Top Things to do in Arizona
The 10 Best Sacred & Religious Sites in Arizona, United States
The state of Arizona is one that features a fantastic diversity of landscapes and areas of geological interest. North Arizona is famous for the Grand Canyon, a colorful chasm with steep rocky walls more than a mile deep and stretching some 277 miles alongside the Colorado River. Other notable destinations in North Arizona include Flagstaff set alongside the San Francisco Peaks which has the largest ponderosa pine forest, Museum of Northern Arizona, and is close to a number of national parks and monuments. On the south side of Arizona lies the city of Phoenix, the largest in Arizona. Notable day trips in Phoenix include the Heard Museum which is one of America's largest collections of Native American art, Phoenix Museum of History, as well as the Desert Botanical garden which has a great collection of desert plants.
Restaurants in Arizona
1. Our Lady of the Sierras Shrine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By TombstoneExplorer - Tombstone, United States
The view from the church is absolutely breathtaking. On a clear day, you CAN practically see forever! Well, at least well into Mexico! The church is quaint and nice, there are Stations of the Cross here, up off the valley floor in the Huachuca Mountains, Our Lady Of The Sierra's Shrine is a fantastic place to visit! ADVISORY...THE HANDICAPPED PARKING NEAR THE STAIRS IS NOT AS GOOD AS THE HANDICAPPED PARKING AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS!
2. Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park
3. Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 748 reviews
Sedona's Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park is a must-visit destination for spiritual seekers the world over. The Buddhist Amitabha Stupa is an outdoor venue for prayer, meditation, and spiritual renewal for people of all faiths. In the park you will find two Buddhist stupas, a Native American medicine wheel, an exquisite wooden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and numerous quiet spots for meditation and quiet contemplation. You will experience peace in a quiet, sacred setting. The Amitabha Stupa is open every day and your visit is free of charge. The stupa is supported totally by visitor donations. The Amitabha Stupa is on private property and is owned by Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Vajryanna Buddhist Temple in Poolesville MD. Use of the property by tour guides and other business or commercial entities requires permission.
Reviewed By wreckthismess - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I believe one should experience adventure, struggle & exertion when visiting sacred spots, allowing the self to interact with its surroundings, & give up ego in exchange for peace. If you’re bussed in, conveniently dropped off at the site it’s like passing thru a fast food drive-thru & you’ll have to overcome the convenience of your entitlement to catch up to the rest of us on a natural high who arrived via the hiking trails. The Amitabha Stupa is nestled in the shadow of Thunder Mountain in the Red Rocks, amongst a network of hiking trails just above Sedona. Once at this dry parcel you’ll see a magnificent wooden Buddha perched on a ledge among the junipers, the large Stupa, a sacred structure that’s said to contain millions of wishes, sacred relics, mandalas, & prayers. Even if you don’t believe that, merely imagining it gets you halfway there. Meditate, add silence, slow down, regenerate. Many do just that, finding a welcome respite from perpetual chattering & daily data overload. Visitors offer acknowledging glances broad smiles & that’s a start. Spin colorful prayer wheels clockwise & pray for a better future, a world free of perpetual war. Even if you don’t go in for this, the mere spinning of the wheels will link you to something outside yourself. I was told by a local, self-described “old hippie” who assisted on the site’s construction in 2004 that the site is deemed holy by local native peoples & the Hopi who’ve constructed a medicine wheel of stones here.
4. Unity of Sedona
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 9 reviews
Unity of Sedona is a New Age spiritual center, New Thought church, and energy vortex located in Sedona, one of the world’s greatest centers of spirituality. Unity of Sedona is a Spiritual Center and a hub for spiritual travelers (students and teachers) on the path to their remembrance that Love (Christ) is who we are. Peace is the natural state of being that arises in those who choose Love as their identity. And as we become more Loving and more filled with Peace, Joy is the emotional result. God’s Presence then wells up in us and overflows as a life of celebration and abundance. Unity of Sedona, therefore, holds as its focus the awakening of the inner Christ so that all forms of goodness may fill our lives. In addition to our Sunday Sacred Services, classes and workshops, concerts, spiritual gatherings, and Psychic Sunday events, our center features a labyrinth and a metaphysical bookstore and gift shop to be enjoyed year-round.
