If Quick Getaways Around Tucson is what you’re looking for, then Tucson Trolley Tours has your back!
🤠 Tombstone
Tombstone, AZ • (520) 457‑3884 • tombstoneweb.com
Enjoy a Wild West adventure in Tombstone, where daily reenacted gunfights at the Gunfight Palace bring history to life. Test your aim at the Big Iron Shooting Gallery or take a ghost tour from Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. For a subterranean twist, explore the Good Enough Mine on an underground guided tour—an immersive time-travel experience for the whole family.
Tip: Try to catch the gunfight performances just before noon, then linger in town for lunch and ghostly stories as evening sets in.
🕳 Kartchner Caverns State Park
2980 AZ‑90, Benson (approx 50 mi SE of Tucson) • (520) 586‑4100 • azstateparks.com/kartchner
Marvel at one of the world’s longest show caves, a pristine limestone masterpiece discovered in 1974 and gently opened for public tours. Options range from the easier Rotunda/Throne Tour to the adventurous Big Room or helmet-and-headlamp experiences. Above ground, enjoy trails, hummingbird garden walks, cabins, campsites, and evening bat‑watch programs.
Tip: Book cave tours in advance and bring a sweater—inside stays around 72 °F year‑round.
🎨 Bisbee
Bisbee, AZ (approx 90 mi SE of Tucson) • visitarizona.com
Once a booming copper camp, Bisbee has transformed into a colorful hillside artist community renowned for its Victorian-era architecture, galleries, murals, and quirky shops. Stroll its steep, character-filled streets, tour the Queen Mine or Arts District, and soak in the creative atmosphere of this “Queen of the Copper Camps.”
Tip: Walk the Bisbee Historic District to admire 19th and early 20th century architecture and stop in for a guided Art of Bisbee tour for insider stories.
🌊 Patagonia Lake State Park
400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia AZ (approx 80 mi SE) • azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake
This desert oasis has it all: swimming, camping, boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Spot bobcats, javelinas, coyotes, deer, birds and more while exploring trails or lounging by the sandy “beach.” Picnic areas and launch ramps round out a relaxing outdoor day trip.
Tip: Bring binoculars and a picnic to enjoy on the lakeshore—wildlife sightings are best near dawn and dusk.
🍇 Arizona Wine Country
Sonoita‑Elgin & Willcox AVAs (both ~60–75 mi SE) • visitarizona.com
Discover two of Arizona’s best wine regions in one day. Tour and taste at award-winning vineyards in Sonoita and Elgin—like Callaghan, Dos Cabezas and Charron—then head south to Willcox for boutique tasting rooms and cellar doors. The Sonoita Wine Tasting Tour offers a full-day guided option.
Tip: Let someone else handle the driving—book a tour or arrange for a designated driver to sip safely.
🎨 Tubac
1 Burruel St, Tubac AZ (approx 45 mi S) • (520) 398‑2252 • tubacaz.com
As a historic artist colony and Spanish presidio founded in 1752, Tubac is packed with galleries, studios, boutiques, food trucks and trails. Don’t miss seasonal events like the Javalina Project Parade, live music, and the Fall Arts & Crafts Festival.
Tip: Bring extra car space—local art and ironwork will beckon you whenever you browse.
❄️ Mount Lemmon
Santa Catalina Mountains (Catalina Highway; 45 mi NE) • visitarizona.com
Escape the desert heat on the scenic Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway, which ascends more than 6000 ft. Powder in winter means snowball fights well into April. Stop in Summerhaven for fudge, root beer floats and gallery browsing.
Tip: Plan layers—temperatures at the summit can be 30°F cooler. Don’t miss the audio tour guide for geology and historic lore.
🔭 Kitt Peak National Observatory
5203 AZ‑386, Sells AZ (Tohono O’odham Nation, ~60 mi S) • (520) 318‑8726 • noao.edu/kpvc
Explore the solar system by day or the Milky Way by night. Kitt Peak offers guided daytime tours to solar telescopes and sunset-to-starlight programming with planetarium and telescope sessions. Nightly stargazing is magical under desert skies.
Tip: Book in advance—night programs fill quickly, especially on moonless weekends.
