If Quick Getaways Around Tucson is what you’re looking for, then Tucson Trolley Tours has your back!
Tombstone
www.tombstoneweb.com
520-457-3884
For quick getaways, take a trip to Tombstone, Arizona and you’ll be taking a trip back in time. It’s an entire family entertainment experience. Tombstone offers you the chance to experience a gunfight held daily at The Gunfight Palace. Or, you can check to see if you have what it takes to be a true gunfighter; a keen eye and steady hand at the Big Iron Shooting gallery. How about a guided tour leaving nightly from Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. You’ll see Tombstone’s 10 most haunted destinations. Gun-slinging not your style? Then head over to the Good Enough Mine Underground Tour. The guides will present you with a fascinating history of the miners below ground, and their families above ground.
Kartchners Caverns
www.azstateparks.com/kartchner
2980 AZ-90 Benson, AZ
520-586-4100
If you want to experience something different, insprirational and educational, visit the Kartchners Caverns. The caves are breathtakingly beautiful. The Ranger’s do an exceptional job of protecting this land, allowing visitors to enjoy it for many years to come. The cave was only discovered in 1974. It was kept secret until the State of Arizona agreed to incorporate it into the state park system in order to ensure its protection. The air inside the cavern is cool and very clean smelling. A very refreshing tour.
Bisbee
Bisbee was nicknamed “The Queen of Copper Camps” due to the early discovery of numerous rich ore bodies. Prospectors scurried to The Mule Mountains in hopes of striking it rich! After 8 billion pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver and 2.8 million ounces of gold were mined, they were closed permanently in 1975. Bisbee today is a well-known artist’s community. The city has transformed itself and is an ideal tourist stop.
Patagonia Lake
www.azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake
400 Patagonia Lake Road, Patagonia AZ
A beach in Arizona! At Patagonia Lake you’ll be able to swim, camp, go boating and observe an abundance of native Southern Arizona wildlife. Bobcats, whitetail deer, javelina, coyote, birds of all kinds, etc. The residents (animals) are all wild, so please observe them, don’t feed them. Hike one of the many trails, and hopefully you’ll catch one of the residents in its natural habitat.
Arizona Wine Country
There are two wine growing areas in Southern Arizona. Since they are approximately one hour apart, you can make a day of it and visit both! The Sonoita-Elgin wineries are the oldest and closest to Tucson. Willcox is the new kid on the block, with several wine tasting rooms popping up over the past several years. If you are looking for a formal tour of wineries, I recommend The Sonoita Wine Tasting Tour. It features stops at Callaghan Vineyards, Ranch Rossa Vineyard, The Cafe in Sonoita for lunch, Dos Cabezas Wineworks and finishing at Charron Vineyards. If you plan on taste testing this much wine, it’s probably best to have a tour guide / designated driver.
Tubac
www.tubacaz.com
Visitors Center is located at 1 Burruel St.
520-398-2252
Tubac offers many attractions and entertainment for the whole family. From golf to hiking, camping and shopping, you’ll need more than a day to soak in all of the fun. Just a couple of upcoming events is the Javalina Project Concert and Unveiling. A parade of painted javelinas kicks off the day. Grab lunch at one of the many food trucks and listen to must from Wade Hayes at 5pm. The Fall Arts and Crafts Festival in November 2019 with vendors, food trucks, kid activities, music and more. I hope you have space in your car, because it’s impossible to leave without buying some of the local art and iron works.
Mt. Lemmon
www.visitarizona.com/uniquely-az
Want to go have a snowball fight in Arizona? Well you can in Mt. Lemmon. Around 200 inches of snow falls annually in Mt. Lemmon. You can still see snow on the ground in April!! It’s the perfect summer “get away” because it is typically 30 degrees cooler that sunny Tucson. Make sure to visit the General Store and Gift Shop for some scrumptious home-made fudge. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Kitt Peak Observatory
www.noao.edu/kpvc/
AZ – 386, Sierra Vista
520-318-8726
Last but not least, for quick getaways, you can visit for either a day-time or night time tour. I recommend a night-time tour, so you can stargaze as never before. The guides are knowledgeable and charismatic. A daytime tour will enable you to view the beautiful vast Arizona desert. The telescope viewing is amazing! During the day you can, safely look at the sun. At night you can see the planets and galaxies.