Last updated August 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
Things to Do in Arizona: What Is Actually Worth Your Time
Quick answer: This is an honest look at Arizona: which popular attraction to think twice about, what to do with that time instead, and the spot most visitors never reach.
The most overrated stop in Arizona is Devil’s Bridge near Sedona. The arch is genuinely photogenic, but the 1.8-mile round-trip trail funnels everyone to one ledge, and from late morning into mid-afternoon in peak season the line to step out for a photo runs 30 to 60-plus minutes. Skip it. Drive to Doe Mountain instead, where a short switchback climb opens onto a flat mesa-top with red-rock panoramas, no shuttle, and a real shot at solitude at sunrise. If you do want a vortex, note that Cathedral Rock requires the free SR 179 park-and-ride shuttle Thursday through Sunday, so start before 7am to drive straight to the trailhead.
The pick most visitors miss is the Desert View section of Grand Canyon’s South Rim. The Desert View Watchtower, designed by architect Mary Colter and built in 1932, sits at the quiet east end and gets a fraction of the Grand Canyon Village crowds. Enter through the Desert View station to skip the main south-entrance backup, then work back along the 23-mile Desert View Drive.
- At Horseshoe Bend there is no admission fee, only about $10 per vehicle for parking; the lot opens at 5:30am, so a sunrise visit beats the 9-to-11am rush.
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John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
