250 Things We Love About Arizona

This is not a comprehensive list. Let’s get that out of the way, right away. Even if we had as much real estate as the Oxford English Dictionary, all 20 volumes, we couldn’t cover it all. There are so many things to love about Arizona. Too many to fit in a single magazine. We can’t even pull it off in our guidebooks. We have several dedicated to narrow subjects — hikes, scenic drives, ghost towns — and even then we only scratch the surface. It’s the same with this. It’s just a sample of what’s out there. Two hundred fifty things to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial. Some are obvious, like the Heard Museum and Kolb Studio. But much of what you’ll see inside is less familiar. Like the Melon Crush at Local Juicery.

What they all have in common is a key role in why we’re here. Some people think of us as a photography magazine. It’s understandable. We publish some pretty good stuff. Our mission, however, is “to promote travel to and through the state.” We do that by showcasing the people, places and things that make Arizona unique, from its spectacular landscapes and colorful history to its fascinating culture and endless adventure. This month, we feature all of the above. It’s a small sample. But it’s enough to keep you busy for a while.
 

Mooney Falls
Plunging nearly 200 feet into a turquoise pool, Mooney Falls is per-haps the most dramatic cascade in the village of Supai, at the far western edge of the Grand Canyon. Reached via a steep, chain-assisted descent, the falls reward hikers with mist and an extreme sense of wonder.
Suzanne Mathia

ARIZONA AMERICA250
To celebrate the semiquincentennial on a local level, the Arizona America250 commission has created a community calendar that spotlights events around the state, along with a program called Passport250, which serves as a how-to guide for exploring and experiencing the best of Arizona. The passport features several categories, including “Outdoors,” “Indigenous Travel” and “Dark Skies.” To learn more, please visit america250az.org.