The city of Bisbee in Southern Arizona is a place with a great character, a fascinating history as a mining town, and a lively atmosphere with many attractions.
Photo Courtesy of David Day
Bisbee is one of our favorite places in Arizona. It’s only 70 miles as the crow flies from where we live in Green Valley, but it’s a two-hour drive to get there because of the mountains in-between.
Bisbee has a fascinating history as a mining town, but it doesn’t live off its past as Tombstone tends to do. Instead, it also has a lively modern feel, with coffee shops and galleries tucked away in its many Victorian-style buildings.
Where is Bisbee?
Bisbee is just under a two-hour drive south-east of Tucson, a half-hour south of Tombstone, and a similar distance north of the Mexican border. It’s a small town of about 5,000 people, though technically it’s a city. We think of it as a town, though. City gives totally the wrong impression, as it’s a compact and very walkable place.
Bisbee History
Bisbee was once known as the “Queen of the Copper Camps,” and the town’s roots trace back to the late 19th century when silver and copper deposits were discovered in the Mule Mountains. This discovery sparked a mining boom, transforming Bisbee into a bustling mining town with a population exceeding 20,000 at its peak.
The town’s prosperity was accompanied by labor unrest, culminating in the infamous Bisbee Deportation of 1917, where over 1,200 striking miners were forcibly removed from the town. Despite this dark chapter, Bisbee continued to thrive as a mining center until the mid-20th century when the depletion of ore reserves led to the decline of the industry.
The town proved an attractive and inexpensive place that attracted artists and hippies in the 1960s and after, helping make it the lively place it is today.
Things to Do in Bisbee
If you want to learn more about that mining past then you must take a tour of the Copper Queen Mine, which is east of the town center, just off Highway 80. There’s more to discover at the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, housed in the Phelps Dodge General Office Building, a National Historic Landmark.
You can also visit the Cochise County Courthouse, which was built in the Art Deco style in 1931-32 and is quite a surprising contrast to many of the other older buildings. But the best way to enjoy Bisbee is just to stroll around and discover for yourself its galleries, cool shops, and cafes.
Where to Stay in Bisbee
The best-known place to stay is the historic Copper Queen Hotel, which was built in 1898-1902 by the Phelps Dodge Corporation to provide accommodation for people coming to town to see or do business with the Copper Queen Mine. This makes it the longest continuously operating hotel in Arizona, and guests over the years have included John Wayne, Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, and many other famous names.
However, there are plenty of other options including the Bisbee Grand Hotel and everything from guesthouses and motels to ranches outside the town. You can discover the options here.
Photo Courtesy of David Day
When to Visit Bisbee
You can visit Bisbee all year round, though its elevation of 5,538 ft means that it does get some snow in winter, but it’s usually pretty light. Temperatures will drop below zero, too. July-September sees the Monsoon Season, when there are periods of heavy rain, though these are usually brief and intense. From May to August, temperatures will also get into the 90s and sometimes even higher.
The best times to visit Bisbee are therefore spring and fall, when temperatures are pleasantly warm, and rainfall is minimal.
More Information About Bisbee
You can discover all there is to know about Bisbee on the excellent and very thorough website of Discover Bisbee.
More Information About Bisbee
You can discover all there is to know about Bisbee on the excellent and very thorough website of Discover Bisbee.
Frommer’s Arizona and the Grand Canyon
This is our recommended guide for Arizona and the Grand Canyon, if you’re thinking of planning a visit. The two authors both live full-time in Arizona and the book is therefore based on lifetime experiences of the state. It has 86% 5- and 4-star ratings on Amazon.
