August 19, 2026, 3:46 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Many Germans long for more sunshine throughout the year. Especially after gray winter months, every cloudless vacation day is considered a gift. But what if you have to seek shade instead of sun? In a city in the southern U.S., the sun shines during about 91 percent of daylight hours. Rain is rare here, and temperatures over 113 degrees Fahrenheit are not uncommon. Welcome to Yuma, the sunniest city in the world.
While even the sunniest regions of Germany receive about 2,700 hours of sunshine a year, Yuma counts more than 4,000. The city in Arizona experiences about one and a half times as much sun as many German vacation regions. Since 1967, it has held the Guinness World Record for the sunniest city in the world.
A City of Extremes
And you can feel it not just in the impressive numbers. The city in southwestern Arizona is also one of the driest places in the U.S. On average, only about 3 inches of precipitation fall here annually. For comparison, in many regions of Germany, this amount accumulates after just a few rainy days.
The extreme climate also shapes the landscape. Yuma is located in the middle of the Sonoran Desert and just a few miles from the Mexican border. Instead of green hills, cacti, sand-colored plains, and rugged mountain ranges dominate the horizon.
Especially in summer, the heat can become a challenge. Temperatures over 104 degrees Fahrenheit are not uncommon, and peaks above 113 degrees occur regularly. The extreme summer heat is simply part of life for Yuma’s residents: Air conditioners run at full blast, and many activities are shifted to the early morning or evening hours.
Paradoxically, this very climate makes Yuma a popular travel destination. While the summer can be relentlessly hot, the winter months offer plenty of sunshine and pleasantly mild temperatures. Thousands of retirees, known as “Snowbirds,” flock to the desert city from colder U.S. states to escape the snow and gray skies of their home regions for a few months in large caravan camps.
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Cooling Off at the Colorado River
With summer temperatures regularly breaking the 104-degree mark, the Colorado River plays a special role for Yuma. The mighty river runs right past the city, providing a welcome respite from the desert landscape. Instead of hiding from the sun, many locals and visitors spend their leisure time by or on the water.
From leisurely kayak and paddleboard tours to fast-paced outings with motorboats or jet skis, the Colorado River offers numerous ways to escape the heat. Tubing tours, where you relax on an inner tube and float downstream, are particularly popular.
Desert, Dunes, and Nature
Besides the river, the extraordinary desert landscape around Yuma is a major draw. The region is a popular starting point for hiking, mountain biking, and excursions into the Sonoran Desert. For those seeking more action, the famous Imperial Sand Dunes offer a massive dune landscape that has served as a backdrop for numerous Hollywood productions, including George Lucas’ “Return of the Jedi.”