7 Tourist Hotspots in Arizona That Locals Skip

Once, I nearly lost a sandal in the tourist hive at Havasu Falls, only to find it three hours later dangling from a stranger’s backpack. Arizona rolls out the red carpet for visitors, but if you want to see the real show, you have to slip past the velvet ropes, and most locals already have.

Let’s talk about the places everyone else lines up for, and what you’ll actually remember when you’re home, flipping through photos and fighting off sunburn. Think of this as your map to Arizona’s best kept secrets, curated by someone who’s learned (sometimes the hard way) what’s truly worth your sunscreen.

1. Havasu Falls

There’s a universal law in Arizona: If you hear someone bragging about their Havasu Falls permit, they’ll mention it at least three times before lunch. The blue-green water photographs like a dream, but the reality feels more like summer camp with everyone’s cousin.

You’ll jostle for trail space, awkwardly sidestep selfie sticks, and hope you remembered extra socks after the hike. Permits were already a pain to snag in 2023; now, with stricter quotas, even locals surrender to the lottery gods and move on. For 2025, reservations opened February 1 and sold out quickly, making the lottery feel more competitive than ever.

The actual falls? Yes, they’re gorgeous, but so is solitude. Unless your bucket list needs a crowd, you’re better off chasing waterfalls elsewhere. Hint: Cibecue Falls shares the same turquoise magic without the hype or headache. Honestly, your Instagram will forgive you, and your ankles will, too.

2. Camelback Mountain

You know that feeling when a fitness influencer says, “It’s just a quick hike!”? Welcome to Camelback Mountain. Parking is a contact sport, and the trail sometimes resembles a conga line at sunrise.

You’ll pass groups in matching athleisure, sweat through switchbacks, and silently wonder if you’re the only one not training for the Olympics. Locals usually skip the drama, swapping selfies for the quieter Piestewa Peak, where the views are just as dramatic, minus the performance pressure.

Fun fact: Camelback officially opened as a city park in 1968, but feels older than your dad’s gym stories. Save yourself the crowd and find a trail where you can actually hear your thoughts (and, let’s be real, your knees).

3. London Bridge in Lake Havasu City

If you’ve ever wanted to see a British bridge plopped in the middle of the desert (and who hasn’t?) Lake Havasu’s London Bridge is your spot. But the reality feels less James Bond, more strip mall.

You dodge souvenir hawkers, overpriced ice cream, and a sea of sunburns. The bridge itself? An architectural marvel in 1831, but now mostly a backdrop for bachelor party boat photos. Locals usually wave at it on their way to Lake Havasu State Park, where you can swim, kayak, or just breathe.

Did you know? They shipped the bridge across the Atlantic in 1968, then rebuilt it brick by brick. Now, it’s mostly tourists who build up the hype. Locals tend to save their visits for community events like the annual London Bridge Days Parade, which returns in October 2025. For peace and actual lakeside bliss, keep your camera pointed away from the crowds.

4. Tombstone

“The Town Too Tough to Die” really means, “The Town Too Staged to Surprise.” Tombstone’s gunfight shows are loud, proud, and usually predictable, like theme park theater with more dust.

You’ll find shops selling replica spurs, tourists debating which saloon to visit, and actors who wink for tips after every shootout. Locals rarely bother unless they’re hosting out-of-towners who ask for Wyatt Earp.

For a more genuine slice of Arizona history, whisper your secrets to Bisbee’s painted walls and vintage shops. Tombstone’s history is real, but its present feels more like a dress-up box after a sleepover. The Wild West lives on, but not always where the tour guides say.

5. The Thing Museum

Every state has that one roadside stop you regret before you even get out of the car. For Arizona, it’s The Thing Museum. You’ll pay a few dollars to wander past dusty oddities and ask, “Wait, was that it?”

The mystery’s more fun than the answer, and you’ll exit past the world’s largest soda selection (allegedly). Locals were curious once as kids, then left the legend to highway billboards and summer road trips.

Save your excitement for the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, where you’ll find a global treasure trove and zero fiberglass mummies. Sometimes, the real surprise is how much you didn’t miss. Museums should leave you wondering, preferably in a good way.

6. Four Corners Monument

Standing in four states at once is way less magical after 45 minutes in line. Four Corners Monument has a concrete marker, a few roadside vendors, and enough dust to fill your shoes for weeks.

The selfie payoff comes with crowds and little else. Vendors selling jewelry and frybread still line the plaza, but the draw is mostly the novelty of standing in four states. Most locals skip it, unless they’re really invested in state trivia or want a geography lesson for the kids.

If you crave jaw-dropping scenery, Antelope Canyon’s glowing walls and beams of light make Four Corners feel like a rest stop. You’ll get unforgettable photos: no patience-testing lines required. Sometimes, the best borders to cross are carved by water, not surveyors.

7. Grand Canyon South Rim

Picture this: You finally make it to the South Rim, and your reward is a parking lot full of rental cars and elbows at every overlook. The view is iconic, but so are the crowds.

You hear every language but your own, and snack prices are higher than your last power bill. Locals often skip the South Rim entirely, heading instead to lesser-known spots like the North Rim or even Toroweap Overlook for peace with their panorama. Important note: the North Rim is closed for the rest of the 2025 season after July’s Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

The Grand Canyon’s grandeur is undebatable, but the experience changes when you don’t have to elbow your way to the railing. Sometimes, the real magic is a little further down the road, with only the wind and a handful of adventurous hikers for company.