From the Grand Canyon to Stevie Nicks, here are 129 reasons why we love Arizona

We'll put it simply: Arizona, we love you.

But to mark Statehood Day, we're not just saying we love the Grand Canyon State, we're counting the ways. One hundred and twenty-nine of them.

From the beauty of Arizona's three national parks and 13 national monuments to the state's world-class arts institutions and dining scene, there's no shortage of things to love about this desert refuge.

Here are 129 reasons why we love Arizona.

1. Three words: the Grand Canyon.

2. That's not even our only really big hole in the ground. There's also the Meteor Crater, where a 150-foot-wide iron-nickel meteorite slammed to Earth some 50,000 years ago.

3. And Canyon de Chelly National Monument is no slouch either.

4. No sunsets beat our sunsets. Yeah California, we said it.

5. Our bright and beautiful skies are so spectacular, in fact, that they inspired our state flag.

6. They also served as inspo for the Phoenix Suns’ purple and orange color scheme.

7. Small wonder it’s easy to find spots to stargaze.

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8. But for those who are really serious about it, there’s the Lowell Observatory.

9. Arizona is home to several Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings and homes, including the architect’s own, Taliesin West.

10. If you can see one of the Valley’s iconic mountain ranges, you can (probably) find your way home.

11. Sunshine. That’s it. That’s the reason.

12. Starting a home garden in the desert is easier than you might think. Thanks in no small part to the aforementioned sunshine.

13. There are beaches! No, really.

14. Harkins Theatres’ popcorn is the best popcorn in the world. AMC could never.

15. The Japanese Friendship Garden is the perfect place for a moment of zen.

16. It’s Jimmy Eat World’s homebase.

17. There’s something magical about the smell of desert creosote after rainfall.

18. Phoenix Theatre has provided entertainment for more than 100 years.

19. Nobody does weird and wonderful quite like we do. Case in point: Organ Stop Pizza.

20. Organ Pipe National Monument is a place dedicated to preserving cactus. Talk about monumental.

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21. Need a complete change of scenery? We’ve got pine trees, sand dunes and just about everything in between.

22. We take our beer seriously. And so do our brewers.

23. The VNSA Book Sale keeps us well-read, and on a budget.

24. Internationally renowned muralist El Mac’s work brightens walls across metro Phoenix.

25. Tool's Maynard James Keenan and his winery call the state home.

26. When it comes to roadside attractions, what tops the Hoover Dam?

27. Arizona’s first poet laureate, Alberto Rios, never fails to inspire us.

28. Pop culture means business. Phoenix Fan Fusion is one of the biggest comics conventions in the U.S.

29. We are totally haunted. Maybe? Kinda.

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30. Arcologist Paolo Soleri’s experimental city, Arcosanti, still stands and is home to a creative community.

31. The Rhythm Room is a beacon for blues artists.

32. Yayoi Kusama’s light installation "You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Storm of Fireflies" never fails to delight at Phoenix Art Museum.

33. We have the actual London Bridge in Lake Havasu City.

34. Every year, thousands of Arizonans run in memory of Pat Tillman, the Arizona State University graduate and player for the Arizona Cardinals who left the NFL to join the U.S. Army.

35. You can find a new way of seeing things at any of light artist James Turrell’s Skyspaces throughout the state.

36. Roden Crater isn’t just a dormant volcano east of Flagstaff. It’s also a much buzzed about work of art that Turrell has been transforming for decades.

37. Stevie Nicks still thinks of the Grand Canyon State as home.

38. From Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture to Janet Echelman’s Her Secret Is Patience, our public art astounds.

39. Very important: Sometimes Beyoncé visits.

40. Celebrity Theatre is a rare example of Brutalist architecture in Arizona — and the longtime music venue’s stage rotates.

