It never fails. Upon learning that I live in Arizona, whoever I’m conversing with always seems to ask some question that simultaneously makes me laugh and do a quick facepalm. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Questions that are kind of silly, curious, and even just woefully ignorant. Here are a few that Arizonans often have to explain most frequently.

1. Since it’s winter, let’s start with this doozy: Arizona absolutely does have four seasons!
Julius Whittington/Flickr
It’s beautiful and you just need to travel outside of Phoenix to see it.
2. It also snows a lot!
Julius Whittington/Flickr
Hey, four feet is a lot for us.
3. Summers in our deserts can be downright brutal, so bring more sunscreen and water than you think you’ll need.
Amber McNamara/Flickr
Also, severely limit that outdoor activity until you’ve become accustomed to the heat.
4. Our summer monsoons are intense, beautiful, and sometimes deadly.
Michael Wilson/Flickr
There won’t be a crazy dust storm and intense rain every day but witnessing it happen is an absolute treat.
5. Your car will quickly become a death trap on a summer morning.
Steve Snodgrass/Flickr
It doesn’t take long for every bit of metal or plastic to burn your skin and the interior heat will rise to unfathomable temperatures. I mean, you could bake cookies in your car while you’re in the office.
6. It’s highly unlikely that a scorpion will kill you but that sting will hurt!
wplynn/Flickr
But certainly not as much as that from a tarantula hawk. ?
7. Nature is much closer than you would think, even in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country.
Dru Bloomfield/Flickr
It's not uncommon to hear about coyotes, javelinas, ringtails, and other wild animals hang out in the city. Keep an eye on your pets though because our predators won't think twice about stealing your precious Puddin for a snack.

Related Stories

Discover 5 Of Arizona's Most Iconic Views On This Epic 7-Hour Road Trip

Discover 5 Of Arizona's Most Iconic Views On This Epic 7-Hour Road Trip

 The Entire Family Will Love Visiting This Fantastic Farm In Arizona With A Petting Zoo, Animal Feedings, And Monster Truck Tours

The Entire Family Will Love Visiting This Fantastic Farm In Arizona With A Petting Zoo, Animal Feedings, And Monster Truck Tours

 The Whole Family Could Spend An Entire Day Having A Blast At The Yard In Arizona

The Whole Family Could Spend An Entire Day Having A Blast At The Yard In Arizona
8. Arizona may have deserts and be in a drought but we aren’t exactly in a water crisis.
Michael Wilson/Flickr
Yet, that is. We do have water in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, underground, and running through our taps.
9. Those precious 5 minutes of rain, however light, is definitely rain.
Kevin Dooley/Flickr
I don’t want to hear about how that’s not really rain because it rains for X hours in whatever state you’re from.
10. A river can be dry for months out of the year but it’s still a river.
Eric Vondy/Flickr
No, really!
11. Hiking Camelback Mountain is a little more difficult (and even dangerous) than you think it is.
Ed Suominen/Flickr
I feel I have to say this because it seems like someone has to get rescued from that mountain at least once per month. Don't do it in the summer if you're not accustomed to the heat (meaning, if this is your first summer, then don't attempt to hike it) and not one moment is going to be leisurely.
12. The same goes for hiking the Grand Canyon.
Moyan Brenn/Flickr
13. I’m sorry to say that you won’t find a living wild west frontier still existing like it’s 1877.
mlhradio/Flickr
That’s not to say some people think they live in that time period with modern perks but you don’t need to worry about someone robbing your stagecoach.
14. We may have a significant number of dirt roads but we do have paved highways
Alan English CPA/Flickr
15. There are a ton of things to do here!
julien haler/Flickr
It’s not uncommon to hear people bemoan or just wonder out loud about what there is to do in Arizona. Plenty! Camp, hike, relax, go for long drives, visit our museums, attend festivals, check out our incredible restaurants or growing night life, the list goes on and on and on.

Are there any other misconceptions that you find out of towners often have of Arizona? How do you go about correcting them?

Speaking of explaining things to out of towners, you might also find yourself correcting the pronunciation of certain Arizona words. We detailed a few common ones in 10 Words New Comers To Arizona Almost Always Say Wrong.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles