Arizona

Arizona is a very unique and diverse Southwestern state rich in history and culture. In southern Arizona we have high desert with scenic mountain vistas, beautiful sunsets, and vast expanses where majestic Saguaro Cacti abound.

In northern Arizona we have lush green pine forests, red rock canyons with flowing rivers and abundant wild life.

A trip to Arizona would not be complete without visiting some of our natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert or Monument Valley.

Wander through the old western town of Tombstone where one of the most famous gun fights between Wyatt Earp and the Clantons took place at the OK Coral. Explore the Old World charm of the old mining town of Bisbee.

A ride up Mount Lemmon illustrates the diversity of Arizona as you travel through four completely different ecological strata. From stately saguaro cactus at the bottom, to the pine and aspen groves at the top. Mt. Lemmon, at over 9000 feet, is a wonderful place to get away from the desert heat in the summer, enjoy the changing leaves in the fall, and ski in the winter.

Tombstone, Bisbee, Jerome and Old Tucson are Arizona attractions which embody the culture of the Old west.

Over the years Tombstone has remained a tribute to the history of the Wild West earning the reputation as "The Town too Tough to Die." Walk along wooden sidewalks or take a stagecoach or covered wagon tour. A visit to Tombstone wouldn't be complete without experiencing a reenactment of the shootout at the OK Corral.

Wander the streets of Bisbee and Jerome and it is easy to imagine what life might have been like in and old western mining town.

Old Tucson is an active Hollywood movie studio that features film and television shoots throughout the year and daily Wild West entertainment. Old Tucson is home to some of the most famous western movie classics ever made.

Southern Arizona has it all - wildlife, history, arts and culture, shopping and a chance to experience the Old West. This itinerary will take you through all of what Tucson and Southern Arizona have to offer.

You have read about it, heard about it and dreamed about it. Now experience Northern Arizona and some of its most famous attributes - from the Grand Canyon to the Navajo Nation. You'll encounter unusual and majestic landscapes, many of which Native Americans believe to be sacred. You will hike, raft and take advantage of photo opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world, so do not forget your camera.

Greater Phoenix is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States, encompassing more than 20 communities. This itinerary will take you through the largest cultural and entertainment Meccas of the Phoenix area, most commonly referred to as the "The Valley of the Sun." You will experience history, art, architecture and great food, all while taking in the beautiful Southwest landscape and relaxed lifestyle.

Because all these communities are part of one major metropolitan area, you may base your travel in any of these cities. Your travel time will not exceed more than 30-45 minutes, in many cases much less. The times indicated below are based on drive time from the Central Phoenix area.

Arizona is legendary for its deserts and Wild West heritage. But it's not all cactus and cowboys in the Grand Canyon State. Arizona's wide-open spaces provide opportunity for wildlife, wildflowers, and wild adventures and vistas from all elevations. And the people - from Native Americans to miners - make for some wild stories to tell, too. When visiting Arizona's wild side, bring your camera - and your appetite, because you'll eat some of the best hometown Mexican food and collect the best salsa recipes from mom-and-pop shops that have been making and serving it for decades.

There was a slower, simpler time before the Interstate picked up the pace of today. Back then, Route 66 was the Main Street of America. Arizona is home to the longest original stretch of this road, which is one of 25 scenic byways in Arizona, and much of it is still preserved by the locals who lived it.

If you are lucky, you may run into a couple who still live and work on the road and can tell you a story or two. History and nostalgia lie along the way on this classic road trip. So get your kitsch on Route 66.

Not far north and east of the Phoenix metropolitan area lays a landscape not many realize exists in Arizona. The areas known as Rim Country and the White Mountains are home to pine forests and lakes that inspired ancient dwellers and modern authors alike. Mormon settlers established themselves here, Zane Grey lived and wrote here and John Wayne worked his ranches here. Outdoor enthusiasts from anglers and birders to hikers and snow skiers will find four seasons of fun in this year-round paradise.

For thousands of years, people have shared this beautiful region of Arizona with wildlife - and for good reason. The Verde River and its tributaries give life to birds and many other wildlife and plant species.

In 1774, Juan Bautista de Anza led a party of 240 colonists on an expedition from Mexico to found a presidio and mission near the San Francisco Bay. The United States' section of the De Anza Trail is a 1,200-mile marked highway beginning in Southern Arizona. Today, it's easy to tour this historic trail - and see some unforgettable sights along the way.

Bisbee

Bisbee, 130kms south-east of Tucson and 15km north of the Mexico border, was once one of America's toughest Wild West mining towns, sporting a couple of hundred saloons and brothels for the near-30,000 population of mostly gold and copper miners interested mainly in drinkin', feudin', fightin' and, yes, well...

Yet its equally tough and strong-willed civic leaders somehow tamed Bisbee. They built churches, a museum, an enviable library, schools, a YMCA Centre, encouraged families into the area and somewhat miraculously turned Bisbee - then the largest city on the rail line between Saint Louis and San Francisco - into one of America's most-cultured cities for its time as well.

From the 1880s to 1970s Bisbee's mines in the ore-rich Mule Mountains were amongst the wealthiest in the world, producing nearly 3-million ounces of gold, over 3.6-million kilograms of copper, and millions more of silver, lead and zinc.

But when they closed in the 1970s the population dwindled from 30,000 to a fifth that, and today Bisbee provides a rare opportunity to visit a community that still cherishes and proudly wears its links with the Wild West on its arm - but without the kitsch of other one-time Wild West communities

And it is home to a thriving artists' community, provides a bolt-hole for hippies and other colourful characters and drop-outs, is a haven for activity-minded retirees, and is one of America's most-accepting communities for gays and lesbians.

Victorian-era and European-style homes nestle in its foothills alongside Wild West-era cottages, one-time saloons are now art galleries, coffee shops, boutiques and antique stores, and the Copper Queen Hotel that took four years to build from 1898, is a welcoming hostelry once more, with restored Wild West-style bars and restaurants.