Tombstone Arizona: How To Visit & Things To Do (2023)
Welcome to Tombstone Arizona – the “Town Too Tough to Die”.
Many are familiar with Tombstone Arizona because of the famous 1990s western movie Tombstone. The film is loosely based on real events that happened in Tombstone, Arizona in the 1880s. These events include a gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Tombstone is a great example of our 1880 western heritage, with its preserved 1880s buildings and artifacts. According to the brochure I got in Tombstone, “silver is what brought people to this Apache land.” It was the “fastest growing city between St. Louis and San Francisco in 1880.”
Okay, now that we got the history mumbo jumbo out of the way, let’s talk about the good stuff (attractions) and my experience there.
Where is Tombstone Arizona?
Tombstone AZ is located in Cochise County, in Southern Arizona.
Tombstone is 70 miles south of Tucson and 185 miles from Phoenix, or roughly 3 hours.
To get to Tombstone from either Tucson or Phoenix, you take I-10 E till you get to Benson, and then take exit 303 towards AZ-80 E/W 4th St in Benson. AZ-80 E will take you right to Tombstone.
For any military personnel stationed at Ft Huachuca, Tombstone AZ is only 25 minutes away via E Charleston Rd.
Attractions & Things To Do in Tombstone, AZ
Tombstone is still an active and thriving town, with many people from all over the world visiting each year! It’s also a great place to visit for anyone who lives in Arizona and is looking for a fun day trip.
History buffs will love Tombstone AZ, as it holds so much history with historic buildings and great story telling.
As for my fellow millennials, Tombstone Arizona attractions include some good food and drinks. Tombstone AZ has great restaurants as well as wine tastings and breweries, some of which are dog friendly so you don’t have to leave your fur baby at home!
Tombstone Arizona Attractions
Some of Tombstone’s favorite attractions are:
- O.K. Corral
- Boothill Bird Cage Theatre
- Tombstone Epitaph
- Outlaw Zipline
- Crystal Palace Saloon
- Big Nose Kate’s Saloon
- Tombstone Brewery
Big Nose Kate’s Saloon
We went to go eat at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, once the famous Grand Hotel and the place where Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Bat Masterson and Johnny Ringo liked to gather.
The food and beer were good. I got the “Goldies Famous Over-Stuffed Reuben” and KG got the “Cowboy Cheese Steak”. If I had to choose, I recommend the “Cowboy Cheese Steak.” We also tried the Sampler Platter and my favorite was the Fried Zucchini! And my vegetarian friends, worry not, they also have a “Veggie Burger” and a “Lady Banksiae’s” Garden Pizza. You can check out their menu here.
The decor inside the saloon was so cute! The walls are covered with photos from previous years with people dressed up in their best western wear. They also had the movie Tombstone playing on repeat. And before you leave, make sure to check out the gift store downstairs for a peak inside a mine!
After lunch, we walked the dirt roads of Tombstone, where they still have horse-drawn carriages that you can pay to get on. There’s also a trolley tour, but we didn’t get on.
Behind the main road, there is also an area with more old building that look like they are functional, but were closed while we were there.
O.K. Corral & Tombstone Epitaph
If you want to see a reenactment of the famous shoot out, I recommend going to O.K. Corral. We wanted to see this, but we got the time wrong and missed the last show! 😭
The times are 11am, 1pm and 3pm for $10, children 5 and younger are FREE. Your ticket includes admission to the O.K. Corral Historic Complex, Tombstone’s Historama, and a free copy of the 1881 reprint of The Tombstone Epitaph newspaper with the original reports of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
If you’re interested in the Tombstone Epitaph, you can get all the information at O.K. Corral as well!
Cabal Cellars Wine Tasting
Of course, we couldn’t go on a trip and not have some wine! Or at least the ladies couldn’t.
We decided to do a wine tasting at Cabal Cellars. There is more wine tasting spots in Tombstone, but this is the one that caught our eyes and we weren’t disappointed!
We got 5 tastings for $12. After that, we picked our favorite bottle and shared it there while we talked and just hung out, enjoying this cute little town.
Tombstone merchants take pride in keeping their town as authentic as it was 100 years ago, giving millions of visitors a real look back into the wild west as it really was.
-Tombstone brochure
There is still so much more that I have yet to see in Tombstone offers and I can’t wait to go back! I just love that Arizona has this little gem of well-preserved history. I’m no history buff, but it’s pretty cool to step into a real place that looks like it’s a movie set!
Until next time Tombstone!
XO, Mayra
