Discover the 22 Most Surprising and Entertaining Fun Facts About Arizona!

1. Spiky State Flower

Arizona, where flowers pack a prickly punch: The state "flower" is actually the white blossom of the colossal saguaro cactus, the largest in the US, which blooms every May and June on the towering arms of the spiky plant.
Source => azlibrary.gov

2. Grand Canyon Grandeur

Feeling grand? Arizona just might be your cup of tea – or should we say, your colossal gorge of geological artistry: The astonishing Grand Canyon, stretching 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep, showcases its 5-6 million-year-old history sculpted by the persistent hands of the Colorado River and serves as a jaw-dropping vacation spot for millions of awestruck visitors annually.
Source => daily.jstor.org

Discover how the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869 led to a massive spike in Utah's popularity, drastically cut travel time, and kickstarted a mining boom! 🚂💰✨

=> Fun Facts about Utah

3. Drive-Thru Booze

Thirsty drivers un-wine-d in Arizona: The desert paradise is one of 30 US states where drive-thru liquor sales are legal, sparking concerns and controversy over the potential increase in drunk driving incidents.
Source => thenewswheel.com

4. Vintage Casino Diner

Feeling peckish? Ready to double down on a dining experience that packs a historic punch? Grab your fork and knife and let's head to Lutes Casino in Yuma, Arizona: a former billiard and domino parlor turned eatery since the 1940s, where vintage memorabilia, eclectic decor, and a curious hotdog-hamburger combo on the same bun known as the "Lutes Especial" have been satisfying foodies' taste buds and sense of nostalgia since 1951.
Source => onlyinyourstate.com

5. Snow in the Desert

Arizona: the land of sun, saguaros, and... ski resorts? That's snow joke: The mountainous regions of Arizona like Flagstaff receive over 100 inches of snow annually, while spots like Greer can be buried under up to 20 feet of frozen fluff per season, making the winter snowpack a vital source of the state's water supply.
Source => azfamily.com

6. Fossil-tastic Finds

Attention, fossil-hunters and Jurassic Park wannabes: Arizona's got a goldmine of ancient treasures hidden in plain sight! Fossils spanning over a billion years, from underwater creatures to land-roaming giants, are scattered across Grand Canyon National Park and Petrified Forest National Park, just waiting to be admired – but hands off, folks, as taking any souvenirs would land you in some seriously prehistoric trouble with the park authorities.
Source => azcentral.com

7. Lake Powell Man-Made Marvel

If you ever find yourself in Arizona, don't "dam"p up your excitement – ask about Lake Powell: A reservoir created by the Glen Canyon Dam in 1964, it's the second-largest man-made lake in the United States, holding a whopping 26 million acre-feet of water, hydrating California, Arizona, and Nevada, all while being a hotspot for water babies and adventurers alike!
Source => watereducation.org

8. Time Warp Zone

Abracadabra, time flies (but not in Arizona!): Most of Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Saving Time, except for the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, which does so because it spans into parts of Utah and New Mexico where Daylight Saving Time is observed.
Source => library.pima.gov

9. Arizona's Racing and Concerts

In Arizona, where concerts and races rock the desert harder than a roadrunner on roller skates, the party never stops: Outlandish escapades consist of the Grey Day Tour 2023 graced by $uicideboy$, the Goldrush Music Festival in October 2023, and adrenaline-pumping NASCAR championships including Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series races in November 2023.
Source => phoenixraceway.com

10. Native Americans' Long Voting Wait

"Ancient Voteland: The Unplugged Episode": Arizona took its sweet time to let its Native American citizens play the voting game, finally hooking them up with full voting rights in 1948 after the Arizona Supreme Court deemed the ban unconstitutional. Until then, they had to bide their time with mere US citizenship, which only came their way in 1924.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Historic Route 66 Revival

Get your kicks on Route 66, or learn a bit of history while channeling your inner wanderlust, as we venture through the Arizona desert on the good ol' "Mother Road": Covering a whopping 401 miles in Arizona, the iconic US Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926, breathing life into quaint towns and mom-and-pop businesses, from gas stations to motor courts, lining its crisscrossed path. Today, Arizona has reclaimed its slice of Americana with the "Historic Route 66" National Scenic Byway, immortalizing the nostalgic highway on modern maps for cruise-happy road trippers.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Astronauts' Meteor Crater Training

One might say Arizona's Meteor Crater is truly "out of this world" or perhaps a "hole-y" experience, as its lunar-like landscape once served as a giant sandbox for astronaut training: In the 1960s, space pioneers honed their moonwalking skills there before the historic Apollo missions, and now, Earthlings can soak up galactic knowledge through guided tours, interactive exhibits, and a 4D theater adventure at this cosmic attraction.
Source => meteorcrater.com

