Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon West and Grand Canyon Skywalk, Pedal Bar Crawl of Old Town Scottsdale, Phoenix Mountains Preserve, Why Tripadvisor users love Arizona

A slot canyon on the Navajo Nation. An Instagram-famous point where a river meanders. A glass-bottom platform with Grand Canyon views.

These Arizona places were just ranked among the nation's best things to do.

Tripadvisor released the latest phase of its 2025 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards, spotlighting attractions and experiences in the U.S. and around the world.

Arizona landmarks and tours that include experiences in Arizona were among those receiving the highest praise from Tripadvisor's community of travelers based on reviews over the last 12 months. It builds on numerous past accolades from the travel website, with Sedona frequently receiving praise.

Lower Antelope Canyon is known for its narrow, winding passageways and stunning red sandstone formations, carved over thousands of years by water and wind.

Here are the Arizona places that were ranked among the best things to do.

Antelope Canyon

Walls of red and orange-hued sandstone curve about, forming a smooth texture. Antelope Canyon, one of Arizona's slot canyons − described by the Arizona Office of Tourism as "skinny, serpentine canyons naturally carved in Navajo sandstone" − was Tripadvisor users' No. 16 attraction in the U.S.

Only accessible via guided tour, Antelope Canyon won praise from Tripadvisor for its unique scenery and photo opportunities: "Guides know the best photo spots and will help you with your camera, so you don’t miss any of the colors."

Antelope Canyon has an upper and lower part; the lower canyon is more challenging to explore because of its narrow passages, steep stairs and elevation changes. For tour information and reservations, visit navajonationparks.org.

Horseshoe Bend

For a second year, Horseshoe Bend shares space with national icons like the Golden Gate Bridge and Empire State Building on the top U.S. attractions list. The Instagram-famous landmark is down eight spots from its 2024 rank, placing at No. 22.

But the national recognition for this once-obscure spot continues to raise its profile and draw more visitors to the sinuous river meander around a sandstone formation − recognition that also included a nod as one of USA TODAY's Most Treasured Views in America.

While most people come for the Horseshoe Bend views, Tripadvisor users also like the panoramic views of the Colorado River and nearby rock formations. People can see Horseshoe Bend by walking a half-mile trail to the viewing area.

A two-day tour out of Las Vegas that includes Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend plus Grand Canyon and Zion national parks, was ranked the No. 8 nature and outdoors experience in the U.S.

Grand Canyon West and Grand Canyon Skywalk

A Las Vegas-based tour that includes a stop at an attraction on the Hualapai Indian Reservation with Grand Canyon views was named the No. 9 best experience in the U.S., in a ranking that compiles the best sightseeing tours.

The 10-hour, 30-minute trip from Comedy On Deck Tours includes admission to Grand Canyon West with stops at overlooks such as Guano Point and an option to add viewing from the glass-bottom Skywalk to the experience. There's also a stop at Hoover Dam, built in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River on the Arizona/Nevada state line.

Grand Canyon West is popular with people visiting Las Vegas, in part because it's closer to Vegas than Grand Canyon National Park. The tour company, like others in Vegas, refers to Grand Canyon West as the "West Rim." But Grand Canyon West is not affiliated with the national park, which consists of the South Rim and the North Rim (currently closed because of the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim).

Pedal Bar Crawl of Old Town Scottsdale

Some sightseeing tours take you to historical and cultural landmarks; others take you to haunted places where you might find ghosts. Pedal Bar Crawl of Old Town Scottsdale, Tripadvisor users' No. 11 experience in the U.S. of 2025, is straightforward: the sights involve bar hopping.

Operated by ArizonaPartyBike.com, this two-hour tour takes people aboard a bike that can seat up to 14 riders to three bars in Old Town. The cost of drinks is separate from the tour cost; going on the tour does give riders exclusive drink specials.

The stops vary by the tour chosen, and groups can end their outing either at the third bar or at the party bike headquarters. Most groups prefer to visit two bars for 30 minutes each and get dropped off at the third so they have equal time at the bars and on the bike, according to ArizonaPartyBike.com.

Phoenix Mountains Preserve

Sunrise and sunset views of the Sonoran Desert are the draw of a guided hike that Tripadvisor users named the No. 20 nature and outdoor experience in the U.S.

The hikes, offered by Scottsdale-based adventure travel company Mad Desert Trekking, take hikers into a cactus forest and wide canyon in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. It continues along a ridgeline and tops out on a saddle that overlooks Piestewa Peak, ending with the summit of a peak in the preserve, said Matt Kalina, owner and operator of Mad Desert Trekking.

"It is our most popular offering in which guests experience the energy of the Sonoran Desert − the most diverse desert in the world − changing from night to day or day to night, depending upon a pre-sunrise or pre-sunset start," he said.

The sunrise and sunset hikes take place on a trail requiring moderate skill level, Kalina said. Mad Desert also offers Camelback Mountain and Scottsdale desert hikes.

Why Tripadvisor users love Arizona

Arizona is no stranger to recognition from Tripadvisor.

Sedona is a frequent Travelers' Choice Award honoree, ranking as one of the best U.S. cities to visit because of its iconic natural scenery and luxurious resort spas. Its hotels and restaurants also received praise; Adobe Grand Villas was named the best small hotel in the U.S. in 2023 (it was No. 11 in 2025), while Golden Goose American Grill and Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano placed among the nation's best restaurants.

Tripadvisor's list of the best U.S. destinations included Page in 2023 and Scottsdale in 2024; Page was praised for dramatic views of the Glen Canyon Dam and Native American culture, while Scottsdale's attractions, entertainment and spas stood out. The Page fried chicken restaurant BirdHouse, recently declared Arizona's best fried chicken by Yelp (and a contender in The Arizona Republic's fried chicken poll), is also a recurring Tripadvisor favorite.

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected].