Tucson and Southern Arizona Tourism

Tucson and Southern Arizona Tourism on ArizonaBeautiful.com. Arizona Tucson and Southern Tourism Region - your Tucson and Southern Arizona Travel Guide to Vacations, Attractions and Events

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park - Yuma, Arizona

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park - Yuma, Arizona

This prison was built by the prisoners themselves in 1876.  3,069 prisoners, including 29 women, lived within the walls of the prison during its 33 year operation.  Some things never change as their crimes are some of those still being convicted today, murder, polygamy, grand larceny (which was the most common).  One hundred 11 persons died while serving their sentences, most from TB. Read more

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Benson, Arizona

Kartchner Caverns State Park - Benson, Arizona

The Kartchner Caverns were found in 1974 by two young cavers, Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts.  They were exploring the limestone hills at the base of the Whetstone Mountains when they found a narrow crack at the bottom of a sinkhole.  Warm, moist air flowed out which signaled the existence of a cave.  After several hours of crawling they entered a pristine cavern.  Four years later they told the properly owners, James and Lois Kartchner, about their amazing discovery. Read more

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park - Tubac, Arizona

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park - Tubac, Arizona

Originally founded by the Jesuits in 1687 to 1711 to "Christianize and control" Native Americans.  In the 1730’s Spanish Colonists began irrigating and farming the lands along the river and raising cattle, sheep and goats on the northern frontier of Spain’s New World empire. Read more

Arizona State Museum - Tucson, Arizona

Arizona State Museum - Tucson, Arizona

This museum is the oldest - - and largest - - anthropology museum in the Southwest and established in 1893 has given it a long history of collecting valuable pieces from the region.  It is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.  It is the largest non-federal archaeological repository in the country and is the state’s official archaeological repository. Read more

Kitt Peak National Observatory - Tucson, Arizona

Kitt Peak National Observatory - Tucson, Arizona

This observatory is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and supports the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories on Earth for nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and daytime study of the sun. Read more

Copper Queen Mine - Bisbee, Arizona

Copper Queen Mine - Bisbee, Arizona

The Copper Queen Mine is now available for tours lead by tour guides that are retired Phelps Dodge employees.  They will lead the group down 1,500 feet into the mine and tell the stories of the mining days, the techniques they used, the dangers and drama they faced every day. Read more

Fort Bowie - Bowie, Arizona

Fort Bowie - Bowie, Arizona

Fort Bowie commemorates the bitter conflict between the Chiricahua Apaches and the U. S. Military.  It was a time when the western movement was requiring more land for the settlements and the hunter/gatherer society fighting to preserve its way of life, its very existence. Read more

Faraway Ranch - Willcox, Arizona

Faraway Ranch - Willcox, Arizona

This is the home of Neil and Emma Ericson, built in the late 1890’s near Chiricahua National Monument.  For years it was run as a "Dude Ranch" to sustain the necessary income to survive the 20’s and 30’s.  Visitors to the ranch could take trail rides into the monument as well as taking part in ranching activities, and yet today the visitors to Faraway Ranch can still visit and wonder at Wonderland of Rocks! Read more

Chiricahua National Monument - Willcox, Arizona

Chiricahua National Monument - Willcox, Arizona

Can you envision a forest of rocks?  That’s exactly what the Chiricahua National Monument is, a forest of rock spires that was eroded from layers of ash deposited by the Turkey Creek Volcano eruption 27 million years ago! Read more

Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum & Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame - Willcox, Arizona

Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum & Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame - Willcox, Arizona

Do you remember the Singing Cowboy, Rex Allen?  He was the star of many western movies and on television.  He grew up in Willcox, Arizona on a ranch in Mud Springs Canyon, forty miles from Willcox.   He starred as himself in 19 western movies.  He was one of the top ten box office draws of the day.  He personified the clean cut, God-fearing American hero of the wild west, he rode a horse named KoKo and had a sidekick known to many for his varied rolls, his name was Buddy Ebsen who played Slim Pickens. Read more

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