An A Family Storage Blog
Moving to Arizona?
Things To know & Places to Go in Arizona
Not just outlaws and gunslingers
While many know Arizona for its wild west outlaws and gunslingers from the past it is also known for beautiful sunsets, unique geography, and fun activities. We dive into the past, things to do in Arizona, places to go, and things to see in Arizona. As well as other things you should know about Arizona, the Grand Canyon State.
A Brief History
Yes, we all know that Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon which stretches 277 miles and is up to 18 miles wide and one mile deep. But did you know that it is also home to the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States?
According to History.com, the Hopi Indian Village Oraibi dates back to at least 1150 AD. It is still populated today by Hopi traditionalists who have not changed their ways much over the centuries. Arizona is home to the greatest percentage of state acreage designated as Indian tribal land in the United States. It boasts 27 federally recognized Native American tribes, including the Navajo Nation, one of the largest native tribes.
But before Arizona was recognized as part of the United States, it was part of Spanish and Mexican territories. In 1848, Arizona was ceded to the United States and it became a separate territory in 1863. However, it did not achieve statehood until February 14, 1912.
Until the 1950s, copper mining was the main economic driver in Arizona and a large portion of the population was employed in the copper mining industry. After World War II and the availability of refrigeration and air condition. the heat became less of discouragement and the population began to soar.
Winter
Phoenix
High 68°F/20°C
Low 47°F/8°C
Tucson
High 66°F/18°C
Low 42°F/5°C
Flagstaff
High 43°F/6°C
Low 18°F/-8°C
Sedona
High 59°F/15°C
Low 34°F/1°
Spring
Phoenix
High 68°F/20°C
Low 61°F/16°C
Tucson
High 85°F/29°C
Low 55°F/13°C
Flagstaff
High 59°F/15°C
Low 30°F/-1°C
Sedona
High 75°F/24°C
Low 45°F/7°C
Summer
Phoenix
High 105°F/40°C
Low 82°F/28°C
Tucson
High 100°F/38°C
Low 75°F/24°C
Flagstaff
High 69°F/21°C
Low 48°F/9°C
Sedona
High 95°F/35°C
Low 64°F/18°C
Fall
Phoenix
High 88°F/31°C
Low 65°F/18°C
Tucson
High 85°F/29°CC
Low 60°F/16°C
Flagstaff
High 62°F/17°C
Low 32°F/0°C
Sedona
High 74°F/23°C
Low 50°F/10°C
Things To know & Places to Go In Arizona
Today, Arizona is home to 7.2 million people and is the 14th most populated state in the United States. Whether you are a student, retired, or somewhere in the middle, there are plenty of things to do in Arizona. Whether you are looking for the hustle and bustle of the city streets or a quieter town you can find it here in Arizona.
Some may think of Arizona as just a desert but there is more to Arizona than just the well-known scorching heat. If you were to head to Flagstaff or Pinetop you might catch a snowfall and cold winter nights, or go to Tucson and experience the downpour of a summer monsoon, in the right seasons of course.
Even though A Family Storage is solely located in Tucson, Arizona, we wanted to share why Arizona is an amazing place to live and visit. If you are not a resident of Arizona, but travel here frequently for work or play and want to store your belongings with us, give us a call and we can find the right storage option for you.*
Places to Visit and Things to Do in Arizona
1. Grand Canyon, Arizona
One of the biggest attractions in the United States and Arizona is the Grand Canyon. It has taken millions of years of natural weathering and erosion to carve through the many layers of rock. Because of this, geologists have had the opportunity to study evolution through time. The oldest known part of the canyon is the Vishnu basement rocks, which, can be found at the bottom of the Inner Gorge.
The Vishnu rocks formed about 1.7 billion years ago when magma hardened and joined this region—once a volcanic ocean chain—to the North American continent. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide which allows us to experience countless activities.
Need more information? Check out the National Park Service page here.
What Can I do at the Grand Canyon?
- Check out the Grand Canyon Village
- Walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk
- Ride on the Grand Canyon Railway
- Horseback riding tours
- Fishing
- Hiking Tours
- Helicopter Tours
- River Kayaking/Rafting
- View the Natural Wonders
- View Native Culture
2.The Lost Dutchman Trails near Apache Junction, Arizona
Hundreds of prospectors risk their lives every year trying to find the alleged mother lode. Numerous maps have surfaced over the years, but they always seem to disappear. Many who claimed to have found the Peralta mine have never been able to locate it again, or some disaster has occurred, preventing them from returning to it, and some have even died looking for it – all adding to the lore of a “lost mine.”
In the 1870s, Jacob Waltz, nicknamed “the Dutchman,” was said to have located the mine with help from a descendant of the original mine owners. He and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked the mine and allegedly hid caches of gold somewhere in the mountains. Weiser was killed, either by Apache’s or by Waltz himself if you believe the rumors. Either way, Waltz ended up as the sole owner of the mine and its riches.
You can still safely hike other trails and find mines along the way. We do not recommend trying to find “The Dutchman” treasure as 12 people have completely vanished or died looking for this specific mine. However, we do recommend the other trails on the mountain, which are safe and a great way to burn some calories and potentially see wildlife.
Safe Trails:
Native Plant, Treasure Loop, Prospector’s View, Jacob’s Crosscut, Siphon Draw, and Discovery Trail.
Animals to Avoid in Arizona
Like any other state there are some animals you will want to avoid or maintain your distance because they are dangerous, if provoked. Wild animals do not, typically, seek us out to hurt us, they just want to protect themselves and live. We use the common rule, avoid them and they will probably avoid you when talking about these animals. Click Here to read information from Arizona Game & Fish about living with Arizona’s wildlife.