41. We host the best Super Bowls.

42. Plenty of movies were made in Arizona. Including the 1976 "A Star Is Born."

43. And obviously we can’t leave out the Coen Brothers’ "Raising Arizona."

44. Eat your heart out, Bruce Wayne. There’s an urban bat cave in Phoenix.

45. Emma Stone got her start onstage at Valley Youth Theatre.

46. Sorry, have you seen the Colorado River?

47. There are free-roaming herds of horses on the lower Salt and Verde rivers east of Phoenix.

48. And there’s a literal birding oasis just south of downtown Phoenix.

49. But you can absolutely birdwatch from home.

50. Don't be jealous, but one of the world’s largest White Castles is located near Scottsdale.

51. Those stalactites though. Kartchner Caverns is a must-see cave.

52. Our state flower is the saguaro cactus blossom.

53. Arizona is also one of the only places in the world where the saguaro cactus grows.

54. Chasing waterfalls is highly encouraged. See: Havasupai falls.

55. A fascinating chapter in Arizona’s military history is preserved at Fort Huachuca.

56. Route 66 runs right through the state. And fun fact, you can still get your kicks on it.

57. Legend has it the tequila sunrise was invented at the Arizona Biltmore.

58. Pizzeria Bianco. It's the best. Just ask Martha Stewart or Jimmy Kimmel.

59. But you might be surprised to learn that our pizza history runs deep — especially when it comes to family-owned Chicago-inspired pie.

60. Wanna go to Vegas? It's closer than you might think.

61. The Valley's own Sweet Republic makes some of the country's best ice cream.

62. The Musical Instrument Museum houses thousands of instruments.

63. We know the real meaning of Cinco de Mayo.

64. There’s not just one but two operas in the state: Arizona Opera and Phoenix Opera. Talk about a high note.

65. Some of our history is cake-shaped. Drive past Tovrea Castle to see what we mean.

66. Yeah, we have one of the biggest cities in the country. But our small towns are special.

67. Take Bisbee, for instance, a former mining town that’s now a hub for creatives.

68. Same goes for Miami (yes, Arizona has its own).

69. Not only are the trails at Desert Botanical Garden beautiful, but they also offer a wealth of information about the natural landscape that surrounds us.

70. There’s no better people-watching than First Friday in downtown Phoenix.

71. But if visual art is what you’re looking for, the gallery and museum scene is much more than an art walk.

72. Tucson’s no slouch either when it comes to the arts. Fourth Avenue forever. And Congress Street, too.

73. Speaking of Congress Street, the historic hotel located there is famous for its bar and nightlife scene as well as one most infamous guest: John Dillinger.

74. Chicago can keep its veggie-topped dogs. Tucson has its own hot dog with a cult following. Meet the Sonoran hot dog.

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75. Oh and don't forget about Arizona's most famous culinary invention: the chimichanga.

76. For a more historic visual art experience, there’s a petroglyph preserve in Deer Valley.

77. Thanks to Camelback Mountain, there's an epic summit in the middle of our biggest city.

78. Yeah, we're known for being a desert, but Prescott's lakes and otherworldly granite formations might have you fooled.

79. Talk about rare gems: We've got a Last Chance store.

80. Dot's Pretzels might be the pride of North Dakota, but the addicting snack got its humble start here.

81. Not to brag, but Arizona restaurants are kind of Food Network famous.

82. Our chefs have also racked up dozens of nods from the James Beard Foundation, one of the highest accolades in the American culinary community.

83. Our fast food burger game is strong. Proof? We have In-N-Out and Shake Shack.

84. We have not seen a single murder hornet. Knock on wood.

85. Sedona's red rocks, well, rock. Plus, have you ever experienced the power of a vortex?

86. While the rest of America is covered in snow, Arizona farmers harvest fresh produce all winter long.

87. Antelope Canyon, a world famous slot canyon outside of Page, is a photographer's paradise.

88. Skiing? Yeah, we have that, too.

89. California isn't the only state with amazing wildflowers. Every spring, flower chasers can find blooms across the Arizona desert.

