IN THIS REGION Benson Bisbee Elgin Sierra Vista Tombstone Tubac Tucson Willcox TUCSON & SOUTHERN ARIZONA Area Highlights ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM , TUCSON This multi-faceted museum offers an array of experiences. Stroll the bo-tanical gardens filled with Sonoran Desert plant life, see wildlife up-close at the onsite zoo, marvel at rocks and minerals at the natural history museum, spot underwater creatures at the aquarium and view artwork in the galleries. CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT , WILLCOX Take the 8-mile paved drive or hike 17 miles of day-use trails to get a full sense of this rare geographical showcase of massive columns, slender spires and impossibly balanced rocks— the result of a large-scale volcanic eruption 27 million years ago. O.K. CORRAL , TOMBSTONE Transport yourself to the rough-and-tumble Wild West when you stand in the very place where the infamous gun fight occurred in 1881. Watch a daily reenactment, walk through the 1880s stables and blacksmith shop, and see historic photographs of Tombstone life as it was “back then.” BISBEE MINING & HISTORICAL MUSEUM , BISBEE Explore “The Queen of the Copper Camps” at this Smithsonian-affiliated museum, where you’ll enter a state-of-the-art mining exhibit rife with crystals, min-erals and the history of this historic town, when miners blasted their way through thousands of miles of tunnels in search of copper. TUBAC GOLF RESORT & SPA , TUBAC Made famous by the movie “Tin Cup,” this spectacular golf destination boasts three nine-hole courses with emerald-green fairways, cottonwood and mesquite trees, challenging water features and awe-inspiring mountain views. Stay overnight in one of the luxuri-ous Spanish Colonial-style rooms or suites. CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY , TUCSON With an astonishingly vast collec-tion—more than 110,000 works by 2,200 photographers and 8 million archival objects ranging from negatives and contact sheets to scrapbooks and writings—this museum at The University of Arizona continually features exhibitions, programs and events surrounding photography and its history. DOS CABEZAS WINEWORKS , SONOITA Nestled in the high desert grasslands, this scenic winery grows more than 20 varietals across its two vineyards, both locat-ed in the area. Stop into the Sonoita tasting room, surrounded by panoramic views of the mountains and grape vines, and taste your way through a lineup of red, white and pink blends. KARTCHNER CAVERNS STATE PARK , BENSON Delicate soda straw stalactites, colossal columns and the world’s most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk are just a few of the sights at this underground wonder. Go on a guided tour to learn about the his-tory, geology and wildlife within the caverns, and see interactive exhibits at the Discovery Center. RAMSEY CANYON PRESERVE , HEREFORD Escape to an unusually cool, water-rich oasis in the desert, where high canyon walls, a spring-fed stream and plenty of tree shade provide an ideal environment for flora and fauna. Follow Ramsey Creek along the Hamburg Trail to get a glimpse of wildlife such as hummingbirds, Chiricahua leopard-frogs and black bears. 51 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson Chiricahua National Monument, Willcox TOP TO BOTTOM: VISIT TUCSON; NPS / R. STEWART; O.K. CORRAL; FACING PAGE: VISIT TUCSON/NICCI RADHE O.K. Corral, Tombstone
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