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Highest-rated free things to do in Arizona by visitors

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Zoran Zeremski // Shutterstock
Zoran Zeremski // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Arizona.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Arizona using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#29. Chiricahua National Monument

Tripadvisor

2 / 30

#29. Chiricahua National Monument

- Rating: 4.8/5 (878 reviews)
- City: Willcox
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

Tripadvisor

11 / 30

#20. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,251 reviews)
- City: Scottsdale
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Tripadvisor

12 / 30

#19. Canyon de Chelly National Monument

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,946 reviews)
- City: Chinle Apache County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Goldfield Ghost Town

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Goldfield Ghost Town

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1,890 reviews)
- City: Apache Junction
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Tripadvisor

14 / 30

#17. McDowell Sonoran Preserve

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,164 reviews)
- City: Scottsdale
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Mission San Xavier del Bac

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. Mission San Xavier del Bac

- Rating: 4.6/5 (4,435 reviews)
- City: Tucson
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

Tripadvisor

19 / 30

#12. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,800 reviews)
- City: Sedona
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Horseshoe Bend

Tripadvisor

30 / 30

#1. Horseshoe Bend

- Rating: 4.7/5 (15,566 reviews)
- City: Page
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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