These are the most underrated things about Arizona, from food and weather to the power grid

When the temperature is above 100 degrees and your car is scorching hot, it can be hard to appreciate living in Arizona.

A Reddit post was created in the r/arizona thread on Jan. 24 asking people to "name something underrated about Arizona that people don't talk about."

This was followed up with "What is underrated about Arizona?" The question posed by @thebigthinker2000 received more than 350 comments with many commenters sharing what they love about the Grand Canyon state.

Stars swirl in the sky during an eight-minute exposure as the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon SkyCenter surveys the night sky.

From the food and stargazing to things like the quality of the roads, here are the top 10 underrated things about Arizona, according to Arizonans.

Family and friends 'always want to come visit PHX'

There are many cheap flights to and from Phoenix, which makes it much easier for you to travel, visit loved ones or for them to come visit you.

"I don't have to visit friends and family in weird places," Reddit user @LarryGoldwater commented with 77 upvotes. "They always want to come visit PHX."

'Absolute geology & science nerd's heaven'

From the many different hikes you can take in Arizona, there are a ton of breathtaking natural landscapes that make an "absolute geology & science nerd's heaven," according to Reddit user @darien_gap.

The commenter also listed Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, Cinder Cones, Lava Tubes, Lowell Observatory, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Paleolithic Ruins and Titan Missile Museum as spots fairly close together.

'Our freeways are clean and for the most part new'

The Arizona Department of Transportation is continuing, starting or finishing nine construction projects in 2025. Many of the projects are funded by Proposition 400, a dedicated sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. In November 2024, voters approved Proposition 479, extending the existing half-cent tax to fund future transportation projects in the Phoenix region.

This may be why @CallEmergency1584 commented that "our freeways are clean and for the most part new."

'Food, we like food'

User @rkalla commented that Arizonans have a good appreciation of food.

The Arizona Republic recently compiled our 100 essential metro Phoenix restaurants list of 2025 to either remind you of old favorites or inspire you to find new ones. The options are endless.

'5 hours from very different ecological regions'

Reddit user @rkalla commented that Arizona is "5 hours from very different ecological regions (desert, forest, ocean)."

If you're in the mood to visit the beach, Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, or Rocky Point, is the closest option at about 213 miles from metro Phoenix. You can also travel north to Flagstaff if you're in the mood to see the leaves change color or to get your snow fix. Finally, there are also plenty of desert hikes you can take in the state.

'Very dark skies in parts of the state'

@darien_gap's comment received 173 upvotes: "There are some very dark skies in parts of the state if you’re into astronomy, astrophotography, or stargazing."

There are indeed many Dark Sky Communities in Arizona; the seven certified by DarkSky International include: Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Fountain Hills, Big Park/Village of Oak Creek, Flagstaff, Sedona and Thunder Mountain Pootsee Nightsky.

Dark Sky works to help certify and conserve starry sky parks, communities and other places around the world. They do this by working with communities and professionals to establish codes and statutes that reduce light pollution.

'The lack of natural disasters'

"The lack of natural disasters," Reddit user @negativezero_o commented. "Distanced from fault lines, protected by mountains and above sea level. The whole damn state."

Arizona is not entirely immune to natural disasters and typically faces wildfires during the hotter months. Flooding, extreme heat, monsoons, winter weather and earthquakes can still affect the state.

'The reliability of our power grid'

Coming in at 368 upvotes, @xczechr commented that "the reliability of our power grid" is the most underrated thing about Arizona.

A 2023 study from the Environmental Science and Technology journal found that blackouts are on the rise across the nation; however, according to Climate Central data, Arizona is drastically below the national average when it comes to grid failures.

In the last 24 years, the state has only had six outages due to extreme weather.

'Vehicles don't rust away'

User @trocarshovel got 390 upvotes for their comment that "vehicles don't rust away."

Although cars may not rust as often in Arizona, @ghost_mv did comment that "paint gets destroyed by the sun."

Extreme heat can cause some common car troubles, including overheating, battery problems, tire issues, fluid evaporation, fuel system problems and interior damage.

Regular maintenance and keeping track of your car's temperature gauge can help prevent problems before they become severe.

'The desert scent after rain is wonderful'

Coming in as the No. 1 most underrated thing about Arizona ― with 420 upvotes ― was @BWSD's comment that they think "the desert scent after rain is wonderful."

Some Reddit users raised skepticism about how often it does rain, which is true. Except for the monsoon, the Phoenix area can have quite a few dry spells.

Regardless, it's something Arizonans seem to value about the state.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: These are the most underrated things about Arizona, from food and weather to the power grid