AI-assisted summary AFAR Magazine featured Borderlandia, a travel bureau showcasing Arizona and northern Mexico, in its “52 Places to Travel in the U.S.” list.

Borderlandia offers tours exploring the culture, cuisine, and history of both sides of the border.

AFAR’s list also highlights other Western U.S. attractions, including an Alaskan cruise and a stay at San Diego’s historic Lafayette Hotel.

An Arizona travel and tour group has been highlighted as one the 52 destinations to visit this year in a new roundup.

The new list from AFAR Magazine sought to showcase the 52 “boldest, artsiest, buzziest, friendliest, tastiest, booziest things going on right now” in honor of the United State’s 250th birthday in 2026.

In Arizona, AFAR highlighted Borderlandia, a travel bureau that celebrates all the borderlands area of southern Arizona and northern Mexico have to offer.

The magazine wrote that the organization founded by Alex and Rocío La Pierre “aims to demystify the contentious international boundary with experiences and tours that celebrate the culture, cuisine, and history found on both sides.”

Borderlandia offers guided tours for small groups or private tours. In Mexico, this includes a walking tour detailing the Battle of Ambos Nogales, a Nogales taco tour, a day trip to Magdalena de Kino and a multiday trip to see how mezcal is made. They also offer guided hikes of the Anza Trail, gastronomy tours of Tucson and history tours of Tubac, Tucson, Tumacácori and Nogales.

Borderlandia, which had previously been featured by the New York Times and other publications, said it was honored to be included in AFAR’s list. In an Instagram post, it thanked the publication “for taking the time to spend with us, recognizing the value of our work in the borderlands to bring people together and giving us the gift of letting more people know we exist.”

These are AFAR’s must visit Western attractions

Aside from taking a tour with Borderlandia, these are the 11 other attractions you must do in the Western U.S.