Tombstone

Tombstone & Bisbee are two old mining towns an hour and an hour and a half  southeast of Tucson. Both are major destinations in their own right.
Here the history of the Old West is palpable. Tombstone, of course, is world-famous for the 1881 Gunfight at the OK Corral. Bisbee’s old town is a classic example of a thriving mining camp that became an unbelievably prosperous little city in the middle of a vast desert.

There is no way to enjoy Tombstone and Bisbee in one day. We recommend two days at least. And if you have the time, we recommend several outstanding side trips, such as Kartchner Caverns and Ramsey Canyon Preserve.

Couple of suggestions:

• In Tombstone, you will be tempted to pay $10 per person to see the reenactment of the Gunfight At The OK Corral. Save the $10 and rent either Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp or Kurt Russell’s Tombstone.

• If you want to know the real history of Tombstone, and not just the tourist version, call ahead for a reservation on Dr. Jay’s Walking Tour.   
• If you’re looking for excitement, try to arrange your visit to Tombstone on a day when Tombstone Vigilante’s and Vigilettes are in the middle of Allen Street recreating the Old West: Helldorado Days; Wyatt Earp Days; Vigilante Days; etc. Check our Events Calendar.

For more ideas of things to do in Tombstone, see our Tombstone article on Things to do in Tombstone or read about some Local Tombstone History.

Bisbee

In Old Bisbee, at the very least, visit the Bisbee Mining & History Museum and the Queen Mine Tour. You can view a video of each above. And then either walk or drive up into the hills above the old town just for the history and the view. For more things to do see our Bisbee Page.

• Like Tombstone, Bisbee puts on several special events during the year. Brewery Gulch Days; Bisbee Blues Festival; etc. Check our Events Calendar and try to time your visit accordingly.

For some background history on Bisbee see our Local History page.