90. Forget bad airport food. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport changed the game.

91. We’re close to Disneyland. But far enough away that our bank account appreciates it.

92. Our professional baseball stadium is air-conditioned and has a pool.

93. Oh, and speaking of baseball, Cactus League Spring Training is kind of a big deal around here.

94. There's nothing quite like cracking a beer at Desert Bar, a remote almost entirely outdoor dive.

95. But it’s not the only Arizona bar in the middle of nowhere.

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96. We gave the world Tardar Sauce, also known as Grumpy Cat. The famous feline and her cranky expression launched a thousand day-brightening memes.

97. Former "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz and his wife Paige ran an olive oil boutique in Old Town Scottsdale. Seriously.

98. Falling back? Springing forward? How about this: No daylight saving time.

99. Some of the best sake in the world is brewed in Holbrook.

100. A handful of top-notch wineries call Arizona's first federally recognized American Viticulture Area, the Sonoita/Elgin area, home.

101. From CEOs to soul food pioneers, women are making an impact in the state's food scene.

102. The first McDonald’s drive-thru in history opened in an Arizona town on Jan. 24, 1975.

103. There's an 800-mile trail that traverses the entire state from north to south.

104. The bolo tie is our official state neckwear.

105. We have history in motion. The Verde Canyon Railroad rolls through lush riparian landscape on a section of standard-gauge track laid in 1911 to support the mining activity of Jerome.

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106. No one does fountains quite like us. The Fountain Hills fountain shoots 560 feet into the air at its full height.

107. We're one of the states that makes up the Four Corners, the only place in the United States where four states meet.

108. Look, Gila monsters are kinda scary, yes, but they are also awesome.

109. Farmworker and civil rights icon Cesar Chávez was born on March 31, 1927, in Arizona.

110. Roasted turkey is cool but around here we celebrate Thanksgiving weekend with the Territorial Cup, the annual rivalry game between Arizona's public universities.

111. Dropping a letter in the mailbox at the summit of Picketpost Mountain is an Arizona hiker's rite of passage.

112. So is taking in the view from the top of Humphreys Peak, the tallest mountain in the state.

113. We have an airplane boneyard where 100-plus airliners sit in varying states of decay.

114. Chickenjoy to the world. The state’s only Jollibee is in Chandler.

115. The Titan Missile Museum outside of Tucson is the only former Titan II missile complex open to the public.

116. It used to be Arizona’s only high school for Black students. Now, the George Washington Carver Museum holds their stories.

117. Even if you never find the legendary lost treasure at Lost Dutchman State Park, the views from the summit of the 5.8-mile Flatiron climb are a reward of their own.

118. There are few hiking destinations more exclusive or memorable than The Wave, a popular rock formation near the Utah-Arizona border.

119. Monument Valley straddles the Arizona-Utah border and the sunrise over the iconic rock formations is stunning no matter which state you're in.

120. Cowboys have bellied up to historic bars on Whiskey Row in Prescott for more than 100 years.

121. We've hosted the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, College Football Playoff National Championship and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four.

122. From Stinkweeds to Zia, our record stores keep us cool.

123. We know we shouldn’t love a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos corn dog. But darn it, Arizona State Fair, you got us.

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124. The terror-inducing rides and free concerts at the fair? Those are perfect for before and after said corn dog.

125. Yeah, cowboys are celebrated for their Old West wilding. But we remember the women who blazed their own Arizona trails, too.

126. Contrary to what you might’ve heard, we aren’t actually the hottest state.

127. Our native crops include superfoods such as tepary beans, which are still grown today by farmers including Ramona Button in the Gila River Indian Community.

128. Recreational marijuana is legal. And so are Arizona-made edibles.

129. Linda Ronstadt remains Arizona royalty.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: From the Grand Canyon to Stevie Nicks, 129 reasons we love Arizona