety of activities and programs. The site is a UNESCO world heritage site as well as a National Historic Landmark.

We took a tour when we visited Taliesin in 2012 and found it to be quite interesting. The main house has a mid-century feel to me. The grounds also include a number of art pieces. It is such an unexpected site to find out in the desert, but worth taking time to see.

So there you have it, some Arizona locations that are worth visiting which may not be familiar to you. Have you visited any of these sites? Do you have another little-known Arizona location you discovered that’s worth visiting? Your comments and insights are always welcome as are your likes and sharing on your social media.