Animals you’ll want to maintain your distance:
Rattlesnakes, Black Bears, Bobcats, Coyotes, Javelina, Mountain Lions, and Raptors
While this may sound scary, most of the time you will not encounter these animals because they try to avoid humans.
3.Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium, Litchfield Park, Arizona
Do you love wildlife but cannot seem to find any, anytime you’re on your hike? The Wildlife World Zoo has been operated since 1984 and now has the largest collection of exotic animals with 600 different species in Arizona.
Visitors can feed giraffes, parrots, and stingrays and even see wildlife on their rides. There are also different types of restaurants and lounges in the park. Take a full day to spend time with friends and family at this amazing zoo and don’t forget to donate, if you can. Donations help the zoo animals thrive, making your future experiences more pleasant for you, your friends and family, and most of all the animals.
Need more information? Check out their page and get updates to exhibits, prices and other information here.
4.Tombstone, Arizona
If you are not a hiker or need something a bit more relaxing, check out Tombstone. The Old West atmosphere of Tombstone will have you thinking you jumped into Doc Brown’s DeLorean and you’re back in the wild west; with sounds of gunfire included, sort of.
If you are a wild west fan or have ever wanted to see a town full of history, Tombstone is the spot for you. It was founded in 1877 by a prospector named Ed Schieffelin and is renowned as the place where Wyatt Erp and the Erp brothers hung their hats. Catch O.K. Corral’s gunfight reenactment, a trolley tour, ghosts tours, horseback riding tours, stagecoach rides, and more. Just over an hour south of Tucson, Arizona, it’s the perfect place for a day trip, or to enjoy an overnight experience.
Need more information? Check out their page here.
5.Trail Dust Town in Tucson, Arizona
If you can’t get away from the city, you can still experience the old west at Trail Dust Town. located right in Tucson, Arizona. Filled with the energy of the Old West, Trail Dust Town offers wild west stunt shows, a carousel and Ferris wheel, gold panning, a train ride, and a shooting gallery. It’s small, but it still has room for food, history, attractions, and shopping all close to the city of Tucson.
Need more information? Check out their page here.
6.Pima Air & Space Museum – Tucson, Arizona
Pima Air & Space Museum opened in 1976 and is one of the largest Air and Space Museums in the world; and is the largest self-supporting aerospace museum. The museum features more than 400 historic aircraft, from a Wright Flyer to a 787 Dreamliner, and encompasses six indoor exhibit hangars (three dedicated to World War II) and 90 acres of outdoor displays.
Need more information? Check out their page here.
Have A Love for Sports?
Sometimes, the best getaway is going to a stadium and watching sports live with a cold drink, great friends, and some good old concession food. Just like other states we have: American football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and indoor football. What’s special about Arizona? We have the oldest team in the National Football League.
Our football team, the Arizona Cardinals, was established in Chicago in 1898 (123 years ago). They moved to Phoenix in 1988 and are going strong.
Our professional baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, was established in 1998 and won their first world series in 2001 against the New York Yankees. Making them the fastest expansion team in major league history to win a championship. The Phoenix Suns are currently 2nd in the Western Conference with 51 wins. Go Sun’s!
Need more information? Check out their page here.
8.The Gem Show – Tucson, Arizona
Interested in treasures? Find the world’s treasures all in one place. The gem show is the world’s largest gem and mineral show on earth.
Located in Tucson, Arizona the show brings approximately 55,000 guests from all around the world and is the largest US annual event both in visitors and dollars generated. The gem show even has a collection of fossils. The event was unfortunately canceled in early 2021 because of the pandemic however, it has been rescheduled for September 2 – September 5, 2021, from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, daily.
9.The Nightlife
If you are a student or want to experience the nightlife there are plenty of things to do. Kayaking the Tempe town lake with glowsticks, sipping on drinks in the award-winning Undertow cocktail bar, hitting the Electric Bat or Cobra Arcade bar, or pressing your luck with a hand of blackjack at one of our casinos. And with a great nightlight comes great food. Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson have amazing food. Fan of Mexican food? Given the proximity to Mexico, it is not a surprise that Arizona is home to some amazing and real Mexican restaurants. Not a fan of Mexican food? That’s ok, we have a wild variety of great food and it’s just growing. Find your favorite restaurant or food truck here in Arizona.
Arizona has soo much to offer that we cannot put everything in one blog post. However, If you enjoyed reading this blog follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on next blog coming soon.
A Family Storage
Whether you are in need of some extra storage space to store your outdoor equipment, RV’s, cars, gems, souvenirs from your travels, OR just need a bit more room at home, we can help find the storage solution for you. We have over 19 locations with storage ranging from small 4x5 units to warehouses with over 5,400 sq. ft. business storage solutions. We are the largest family owned, woman led storage facility in Tucson, Arizona. We can find something that will suit your budget and space needs.
Give us a call, check out our page, or stop by. In the process of moving and need tips? Check out our other blogs and follow us online for more content.
*Requirements for renting a storage unit:
- Driver’s license or form of Identification
- Homeowner insurance or Bader insurance (our insurance)
- A form of payment
https://www.history.com/topics/us-states/arizona
https://www.historynet.com/wild-west-outlaws-and-lawmen
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oraibi-village
https://travel.usnews.com/Grand_Canyon_AZ/Things_To_Do/
https://tombstoneweb.com/
https://azgfd.com/wildlife/livingwith
http://www.traildusttown.com
http://www.visitphoenix.com
http://pimaair.org
https://wildlifeworld.com
