So once again I came upon that time a month for me to plan a trip somewhere. I had already been on a road trip to Southwest Arizona in July and a road trip to Northern Arizona in September so I decided I needed to go somewhere else in Arizona for October. Upon reflecting on other travels that people have told me about I remembered a friend telling me about visiting Bisbee in Southeast Arizona. I decided to do a little research and I found that Bisbee is a old mining town that has found a resurgence through tourism for its mining history and thriving art scene. So I decided to book a three day weekend trip to Bisbee Arizona. Upon looking for a hotel in the desired part of town I was only able to get a two night stay at the hotel that I had chosen. I took that as motivation to find somewhere else along my path to stay for the third night and that ended up being in Tombstone. It had been a long time since I had visited Tombstone so I thought it would be worthwhile to add that onto the trip. Since I was traveling to Southeast Arizona I went ahead and looked into what national parks and other points of interest were in the area and that’s when I stumbled across Chiracahua National Monument. I often had classmates and friends that would recommend going to Chiracahua but I just never happen to be in the area. Upon looking at Google Maps I found out that if I drove just a little bit further east towards Wilcox that I could go to Chiracahua and then drive down to Bisbee. And with that I had my trip to Southeast Arizona planned.
Thursday
So travel day arrived and I packed up the vehicle with my suitcase, messenger bag, and camera. With it being south of Phoenix I didn’t have to wait for traffic to die down so soon as I was ready I hit the road. It was a beautiful sunny day and the scenery along Interstate 10 was still lush from the monsoon rains. My first stop along this way was Texas Canyon Rest Area right outside of Benson, Arizona. Texas Canyon is known for its unique rock formations and every time I’m driving along this particular stretch of interstate 10 I make sure to stop by and take some additional photos. With a few photos taken I got back on the road driving towards Wilcox.
Upon arriving in Willcox I followed my GPS and continued on to Chiracahua. Upon arriving at Chiracahua, I was surprised to see that there was no entry fee to this particular national monument. After taking a few photos of the sign, I drove the winding road into the national monument and was able to find some great vantage points for photos along the way. This was also one of those times where I wished I had a dashcam to catch some of the great views as I was driving through the area. Upon arriving at the scenic viewpoint of Chiracahua National Monument I was able to hike on the various trails and taking lots of photos along the way. With my business now finished at Chiracahua, it was time for me to hit the road down to Bisbee.
Upon arriving in Bisbee I first went and checked in at my hotel, Hotel San Ramon. Even though I do a decent amount of research when choosing a hotel, it wasn’t until I arrived that i found out the hotel only had six rooms. After checking in at my hotel, it was time to go and venture around town.
Like always I walked around the town taking photos along the way. I found a place to have dinner and a drink, this particular spot happened to be the Old Bisbee Brewing Company. After a little bit of exploring, it was time to head back to my hotel and turn in for the night since at this point I have been up for over 24 hours.
Friday
Friday morning arrived and it was time for adventure. My first stop of the day was the Lavender Pit which is a former open pit copper mine at the heart of the Bisbee area.
After visiting the Lavender Pit I decided that I would venture off to the small town of Lowell for breakfast. Upon arriving I went and had breakfast at the Bisbee Breakfast Club. After having my breakfast I decided that it would probably be worthwhile to do a little bit of walking. I walked up and down the main street of Lowell taking photos of the old buildings and classic cars along the way.
After spending some time in Lowell, it was time for more exploring around the town of Bisbee. One of the draws to Bisbee are the small shops and art galleries scattered around the town. So I went through the town exploring and seeing possible places to stop to eat at a later in the day. I stumbled upon a pastry shop recommended by a one of my Instagram followers. I highly recommend stopping at Patisserie Jacque if you’re in Bisbee.
So there was a lot of adventuring out this particular morning mostly because I was killing time until my Queen Mine Tour. At the Queen Mine Tour you get to venture into a old copper mine in Bisbee Arizona. Before venturing into the mine you have to suit up accordingly with your neon yellow vest, hard hat and miner’s lamp before you ride the train into the old mine. Once in the mine, the tour guides (retired mine employees) regaled the group on mining culture, techniques, equipment, and dangers that helped make Bisbee a thriving town in the past. After finishing the mine tour I decided that it was time to go and grab lunch.
