Heard Museum, Phoenix

The Heard Museum is home to America's finest collection of Native American art, making this an essential attraction for visitors looking to gain an understanding of the west's original inhabitants. In total there are over 39,000 works of cultural and fine art ranging across textiles, katsina dolls, pottery, jewellery, baskets, cradleboards, paintings and sculpture. There are also 10 galleries with dynamic and imaginatively curated exhibitions. Don't miss the annual Guild Indian Fair and Market (March) which includes traditional dance performances along with arts and crafts. The museums signature exhibition is Home: Native People in the Southwest, which uses a variety of media to take visitors on an unforgettable journey through the region and the vibrant arts and cultures of its Native peoples.

Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 9:30am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm.

Admission:
$15 (adults), $7.50 (children aged 6-12).

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix

If you don't particularly like cacti before your visit, there is a good chance you'll fall in love with them by the time you leave. These Desert Botanical Gardens get high ratings not only for the size and range of the botanical collection - 21,000 plants, representing 139 species - but due the inventive way visitors get to experience them. Founded in 1939, the garden provides visitors with a fascinating and colourful introduction to the ethnobotany of the region. A highlight is the Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail which allows you to make your own yucca-fibre brush and grind corn as the Native Americans once did. Over November and December the gardens are lit up at night by beautiful luminarias(candles inside small bags).

Opening Times:
Open daily 8am-8pm.

Admission:
$18 (adults), $8 (children).

Taliesin West, Phoenix

Taliesin West was legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school from 1937 until he died in 1959, aged 91. Today the facility can be visited as the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation with tours providing a general introduction to Wright and his hugely influential theories of architecture. The building is built of natural stone, a reflection of Wright's philosophy that local materials should be used design wherever possible. There are a range of tours available to suit your level of interest: for the rookie, a basic introductory tour is recommended, while devotees will want the behind-the-scenes exposé.

Opening Times:
Daily 9am-4pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Admission:
Tours start at $24 adults, $10 children.

The Grand Canyon, Phoenix

A mile deep, 277 miles (446km) long and up to 18 miles (29km) wide, the breathtaking grandeur of the Grand Canyon is so impressive that pictures or words simply cannot do it justice. One of the great natural wonders of the world, it was formed by the cutting action of the Colorado River over millions of years. The hard rock formations survive as great cliffs, pinnacles and buttes, and the different layers of rock span a range of colours: from purple, fiery-red and pastel-pink, to yellow, brown, grey and soft tones of blue.

Whether by foot or on horseback, from a plane or helicopter, aboard a raft down the mighty Colorado River or by merely gazing in awe from the rim, the canyon's seemingly infinite depths can be experienced in a variety of ways and is a sight not to be missed however one chooses to see it. The park receives hoards of visitors from around the world, who never fail to be transfixed by the sculpted rock shapes, the shifting colours that change with the light, and a tiny glimpse of the Colorado River far below.

The Grand Canyon National Park comprises two separate areas: the South Rim and the more remote North Rim. Separated by the 10-mile (16km) width of the canyon, it is a 215-mile (346km) drive from one Visitor Centre to the other. The South Rim is the most accessible and has more facilities, and as a result it attracts the bulk of visitors to its boundaries. The North Rim is higher in elevation, wetter, with thicker surrounding forests, is further to access, and is cut off by snowfall from October to May. Many people however, prefer its comparative peacefulness and less-crowded lookouts.

Both rims have numerous drives and walkways along the edge with various scenic viewpoints, and some hiking trails into the canyon where one can overnight at Phantom Ranch on the canyon floor. The impact of the more than four million visitors a year to the South Rim, especially during the busy summer months, is one of overcrowding and traffic congestion; but to see for oneself one of the most spectacular examples of natural erosion in the world more than makes up for the inconvenience.

There are also several educational and cultural attractions at the Grand Canyon, including the Tusayan Museum and Ruin (near Desert View), the Yavapai Museum of Geology, and the Verkamps Visitors Center.

Grand Canyon West has recently opened the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass-bottomed, horseshoe shaped deck that juts almost 70 feet (21m) from the canyon's rim. It gives visitors the sensation of being suspended amid the canyon's towering red rock walls above a faint sliver of Colorado River flowing 4,000 feet (1,219m) below. There is an additional charge for the Skywalk, which is not for those with a fear of heights. Another great way to tour the Grand Grand Canyon is on the Grand Canyon Railway, a vintage steam train that winds its way around the area.

Getting There:
Shuttle services operate between Phoenix and Flagstaff, and between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. Free shuttle buses also operate from Grand Canyon Village to the South Rim. A shuttle service is provided between the north and south rim in season. It is a four-hour journey from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon

Opening Times:
South Rim is open 24 hours daily, all year; Information Plaza 8am-5pm. The North Rim is open mid-May to mid-October, and the visitor centre 8am-6pm.

Admission:
Entrance to the park is $25 per vehicle or $12 for pedestrians and cyclists, valid for seven days on either rim. The Skywalk is accessed by a shuttle bus and $30 is charged to walk out on the deck (concessions are available).

Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, Phoenix

Located surprisingly close to downtown Phoenix is the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, the site of a 1,500-year-old Hohokam village ruin. Mysteriously abandoned around 1450, all that remains of the village is a small museum with artefacts and exhibits showing daily life in the settlement. Hiking trails wind around the ruins themselves, so visitors should be prepared for the hot weather of southern Arizona. The site hosts the Pueblo Grande Indian Market each December, featuring more than 250 local artisans.

Kingman, Phoenix

Kingman is a nostalgic tourist destination in Arizona. Located in the northeastern corner of Arizona between the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, the city is a popular fuelling stop between the two destinations; however, Kingman is known for having been a major stop along the famous Route 66. There are a few old buildings and museums dedicated to this era, and though most of the road has been replaced by Interstate I-40, the longest remaining stretch runs from Kingman to Ash Fork.

The Hopi Reservation, Phoenix

The Hopi Reservation, also referred to as simply Hopi, is the site of the oldest Hopi settlements in the world. Located in a remote region of flat-topped mesas and completely surrounded by the Navajo Nation are the two main villages, Walpi and Old Oraibi. While the villages are mostly just collections of houses, it is possible to see a glimpse of traditional pueblo culture and buy handcrafted souvenirs made by local residents. Visitors to The Hopi Reservation should be respectful of local culture, and ask permission before photographing anyone.

Petrified Forest National Park, Phoenix

Located in the northeastern corner of Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park was designated a national monument in 1906. The trees within the park are over 225 million years old, and have over that period transformed into brilliantly-coloured minerals, the world's largest concentration of petrified wood. Aside from the trees, there is a variety of wildlife to see in the park, including bobcats, coyotes, owls, porcupines, mule deer, and various desert lizards and rodents. There are several trails leading to popular sites in the park, making it a great place for desert hiking. Visitors should be aware that it is illegal to remove petrified wood from Petrified Forest National Park.

Opening Times:
Opening hours vary according to season. Check the website for specific dates.

Admission:
$10 per vehicle, valid for seven days.