All United States Arizona

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Arizona

246 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Arizona

Updated September 25, 2023

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Ajo
  2. Benson
  3. Bisbee
  4. Camp Verde
  5. Casa Grande
  6. Chandler
  7. Clarkdale
  8. Dragoon
  9. Flagstaff
  10. Florence
  11. Golden Valley
  12. Grand Canyon Village
  13. Green Valley
  14. Holbrook
  15. Jerome
  16. Kayenta
  17. Kingman
  18. Lake Havasu City
  19. Leupp
  20. Littlefield
  21. Marble Canyon
  22. Mesa
  23. Oracle
  24. Page
  25. Parker
  26. Payson
  27. Peach Springs
  28. Phoenix
  29. Picacho
  30. Quartzsite
  31. Rimrock
  32. Scottsdale
  33. Sedona
  34. Tempe
  35. Tombstone
  36. Tucson
  37. Wickenburg
  38. Willcox
  39. Williams
  40. Winslow
  41. Yavapai County

Unusual Attractions in Arizona

See All 246 Things To Do in Arizona

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Arizona

See all 10 Places to Eat in Arizona
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

These 8 Arizona Ghost Towns Will Transport You to the Wild West

In the desert of Arizona, a string of ghost towns have been preserved and refurbished to give visitors a glimpse into the history of miners and the businesses who served them during the boom times of the turn of the century. Whether you want to pan for gold, discover junk art, or stay a night in a mining engineer’s cabin, these ghost towns will transport you into Arizona’s Wild West past.

View Itinerary

Explore Arizona

Native Americans 27
History 27
Geology 21
Deserts 21
History & Culture 20
Ecosystems 20
Ruins 18
Architectural Oddities 15

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Recent Arizona Activity

Stories About Arizona

Just 50 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, a field of California poppies paints Walker Canyon a vibrant orange. The poppies appear in several Indigenous legends. In one Chumash story, a talking lizard describes the flowers by saying, “it is as if the sun itself is on the ground.”

Stunning Wildflower Superbloom Photos That Will Have You Racing to the Hills

Orange, yellow, and purple petals blanket the southwestern United States.
by Sarah Durn
A 171-foot-tall white stain, left by the retreating waters of Lake Powell, looms over a lone human as he strides across a sandstone fin in the heart of Glen Canyon.

The Return of Glen Canyon

As Lake Powell's water levels continue to drop, a stunning landscape resurfaces—along with questions about the future of the Colorado River and those who depend on it.
by Craig Childs
Beware hungry cows.

The Arizona Cattle Ranch Hiding 10,000 Year-Old Petroglyphs

Brantley Baird’s Rock Art Ranch offers tours of canyon-wall petroglyphs and a stunning collection of ancient pottery.
Sponsored by Visit Arizona
Saguaro National Park in full bloom.

The Unique (and Surprisingly Wet) Biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert

In Arizona, the country’s most diverse desert teems with kaleidoscopic spring flowers, charming desert tortoises, and the famous saguaro cactus.
Sponsored by Visit Arizona

Podcast: Tumbleweed Christmas Tree

This is how you do the holidays in the desert.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Navajo Code Talkers Burger King

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
Skinwalkers are not hapless victims who fell prey to dark magic—they want to be monsters.

Beware the Skinwalkers, Werewolf Witches of the American Southwest

These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors.
by J.W. Ocker

Podcast: The Plotz Plot

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team

Lists Featuring Arizona

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
Oh, hello!
Little Spotted Kiwi

10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

Unique experiences from Nairobi to Chiang Mai.

12

Including Cat Island, Elephant Nature Park , and India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels

Winter Solstice 2019
The Spiral Jetty
Double Negative's north trench

A Tour of Spectacular 1970s Art Made From the Landscape Itself

Eight places to witness the incredible ambition of the Southwest land art movement.

8

Including Sun Tunnels, The Spiral Jetty, and Complex City

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