By james art It’s incredibly expensive to be an American. Although workers’ wages in the United States have increased 80% over the past 50 years, those gains have not kept up with the ever-increasing cost of living, according to a 2024 report by Consumer Affairs. Between 1970 and 2022, the national consumer price index increased by more than 500%, while wages rose by only 80%.
This imbalance has placed enormous strain on the average American. The number of cost-burdened households in the U.S. hit an 11-year high in 2022, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. In June 2024, Redfin reported that the median home sale price in the US reached an all-time high of $394,000.
It’s no wonder that maintaining savings, paying off debt and mortgages, and regular expenses take precedence over vacations. But not everything that is pleasant has to have a high price. In fact, there is a list of completely free things to do in Arizona.
Consider the most common elements in a vacation getaway itinerary: sightseeing, sightseeing, or completing a nature walk. Or maybe you’re just looking to relax and want some peace and quiet. Whether you’re a history buff or looking to dip your toes in cool water, you can find all of this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker has compiled a list of the top-rated free things to do in Arizona using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics including overall rating, reviews and page views. As a result, an activity with an overall rating of 5 out of 5 may be ranked lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 12, 2024.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!
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#30. Apache Trail Scenic Drive
– Rating: 4.5/5 (648 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. The historical part of the center
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1093 reviews)
– Address: 117 W. Goodwin St. Prescott, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Pinnacle Peak Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1017 reviews)
– Address: 26802 North 102nd Way Scottsdale, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Scottsdale Fashion Square
– Rating: 4.5/5 (612 reviews)
– Address: 7014 East Camelback Road Scottsdale, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Lake Havasu
– Rating: 4.5/5 (797 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#25. London Bridge
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1840 reviews)
– Address: 314 London Bridge Rd. Lake Havasu City, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Main street
– Rating: 4/5 (872 reviews)
– Address: Main St. Sedona, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Boynton Canyon Trail
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1052 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Oatman Ghost Town
– Rating: 4/5 (712 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. South Mountain Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1338 reviews)
– Address: 10919 South Central Ave. Phoenix, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#20. Canyon de Chelly National Monument
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1924 reviews)
– Address: 191 Highway Chinle, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (804 reviews)
– Address: 2650 Pueblo Drive Sedona, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,246 reviews)
– Address: 7301 East Indian Bend Road Scottsdale, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. McDowell Sonora Reserve
– Rating: 5/5 (1151 reviews)
– Address: 18333 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy Scottsdale, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Goldfield Ghost Town
– Rating: 4/5 (1866 reviews)
– Address: 4650 North Mammoth Mine Road Apache Junction, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#15. Papago Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (862 reviews)
– Address: 625 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Mesa Airport
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,887 reviews)
– Address: 483 Airport Road Sedona, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179)
– Rating: 5/5 (4,287 reviews)
– Address: Highway 179 Red Rock Visitor Center and Ranger Station Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1768 reviews)
– Address: 336 State Route 179 Sedona, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Mission San Xavier del Bac
– Rating: 4.5/5 (4413 reviews)
– Address: 1950 West San Xavier Road Tucson, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#10. Lemon Mountain Scenic Trail
– Rating: 5/5 (3,264 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. A hole in the rock
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1117 reviews)
– Address: 625 North Galvin Pkwy Papago Park Phoenix, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Kamilbek Mountain
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,561 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Bell Rock
– Rating: 4.5/5 (5,008 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Oak Creek Canyon
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3431 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#5. Old Town Scottsdale
– Rating: 4/5 (5650 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. The Devil’s Bridge Trail
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3708 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Chapel of the Holy Cross
– Rating: 4.5/5 (10,756 reviews)
– Address: 780 Chapel Road Sedona, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Cathedral Rock
– Rating: 5/5 (6,072 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Horseshoe Bend
– Rating: 4.5/5 (15,445 reviews)
– Address: Mile Marker 545, Highway 89 Page, Arizona
– Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, written by Zuri White-Gibson, and is part of a series using data automation in the 50 states and Washington
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