14 Things To Love About Arizona

Today is February 14, so you know what that means? It’s Arizona’s statehood day. Today Arizona turns 104—and is looking quite good at that age. If you’ve lived in Arizona during any point in your life, you will know that you certainly have plenty to brag about. Here are a few things that we think most people will agree with:

Arizona is home to some of the darkest skies in the country, which means that we can see far more stars than most other Americans will ever see in their lifetime.

Steffo photography/Flickr

We have the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s seven natural wonders and the only one existing in the United States.

Todd Petrie/Flickr

We also have an enormous amount of open space in the state; 30 state parks, 28 national parks and monuments, six national forests and plenty more wildlife areas.

Alex Berger/Flickr

We have some unique plants and animals that can only be found right here in Arizona.

Michael Wilson/Flickr

Arizona’s climates exist in extremes. Depending on where you live, our winters are either incredibly mild or the perfect example of a winter wonderland. Similar things can be said of our summers.

Michael Seljos/Flickr

The best part of an Arizona summer is the monsoon season, which arrives with massive dust storms, abundant lightning shows, and, of course, our summer rains.

Bo Insogna/Flickr

Arizona’s diverse climates also means the state overall has multiple growing seasons.

Kevin Dooley/Flickr Yuma, for example, produces about 90% of the country’s greens each winter.

We don’t have to worry about time change since the state doesn’t honor Daylight Savings Time.

Terri Kahrs/Flickr With as much sunlight as our state gets each year, we have no reason to have our day extend well into the night.

Arizona’s highways are also incredibly welcoming to drivers everywhere since toll roads don’t exist here.

Ken Lund/Flickr

Arizona is home to two of the largest urban parks in the country; McDowell Sonoran Preserve and South Mountain Park.

Dru Bloomfield/Flickr

Arizona is also home to an impressively large list of artists, musicians, actors, athletes and other public figures, including Stevie Nicks, Emma Stone and Sandra Day O’Connor.

Eva Rinaldi/Flickr

The London Bridge you grew up singing about certainly isn’t falling down any time soon. In fact, it currently sits in Lake Havasu City.

Michael Theis/Flickr

Prescott is home to the World’s Oldest Rodeo, which first took place in 1888.

Dagny Gromer/Flickr

Our horizons first thing in the morning and immediately before nightfall are the best you will ever see.

Tlposcharsky/Flickr

What other things do you find you are able to brag about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Facebook fan page!