Arizona is an Amazing State. Find out Why!

We are excited about our upcoming book (March 2020) Arizona Day Trips by Theme! We asked the book’s author, Leigh Wilson, to share her thoughts behind the decision to make Arizona her home. Here is her story.

I was born and raised in the Midwest, spent most of my adult years in Chicago, and lived in Seattle for three years. Moving is in my blood, so when I decided to leave my tech-company marketing job in 2017, the question was, “Where to?” The best way to decide this was to try a few places out. So, in August 2017, together with my Airedale Bailey, I set off on a road trip to find a new hometown. Requirements included mountains, low humidity, easy access to hiking trails, and a more reasonable cost of living than Chicago. 

A few of the contenders included Salt Lake City, Flagstaff, and Tucson. After a couple of months on the road, Bailey and I arrived in Tucson. To get a feel of the town, I rented an Airbnb for a month, and it wasn’t long before I signed a lease and called Tucson home. 

At 500,000 residents, Tucson has the amenities of a larger city, without the traffic and crowds. What’s most impressive is that five mountain ranges surround Tucson: the Catalinas, Rincon, Santa Rita, Tucson, and Tortolita Mountains. No matter which direction you look, there are mountains dotting the horizon. Local spots like Sabino Canyon, Catalina State Park, and Saguaro National Park offer endless hiking opportunities, and mild winters mean you can hike in fall, winter, and spring. 

Although the summers in Tucson are pretty hot, the mountains offer an escape. Mount Lemmon is only an hour’s drive away and comes with temperatures that are up to 30 degrees cooler than in the valley.

Within a day’s drive, you can reach mountain towns like Flagstaff, Prescott, or PineTop and enjoy cooler temperatures and pine forests. Even spots like Southern Utah and San Diego are viable weekend getaway destinations.

The best part about moving to Arizona, and writing a guidebook that covers the whole state, is getting to traverse every corner of this amazing state. From the Grand Canyon to Canyon de Chelly, to border towns and ghost towns, Arizona is truly an amazing place. 

So, if you’ve ever asked, “What should we do today?,” then you need Arizona Day Trips by Theme. Leigh Wilson’s comprehensive guide to the Grand Canyon State is jam-packed with hundreds of Arizona’s top spots for fun and entertainment.

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