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Southern Arizona

This is a land of Stetsons and spurs, where cowboy ballads are sung around the campfire under starry, black-velvet skies and thick steaks sizzle on the grill. Anchored by the bustling college town of Tucson, it's a vast region, where long, dusty highways slide past rolling vistas and steep, pointy mountain ranges. Majestic saguaro cacti, the symbol of the region, stretch out as far as the eye can see. Some of the Wild West's most classic tales were begot in small towns like Tombstone and Bisbee, which still attract tourists by the thousands for their Old West vibe. The desert air is hot, sweet and dry by day, cool and crisp at night. And the sunsets? Stupendous.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Arizona.

  • See

    Saguaro National Park

    Saguaros (sah- wah -ros) are icons of the American Southwest, and an entire cactus army of these majestic, ribbed sentinels is protected in this desert playground. Or more precisely, playgrounds: the park is divided into east and west units, separated by 30 miles and Tucson itself. Both sections – the Rincon Mountain District in the east and Tucson Mountain District in the west – are filled with trails and desert flora; if you only visit one, make it the spectacular western half.

  • See

    Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

    Home to cacti, coyotes and palm-sized hummingbirds, this 98-acre ode to the Sonoran Desert is one part zoo, one part botanical garden and one part museum – a trifecta that'll entertain young and old for half a day easily. Desert denizens, from precocious coatis to playful prairie dogs, inhabit natural enclosures, the grounds are thick with desert plants, and docents give demonstrations. Strollers and wheelchairs are available, and there's a gift shop, an art gallery, a restaurant and a cafe.

  • See

    4th Avenue

    Linking historic downtown and the university, lively 4th Ave is a rare breed: a rough-around-the-edges, alt-flavored strip with not a single chain store or restaurant (except for Dairy Queen). The stretch between 9th St and University Blvd is lined with buzzy restaurants, coffeehouses, bars, bookstores, galleries, indie boutiques and vintage shops. It has its own traders' association along with events (see the website).

  • See

    Chiricahua National Monument

    Named for the Chiricahua Apaches whose land this is, this wild and evocative landscape is one of Arizona's most stunning. Improbably baroque 'sculptures' of compacted, eroded volcanic ash are spread across nearly 12,000 acres of this sky island in the desert. Beloved by hikers, campers and birders, it's also home to a wide range of wildlife, including coatis, javelinas, mountain lions and black bears. It's about 37 miles from Willcox, via Hwys 186 and 181, and has two campgrounds.

  • See

    Fort Bowie National Historic Site

    Somewhere between the abandoned stagecoach stop and the sun-bleached cemetery, it hits you: this hike is a little spooky. Why? Because the 1.5-mile trail to Fort Bowie ( boo -ey) is the closest you'll come to time travel in the Southwest. The fort was established in 1862 in response to raids by the Chiricahua Apache, and the interpretive trail through this lonely place passes violent skirmish sites. The trailhead is at the parking lot on Apache Pass Rd.

  • See

    Old Tucson Studios

    Nicknamed 'Hollywood in the Desert,' this old movie set of Tucson in the 1860s was built in 1939 for the filming of Arizona. Hundreds of flicks followed, bringing in movie stars from Clint Eastwood to Leonardo DiCaprio. Now a Wild West theme park, it's all about shoot-outs, stagecoach rides, stunt shows and dancing saloon girls. Hours vary by month – check online before you go.

  • See

    Kitt Peak National Observatory

    Dark, clear desert skies are the raison d'être for the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the world's largest collection of optical telescopes. Two radio telescopes and 22 optical telescopes sit atop a spectacular 6875ft-high mountaintop, offering stunning views across southern Arizona. The visitor center has exhibits and a gift shop, but no food. Hour-long tours take you inside the building housing the telescopes (alas, you can't peer through any of them) and the picnic area draws amateur astronomers at night.

  • See

    Biosphere 2

    Built to be completely sealed off from Biosphere 1 (the earth), Biosphere 2 is 3 acres of glass domes and pyramids containing six ecosystems: ocean, mangrove, rainforest, savannah, desert and city. In 1991 eight biospherians were sealed inside for a two-year tour of duty, from which they emerged thinner but in fair shape. Tours take in the biospherians' apartments, farm area and kitchen, the million-gallon 'tropical ocean' and the 'technosphere' that made it all possible.

  • See

    Kartchner Caverns State Park

    This wonderland of spires, shields, pipes, columns, soda straws and other ethereal formations has been five million years in the making, but miraculously wasn't discovered until 1974. In fact, its very location was kept secret for another 25 years in order to prepare for its opening as Kartchner Caverns State Park. Two tours are available, both about 90 minutes long and equally impressive.

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