>>242551Advice: Don't go to a tourist trap like the grand canyon unless you plan on actually hiking it.
Visit the arizonan southwest, tonto national forest, the area east-northeast of mesa AZ has the most beautiful desert... it looks exactly like your picture. Any area near the superstition mountains or further east of there should do well. A great first place to go would be canyon lake. A great second place to go would be a hike. This pic is a hike near weaver's needle. Another great hike if you're planning an over-nighter is called Reavis Ranch. I've also hiked superstition mountains, san tan mountains, south mountain, Tom's Thumb, and a lot of other places I don't remember the names of.
Arizona is a 9/10 for a place to live (in my biased opinion) and 10/10 for life experience as a place to visit. It has a very RICH desert full of life and beauty. Do not visit a desert like death valley or some sand dune shit hole... there is no fun to be had there. You want to go to a desert like the one in the picture you posted.
