Tucson is a rare and beautiful place. I didn’t know much about it before I went there, and that’s because the people are chill, and I think maybe they’re trying to keep this fantastic place a secret. You know a place is spectacular when it has two unique lifeforms that only live there – the Saguaro and Pipe Organ Cactus.

Here are five places near Tucson that I loved

1 Saguaro National Park

Saguaro Cactuses are an icon of the old American West. The tall tubular cactus’ stands tall and green and looks like it has two arms. Put’em up, pardner. Seeing these cacti was my reason for coming to Tucson. I’d glimpsed them briefly a few years before driving from Phoenix to Sedona, and I knew I had to come back.

You don’t have to do anything special to see Saguaro’s while in Tucson, they’re everywhere, but still, you should go to Saguaro National Park to see them in their full glory, taking over an entire desert.

The most important thing you should know about this park is that it is broken into two sections on opposite sides of town. Between the two parks, there are over 150 miles of designated trails where you’ll see near millions of Saguaros giving life to the phrase “grow wild.”

Read about my visits to the park in a more detailed post and learn about the adorable, could be scary, little Javelinas that roam the park.

2 Chiricahua National Monument

About two hours east of Tucson, you’ll find one of Arizona’s best-kept secrets: Chiricahua National Monument. It’s like a small Bryce Canyon National Park, but in muted tones of grey and beige like tombstones, some speckled with green instead of variegated shades of red and orange you’ll find at Bryce. This place, though, has one big bonus: nobody goes there.

The park preserves tall rock structures formed from volcanic rock that eroded into pinnacles and spires, called hoodoos. The structures are rare enough to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The area is relatively small, with only two main hiking sections with about 15 trails.

While I was there, I hiked a few of the loop trails and found many different interesting structures that you’ll only see if you get out and walk around a bit. See my video and read a more complete post here.

3 Tombstone, Arizona – America’s Favorite Ghost Town

Before this, I hadn’t spent much time in the west, and I’ve got to say, ghost towns are wild. Imagine creating an entire town, and thousands of people live and work at the mine and associated businesses. Then, one day, the mine runs dry, and everyone leaves. Boom. Ghost town. There are a lot of ghost towns in the southwest, even those that don’t officially call themselves one yet, but none are more famous than Tombstone.

Tombstone, Arizona, is way down in southeast Arizona and is home to some of our favorite wild west cowboy stories. The O.K. Corral, Wyatt Earp, the bullet-riddled Bird Cage Theatre … outlaws, gunfights, gallows and the infamous Boothill Cemetery are all here. Even if you’re not a history or western fan, chances are you’ve heard of a few of those.

Someone really savvy at marketing has taken over Tombstone. It’s like a TV set, or I imagine, the Disney-like version of a ghost town now. Everything has been commercialized and tourist-ified, and that takes some of the fun out of it. Though I guess it’s a matter of perspective. Many tourists like having kitschy stuff to do with their kids, and Tombstone provides it in spades. Regardless of your preference, it’s a famous old town filled with history, beautiful old buildings, and spectacular surroundings. Plus, the drive is pretty; just watch out for the outlaws (just kidding). Read a more detailed post here.

4 Bisbee is just two hours from Tucson

If you’re driving to Tombstone, you may as well keep going another 45 minutes and check out Bisbee or maybe go to Bisbee instead. It’s another ghost town, but this one is artier, less touristy, and it has a big open pit as a claim to fame.

Bisbee, Arizona and the neighboring smaller town of Lowell are two charming and somewhat strange (at least in the case of Lowell) little mountain towns. I liked these towns better than Tombstone because it was more artistic, less touristy, and people still live authentically and run small businesses. Bisbee still has its original bustling main street with many small independent shops and restaurants selling arts, crafts and other fun stuff like stones, scones and clothes. None of it is commercial. You won’t even find a Starbucks, but you will find a locally roasted brew that’s rather good.

But the most photographed part of the town is the “Lavender Pit.” It sits between Bisbee and the next furthest town, Lowell. Read a more detailed post here.

5 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Over on the southwest corner of Arizona, just five miles from the Mexico border, you’ll find another unique site – Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

Just don’t be a bird brain like me and think that means it’s one giant cactus shaped like a pipe organ because that’s not what it is. Sure, the Organ Pipe Cactus’ can be said to look like a pipe organ, but there are thousands of these plants, not just one big one that looks like a church organ.

You might want to go here because the cactuses are rarer than Saguaros. If you don’t care about that, you might want to go just for the drive. No matter where you’re coming from, you will go through the classic, untouched Sonoran Desert. It’s the western road trip of your dreams.

The monument area is an International Biosphere Reserve, and you’ll be surprised by all the 30+ types of cactuses you’ll see. Read a more detailed post here.

Bonus: Sedona

If you’re up for a longer drive, about four hours north, Sedona and the magical red vortex rocks are well worth your time. There you will see red, red-orange rock formations towering all around the canyon city. There are many active businesses and communities in and around Sedona. You’ll find many opportunities for hiking, climbing, off-roading, and spiritual enlightenment among the “vortex energy” the place claims. I’ve been twice and can’t wait for the opportunity to go again.  

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