Reviewed By N1913WRscottw
Our Airbnb host recommended the Crystal Bed at Unity of Sedona. I was completely unfamiliar with Crystal beds and went with no preconceived ideas. The experience I had was incredible. I had a total out of body experience. I booked a 40 minute session. The staff was incredibly kind and helpful. I recommend this experience to everyone.
5. Telles Family Shrine
6. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ajo, AZ
7. Mission San Xavier del Bac
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,326 reviews
Built in the 1700s, this recently restored white adobe church, representing a wonderful example of Spanish colonial architecture, is beautiful inside and out, with colorful frescoes, sculptures and carvings.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
The Mission San Xavier del Bac is an historic Spanish Catholic church located about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation San Xavier Indian Reservation, along the Santa Cruz River. Founded in 1692, the original church destroyed during a Apache raid in 1770. The mission that survives today was built between 1783 and 1797 and is the oldest European structure in Arizona. An outstanding example of Spanish Colonial architecture, it features an elegant white stucco, Moorish-inspired exterior with an ornately decorated entrance with massive, carved mesquite-wood doors. The interior features paintings, carvings, frescoes and statues with a rich ornamentation that mixes New Spain and Native American artistic motifs. The floor plan of the church resembles the classic Latin cross with a main aisle separated from the sanctuary by the transept, which has chapels at each end. The dome above the transept is 52 feet high and supported by arches and squinches. The church is considered to be the finest example of Spanish mission architecture in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The mission made a cameo appearance in Willa Cather's 1927 novel Death Comes for the Archbishop when it was described as "the most beautiful church on the continent." Today, it continues to be actively run by the Franciscan Order and continues to serve the native community.
8. Chapel of the Holy Cross
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,360 reviews
This chapel, located among dramatic rock formations, offers spectacular views, especially at sunset.
Reviewed By SengaMilne - Toronto, Canada
Absolutely loved our visit; awe inspiring views and peaceful serenity. The complimentary golf cart ride (tips appreciated) is a wonderful bonus for those with mobility issues or seniors although the privilege seemed to be available to everyone. We visited around 11 am on a Monday and had no trouble finding parking. Nice gift shop with lots of religious options but also beautiful note cards and postcards. Good idea to check out the postcards for ideas/information. Without them I would have missed the eagles overlooking the chapel. The beautiful home in the foreground is for sale for a mere $28 MILLION!
9. St. Augustine Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 123 reviews
Reviewed By Gypsy1102 - Boston, United States
When we are in Tucson, we always drop in here for a moment of silent and retreat from our daily business. It is a lovely place to recharge and refuel the soul. Visit this place .. take int eh quiet take in the peace and enjoy the elegant beauty of the building itself.
10. St. Mary's Basilica
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 263 reviews
St. Mary’s Basilica, named The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin is the oldest Catholic parish in Phoenix and was the only Catholic parish in Phoenix until 1924. It holds a unique place in the history of the Church and in the Diocese of Phoenix. On September 2, 1985, Pope Saint John Paul II solemnly proclaimed the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a Minor Basilica. At that time, for historical, cultural, artistic, and spiritual reasons, St. Mary’s became the 32nd basilica in the United States. While on his American Visit, Pope Saint John Paul II visited St. Mary’s knelt in prayer in the center aisle and then spoke to the crowd from the balcony on September 14, 1987. St. Mary's Basilica is a parish of the Franciscan friars of the Province of Saint Barbara. The first Franciscan came to the area in 1539.
Reviewed By 501leew - Lenexa, United States
The Bishop's basilica... should be a very nice place and this one does not disappoint. We enjoy our annual (when my family gathers in Phoenix for a week) Sunday worship at this beautiful church.