13. NASA's High-Flying 747

When NASA needed to scope out the universe, they didn't just shoot for the stars – they called in a jet-setting, globe-trotting 747 (move over, Richard Branson): The Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson showcases a rare Boeing 747SP that flew for Pan Am, United, DLR (German Space Agency), and NASA, equipped with a nearly 20-ton infrared telescope, soaring 45,000 ft high and unearthing cosmic secrets that terrestrial instruments couldn't touch.
Source => pimaair.org

14. Mysterious Superstition Mountains

They say the truth is stranger than fiction, but Arizona's Superstition Mountains have legends that give tall tales a run for their money: These mighty volcanic peaks feature the highest summit at 5,024 feet and are surrounded by tales of buried treasure and lost cities, making hikers feel like they're part Indiana Jones, part mountaineer.
Source => americansouthwest.net

15. Yuma's Surprising Cool Side

When Yuma says, "I have a cool side too, you know," it's not just autumn talking: Despite its sun-soaked reputation, Yuma, Arizona, actually enjoys cooler, milder temperatures during fall and winter, with rare hard freezes, allowing for a thriving winter harvest of veggies and citrus.
Source => visityuma.com

16. Miraculous Chapel in the Rocks

When God said, "Let there be light," the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Arizona whispered, "Hold my beer": This jaw-dropping house of worship in Sedona beams ethereal vibes thanks to its construction smack-dab into the majestic red rocks, giving traditional Parisian churches a run for their money as an architectural masterpiece with a touch of divine desert charm.
Source => chapeloftheholycross.com

17. Colorful Rainbow Forest Museum

Who needs the stairway to heaven when you've got the Rainbow Forest Museum instead? Built in the moody June of 1931, this architectural gem was the creation of a dynamic duo, the Supermen of Landscape Architects: Thos. C. Vint and his trusty sidekick, Herbert Krienkamp. Surprisingly, they bypassed the need for the Civilian Conservation Corps' superpowers, instead channeling their energies into building a picturesque museum, tool shed, and three snug homes for the grand total of $21,094. Talk about a bargain back then, eh?: The Rainbow Forest Museum in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park was constructed from June to December in 1931, under the supervision of Chief Landscape Architect Thos. C. Vint and his assistant Herbert Krienkamp, for a total cost of $21,094; interestingly, the project was not built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Source => nps.gov

18. Spooky Tombstone Ghost Town

They say a good ghost town really ought to have a good graveyard: Enter Tombstone, Arizona! Home to the O.K. Corral, historic saloons, cemeteries, theatres, parks, churches, and buildings among its attractions, this famous ghost town provides visitors with a sneak peek into the Wild West era of the state's bullet-riddled past.
Source => travel2next.com

19. London Bridge's American Adventure

In a feat that would make even Mary Poppins pop in for an arched-eyebrow visit, London Bridge packed up its crumpets and headed to the Wild West: Arizona's very own Lake Havasu City is home to the original London Bridge, which was purchased for over $7 million in the 1960s by entrepreneur Robert McCulloch. Deemed unfit for modern British traffic and sinking into the Thames, the bridge was shipped overseas, disassembled, and meticulously rebuilt over three years to become the crowning glory of its new American abode, where millions of visitors now flock to get a taste of British design in the midst of a desert oasis.
Source => history.com

20. Wild West Gunfight Reenactments

Step right up, pardners, to the Wild West's biggest showdown of all time, Gunslingers & Saloon Gossips Unlimited: Tombstone, Arizona is home to the O.K. Corral Historic Complex, where you can witness daily reenactments of the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. The complex also includes eleven exhibits to explore like the Cowboy Bunkhouse, C.S. Fly's Photographic Studio, and the running water mining sluice.
Source => ok-corral.com

21. Chilling Queen Mine Tour

Looking for a "cool" hangout where you can "mine" your own business? Pack your sense of adventure and head to Bisbee, Arizona: Home to the Queen Mine Tour, a subterranean experience led by former miners, where you'll don a slicker, helmet, and miner's headlamp before hopping on a mine train and venturing into the frosty 47-degree depths, with tours available seven days a week, five times daily.
Source => bisbeeaz.gov

22. Sun-Stalking Solar Telescope

In Arizona, the sun doesn't just make your car feel like a mobile toaster oven, it's also the subject of some intense scientific stalking: The McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory is the world's largest solar telescope, boasting a diameter of 1.6 meters and used to study the sun's activity and magnetic fields like a cosmic detective on a sweltering stakeout.
Source => britannica.com