For lunch I decided on pizza and I remembered walking past a pizza place earlier in the day. I went to the Screaming Banshee where I had the Spicy Mutha Chicken pizza and the Chupacabra margarita. After finishing my lunch it was time to do a little more exploring around town and then eventually going back to the hotel to recoup. Once back at my hotel it didn’t take long for me to get bored so I ventured off once again to the Old Bisbee Brewing Company to have a drink before the night’s activity.
So the night’s activity was the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour. The starting point was at the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum and traveled on foot to various sites throughout the town. The guide on this tour was named Lucian and was actually a native of Bisbee. He was very informative about the history of Bisbee and the associated ghost stories that went along.
The final stop on the ghost tour was at the Copper Queen Hotel. I believed that was a sign that this was a place where I needed to get a drink. So I grabbed a seat at the bar before venturing off to my next place. After a couple drinks it was time to find dinner. I ended up at The Quarry Bisbee where I had dinner and a few more drinks before ultimately retire in for the night. Plus an added bonus was some live music by the Phoenix band, Painting Fences.
Saturday morning
I just wasn’t feeling hungry Saturday morning, so I decided it was time to hit the road to Tombstone. Upon arriving at Tombstone of course it was a little early for me to check into my hotel so I had to find something to occupy my time with. So I’ve ventured off to Tombstone Brewing Company to have a drink. I had a couple beers while I waited for my trolley tour.
After a little bit of time it was time to go to my trolley tour at The Good Enough Trolley. The tour guide was very informative as we drove around to various areas of Tombstone including the location of various mines and the historical sites around the town. Upon the completion of the trolley tour I decided to venture around the town. This particular Saturday was very busy with lots of people along the way. So after dealing with the crowds for a little bit I decided it’s probably good to head to my hotel to check in. I checked in at the Tombstone Motel and settled into my room. I decided to do some photo organizing while waiting for the crowds to die down before heading back out.
So a little bit before sunset I headed back out to the streets of Tombstone to find a good place to eat dinner. I ended up having dinner at The Longhorn Restaurant where I had The Diablo Burger and the Green Iguana margarita.
After finishing my dinner I decided to venture around taking various photos along Allen Street since now there weren’t as many people about. Before turning in for the night I decided to get a drink at Doc Holliday saloon. After that it was time to turn in for the night.
Sunday
With Sunday morning arriving it was time for me to get up early and take a few photos before the crowds to descended onto Tombstone. I ventured around and took as many photos as I could see fit before finding a place for breakfast.
I decided to have breakfast at the OK Cafe, where I had the Doc Holliday breakfast burrito. With breakfast finished, it was time for me to get on the road to home, of course with one or two stops along the way.
My first stop before I even get out of Tombstone proper was the Boothill Graveyard. After walking through the cemetery and viewing the various plots it was time to hit the road towards home.
Upon heading out of Tombstone I decided that my next step would be to the eastern portion of Saguaro National Park. It had been a long time since I’ve been to Saguaro with my last trip being in 2004. My photography skills were lacking the last time I was there so I need to take some better photos this time.
it only took about an hour drive to reach Saguaro from Tombstone and then it was time for more adventure. After a quick stop in the visitor’s center, I began the scenic drive through the park. The scenic drive through this particular portion of the park is very beautiful with towering saguaro cacti dotting the landscape. There are various locations along the scenic drive for hikes. Of course with me being on a schedule I made sure to only hike so far, but still getting lots of photos along the way. After spending quite a bit of time in the park taking photos, it was now time for me to get back on the road home. Of course what are the odds that I’ll make another stop along the way.
So after leaving Saguaro, I was driving through Tucson and realized that I needed to get gas and also I was starting to feel a little hungry. One of my life changes that I made in 2020 is not eating fast food, delivery, dine in, and/or take out while in Phoenix, but when I go out of town on trip all is fair game. To my surprise at the particular exit I took off I-10 to get gas, there was an In-N-Out Burger.
After lunch was finished it was time to get back on the road. Along the way I saw the sign for Rooster Cogburn‘s Ostrich Ranch a place that I originally visited in 2004. I had not been back since then, so of course I had to stop and visit. This particular attraction has grown quite a bit since the last time I was there. I remember being able to feed ostriches and deer, but not the multitude of animals now found there. I was able to take quite a few photos while I was there and feed quite a variety of animals. And after that it was truly time to head on home.
Last Words
While Tombstone is the more known town, Bisbee just has a lot more to offer. But with only a half hour drive between the towns, I suggest following my footsteps and make it a combo destination. However Southeast Arizona is full of history and natural beauty, so a trip to any of its towns and cities is well worth the drive.
