Best Things to Do in Tombstone
Famous for Wild West history, the best things to do in Tombstone are seeing the gunfight at the OK Corral, visiting Boot Hill, and seeing the Birdcage Theater.
Whenever we have out-of-town friends visiting us in Green Valley, we always try to take them to Tombstone, which is about a 90-minute drive. If you’re going from Tucson it’s a bit less, just over an hour depending on the traffic on I-10. It’s certainly worth the drive, and no matter how many times we go, we still have a lot of fun. Tombstone is definitely a place for having fun and makes a great family day out.
Best Things to Do in Tombstone
There aren’t that many things to do in Tombstone, which has a population of only about 1,300 people, but we never have trouble keeping busy for a day. We keep meaning to stay overnight and sample Tombstone by night, but we haven’t yet made it.
Anyway, the best things to do in Tucson, in no particular order, are these.
Gunfight at the OK Corral
Probably the most famous event in Tombstone’s history, when a bunch of lawmen including Wyatt and Virgil Earp, and Doc Holliday, confronted a gang of troublesome cowboys. Three of the cowboys were killed, and three more escaped, in what has become the most renowned gunfight in the Old West, which took place at around 3pm on Wednesday, October 26, 1881.
Re-enactments of the gunfight take place several times a day in the OK Corral itself, although some historians say the fight itself actually took place nearby. It’s also said that the re-enactment plays a bit fast and loose with what really happened. It’s still a great thing to see, though. okcorral.com
Tombstone Historama
Your tickets for the OK Corral shootout will also get you into the neighboring Tombstone Historama, a multimedia presentation outlining the town’s fascinating history and narrated by Vincent Price, no less.
Tombstone Epitaph
Based in the original offices of the town’s newspaper, these displays about newspapers in Tombstone and the Old West is both fascinating and free. You can even take away some sample copies of the historic newspapers. tombstoneepitaph.com
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
This is a rather dusty historical collection, but certainly not dull as the nooses hanging outside from the gallows will confirm. Inside there are accounts of hangings, a period sheriff’s office, prostitutes’ licenses, very detailed accounts of the Gunfight at the OK Corral, and much more besides. Not to be missed. azstateparks.com/tombstone
Boot Hill
There are Boot Hills in lots of places, and the first is said to have been in Hays, Kansas. It’s named for those who died with their boots on, i.e. violently, but eventually they just became the town cemeteries. The one in Tombstone is on a hill by the main road as you enter the town from the north-west, on the left side of Route 80.
Tombstone’s Boot Hill dates back to 1878, but only lasted five years before a new cemetery was needed and built elsewhere. The original Boot Hill fell into disrepair but has been renovated by volunteers, who have made a good job of it. There are some funny gravestones, but a bit of poetic licence has been taken with what’s written on them, like:
The Bird Cage Theater
This opened in 1881 as a variety theater but as there were far more disreputable people than reputable people in Tombstone, the original family shows soon gave way to a more down-to-earth kind of entertainment. The drinking and gambling on offer were also accompanied by other temptations. The very name of the theater comes from the 12 bird cages on the upper floor where prostitutes attempted to lure their customers, and became known as the ‘soiled doves’. The theater closed in 1892 and today it’s a historical site with guides on hand to talk about the history, or you can do a self-guided tour. tombstonebirdcage.com
Rose Tree Museum
It’s surprising to many people – including us! – that roses grow really well in Arizona. So well that Tombstone boasts the largest rose tree in the world. It’s a truly amazing sight, supported as it is by numerous trellises, due to its vast size and its age. There’s also a museum here, and accommodation, in the home of a long-established Tombstone family who share their stories and memorabilia. If you’re there in early April then a Rose Festival coincides with the blooming of the tree. tombstonerosetree.com
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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.
