Day Trip To Bisbee Arizona A Walking Tour What To See

Bisbee, Arizona, is a beautiful place to spend a day. Unlike most historic mining towns, Bisbee was built with stone and bricks, making it look more like an Eastern city than a Wild West town. Many of the town’s buildings date back to the early 1900s. A visit to Bisbee, Arizona, is like stepping back in time. To fully experience this fantastic city, park your car and take a walking tour of this historic copper-mining town.

Bisbee is situated in the Mule Mountains, making it a prosperous mining area. By 1910, the town had grown to over 9,000 citizens. With the advent of open-pit mining, Bisbee continued to flourish until the 1950s, when the price of copper dropped. Copper mining continued until the mid-1970s when Phelps Dodge Corporation halted its Bisbee copper-mining operations.

With the mining industry’s demise, Bisbee turned to tourism to regain its lost wealth and fame. Sticking to its mining roots, Bisbee has become a prime destination for mining tourism. Bisbee, Arizona, is renowned for its vibrant cultural scene, offering a blend of art, history, architecture, dining, nightlife, outdoor activities, and sightseeing for visitors to enjoy.

Things To Do and See in Bisbee, AZ

Copper Queen Mine Tour

Ride on the mine train and explore the 100-year-old Copper Queen Mine with your guide, Will. Discover the mining process, the day-to-day operations, and the equipment used in the mine. The Copper Queen Mine also serves as the town’s visitor center.

Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum

The museum is in the old Phelps Dodge General Office Building, a National Historic Landmark. This museum provides a detailed history of Bisbee’s mining industry from the mid-1880s until its closure in the 1970s. Website

The Lavender Pit

The Lavender Pit, located at the south end of Bisbee, is a former open-pit copper mine that spans 300 acres and is about 850 feet deep. There is a designated viewing area that is fenced off, where visitors can learn about the massive pit’s operation through the help of informative placards.

Lowell Erie Street

Erie Street is situated at the southern end of the Lavender Pit. It is recommended that visitors walk through or drive through the last section of Main Street in Lowell, Arizona, to reach it. Along the way, visitors can enjoy classic cars, storefronts from the 1950s, iconic signs, an old movie theater, a pool hall, a Harley Davidson repair shop, and many other attractions.

Tombstone Canyon Road

Tombstone Canyon Road is Bisbee’s main street, with many points of interest lining both sides. To make the most of your visit, stroll up the street. Otherwise, you might miss some of the town’s hidden gems. We highly recommend checking out Howell Avenue, Subway Street, and Brewery Avenue. Exploring the city on foot will lead to exciting discoveries.

St. Elmo Bar

The St. Elmo Bar is a local watering hole at 36 Brewery Avenue and has existed since 1902. Although it may not look like much from the outside, don’t be deterred. We walked in with our dog and were warmly welcomed by the regular patrons at the bar. They even moved over to make space for us to sit. Support St. Elmo Bar by buying their logo T-shirt, even if you don’t get a drink.

Bisbee Main Street Bistro

I couldn’t find any information about the building’s history, but its vibrant blue color and the giant fly climbing down the wall caught my attention. The restaurant serves made-from-scratch soups, curries, hearty pasta, and organic vegan, local zucchini bread and muffins. The location is at 105 Tombstone Canyon, Bisbee, AZ.

The Copper Queen Library and Post Office

The building the library and the post office share was the original location of a corner grocery. The post office was established in 1900, and the library in 1907. The Copper Queen is the oldest, continuously run library in the entire state of Arizona. They are located at 6 Main St, Bisbee, AZ.

The Inn At Castle Rock

The Inn at Castle Rock, built in 1895, is situated at the base of Castle Rock in the heart of Old Bisbee. The hotel also houses the historic Apache Springs Well. The Inn offers 14 themed rooms, two of which are pet-friendly. You can book your stay at the Inn’s website.

The Letson Loft Hotel- Letson Loft Block

The Letson Loft Hotel in Arizona is a historic building constructed in 1883. The hotel was built on the site where the Goldwater-Castaneda Mercantile Store was initially located. Despite the great Bisbee fire in 1908, Letson Loft Hotel remains one of the few original building structures on Main Street that has survived.

Bisbee has a rich history with many old buildings that are worth exploring. Some of the most fascinating ones are the Copper Queen Hotel, built in 1902; the Tombstone Canyon Inn, built in 1890; Copper Queen Hospital, built in 1880; Bisbee Gym Building, built in 1903; and Old Bisbee High School, built in 1914. These are just a few examples of the numerous historic buildings found in Old Bisbee.

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