Photo: Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Town · 1 hr 13 min southeast
Tombstone
Walk the wooden boardwalks of Allen Street in the 1880s silver boomtown made famous by the Earps, then step into the 1882 county courthouse, now a museum, for the town's real story.
- Half day
- Year-round; best October to April
- Free to walk the town; Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park charges admission (per person)
Heads-up: The courthouse is open 9 to 4:30 October to May and 9 to 3 June to September, and no pets inside. Gunfight shows and other private attractions keep their own hours and prices.
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Official site
Photo: Tony the Marine, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Ghost town · 2 hr 56 min northwest
Vulture City
A restored 1860s gold-mining camp outside Wickenburg with original buildings and guided tours in the cooler months.
- 2-3 hrs
- About October to May; closed in summer
- Admission
- Confirm fees and hours before you go
Heads-up: Open Thursday to Sunday in season. Dirt paths with little shade.
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Photo: Aspersions at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
#3 · Museum · 26 min south
Titan Missile Museum
Go down into the only Cold War Titan II missile silo open to the public, with the missile still standing in its launch tube.
- 1-2 hrs
- Year-round; open fewer days a week June to September
- Admission (silo tours need a reservation; cheaper topside-only ticket)
Heads-up: The guided tour is about 45 minutes with 55 stairs down and back up and no elevator. Leashed pets are allowed topside only, and tickets cannot be refunded or rebooked.
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Official site
Photo: Ammodramus, CC0
#4 · Historic site · 46 min south
Tumacácori National Historical Park
Wander the ruins of a Spanish mission church from the early 1800s, its cemetery and an orchard of heritage fruit trees.
- 1-2 hrs
- Best October to April; open year-round
- NPS entrance fee (per adult 16+) or America the Beautiful pass
Heads-up: Cards only. No pets on the mission grounds, but leashed dogs can walk the Anza Trail along the river. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Official site
Photo: Johndedios, CC BY 3.0
#5 · Museum · 48 min north
Biosphere 2
Walk through the huge glass science building near Oracle, with a rainforest, an ocean and a desert under one roof, and see what life inside the sealed experiment was like.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Admission (cheaper when bought online ahead)
Heads-up: The self-guided route is about 1 mile with around 100 stairs, though most biomes can be reached by wheelchair. It gets hot and humid inside, and no pets anywhere on the grounds.
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Official site
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wablair/, CC BY 2.0
#6 · Museum · 56 min east
Amerind Museum
A quiet museum and art gallery among the giant boulders of Texas Canyon, with Native American art and artifacts from across the Americas, plus nature trails in season.
- 2-3 hrs
- Museum year-round; trails early September to late April
- Admission (museum; museum-and-trail combo tickets)
Heads-up: Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 to 4, closed Mondays and major holidays. Trail users check in at the museum and sign a waiver. No dogs except service animals.
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Official site
Photo: DESI Collaboration/DOE/KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Tyas, CC BY 4.0
#7 · Observatory · 1 hr 5 min southwest
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Drive up to a 6,800-foot mountaintop full of giant telescope domes, take a guided telescope tour, or come back after dark for a stargazing program.
- Half day
- Year-round; snow and ice possible in winter
- Free visitor center; tours and night programs need paid reservations
Heads-up: The last 12 miles are a winding mountain road with no services, and the summit is much cooler than Tucson. Book tours ahead; groups are small.
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Official site
Photo: Yassie, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · Museum · 1 hr 41 min northwest
Heard Museum
One of the country's best museums of American Indian art and culture.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round (closed Mondays in summer)
- Admission
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Official site
Photo: Marine 69-71, CC BY-SA 4.0
#9 · Museum · 1 hr 55 min northwest
Musical Instrument Museum
Instruments from nearly every country in the world, with headphones that play automatically as you walk up.
- 2-4 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission
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Official site
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
#10 · Historic site · 1 hr 59 min east
Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Hike an easy 3-mile round trip through Apache Pass, past a stage station, a cemetery and Apache Spring, to the adobe ruins of an Army fort from the Apache Wars.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round; cool months best, summer mornings only
- Free
Heads-up: Little shade, so bring water and a hat. The access roads are partly unpaved and can be rough after rain. Visitors who can't hike can call the visitor center ahead to arrange driving closer.
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Official site
Photo: Elitemedia.network, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Landmark · 2 hr 40 min northwest
Arcosanti
An experimental desert town of concrete domes and arches, famous for its bronze and ceramic wind bells.
- 1-2 hrs
- Year-round
- Guided tour fee
Heads-up: Visits are by guided tour; book ahead. Many spots are reached only by stairs. Leashed dogs OK on the grounds. The café is closed for now.
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Official site
Photo: Tony the Marine (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Town · 2 hr 42 min northwest
Wickenburg
An Old West town with a strong Western art museum (the Sigler Western Museum, formerly Desert Caballeros), bronze statues and the old Jail Tree in the historic district.
- Half day
- Best October to April
- Admission (museum); town free
Heads-up: The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10 to 5 and Sunday 11 to 3. Summer afternoons are hot.
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Official site
Photo: Matthew.kowal, CC BY-SA 4.0
#13 · Town · 2 hr 56 min east
Silver City, New Mexico
An old silver-mining town at about 6,000 feet with a historic downtown of galleries and cafes, and the gateway to the Gila.
Heads-up: Start at the visitor center beside Big Ditch Park. Gila Cliff Dwellings is about two hours away.
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Official site
Photo: The original uploader was Elf at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0
#14 · Historic site · 2 hr 57 min north
Fort Verde State Historic Park
Original 1870s army post buildings with rooms set up as they were.
- 1 hr
- Year-round
- State park entrance fee
Heads-up: Open daily; closed Christmas Day.
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Official site
Photo: Lar (primary) User:Lar (secondary), Public domain
#15 · Landmark · 1 hr 56 min northwest
Taliesin West
Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio in the desert foothills, seen on a guided tour.
- 1.5-2 hrs
- Year-round
- Tour ticket
Heads-up: Tickets are limited; book ahead. Paths are gravel with some steps.
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