10 things to do in Bisbee, Arizona, a town where time has stood still

Discover the top 10 things to do in Bisbee, Arizona, a charming, historic southwest American town. Bisbee was once a thriving copper mining town with over 50 saloons. The mines of Mule Mountain yielded rich finds of Bisbee Blue Turquois, gold, zinc, silver, lead, copper and manganese.

As you enter the town, evidence of the enormous open-pit copper mine greets you on your right side. Take the first right to stop for a better view of the mine and then step into another dimension.

Explore more in the area. Check out the best road trip from Tucson to Santa Fe, New Mexico and don’t miss our guide to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Visit the old open-pit copper mine in Lowell, Arizona, part of historic Bisbee. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Walking down Erie Street in this well-preserved historic area is like stepping through a time warp into the 1950s with its vintage cars, stores, and gas station. Because of its wonderful backdrop, several films have been made at this location.

This is Bisbee’s Lowell neighbourhood. Lowell was originally a town, but the expansion of the open-pit copper mine mostly destroyed it.

Explore historic Lowell, Arizona, a well-preserved historic area with vintage cars, Indian Motorcycles, stores and gas stations from the 1950s. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Continue heading down the hill to the end of Erie Street, turn left into the main area of Bisbee, and its charms start to unfold.

This interesting town, once known as the “Queen of Copper Camps,” is now a popular haven for creative artists. Main Street is Old Bisbee. This historic downtown area boasts fine Victorian architecture.

There are plenty of shops and galleries to explore as you journey uphill through this very walkable town. There is a good variety of places for lunch or dinner.

Top 10 things to do in Bisbee Arizona

Historic Lowell neighborhood

Lowell is a well-preserved historic area with vintage cars, stores and gas station from the 1950s. See more photos.

Explore historic Lowell, Arizona, a well-preserved historic area with vintage cars, Indian Motorcycles, stores and gas station from the 1950s. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr

Historic Downtown Bisbee

An area of fine Victorian architecture, shops and galleries.

One of the top things to do in Bisbee, Arizona, is to explore the historic buildings on Main Street.

Bisbee Historic Stairs

The lack of flat land in the Bisbee area forced people to build homes on the hillside above the canyon.

A series of wooden steps built up the steep canyon walls allowed access to these houses.

Concrete steps replaced the wooden ones in the 1930s. Can you imagine climbing up and down 200 steps to get to your home?

The Brewery Gulch

At one time, the notorious Brewery Gulch had 50 saloons and numerous brothels. Several historic bars remain.

The St. Almos Bar (where many locals go) is the longest-operating bar in Arizona. It opened in 1902 and some say it is haunted.

Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum

Take an in-depth look at the history of the town’s mining.

Copper Queen Library

The three-story high arches are a prominent feature of the first library in Arizona.

The Bisbee Seance Room

The Seance Room offers a one-hour theatrical performance, raising Bisbee ghosts in a Victorian parlour.

Queen Mine Tour

Take a one-hour underground mine train tour descending 1,500 feet to explore the history of the Queen Mine. Reservations are recommended.

Bisbee Queen Mine tour train heads into the copper mine. Photo Credit: Bisbee Visitor Center

The Queen Mine Tour is one of the top things to do in Bisbee, Arizona. Photo Credit: Bisbee Visitor Center

Ghost Tours

Take an after-dark ghost tour of the historic area, stairways and alleys.

Old Bisbee Ghost Tours has been in operation for more than 15 years and offers a variety of interesting tours.

The Old Bisbee Ghost tour is a 1 1/2 hour guided walk through Old Bisbee to its legendary haunted sites.

Visit five spooky bars on the three-hour Old Bisbee Haunted Pub Crawl.

Reservations are suggested.

Muheim Heritage House

The late 19th-century Muheim Heritage House is restored with period furnishings. The home is a registered National Historic site.

This location is built high on a hill and provides a panoramic view of the area.

Fast Facts about Bisbee

• Bisbee was known as the “Queen of the Copper Camps.”
• The city began in 1902.
• 25,000 people once lived here.
• Bisbee is 8 miles north of the Mexican border.
• In 1975, the mining operations closed after almost 100 years of production.
• The mine produced:
  • 8 billion pounds of copper
    
  • 102 million ounces of silver
  • 2.8 million ounces of gold
  • Millions of pounds of zinc, lead and manganese
• “Bisbee Blue,” a high-quality turquoise, was a by-product of the copper mine.

Where to stay in Bisbee

Stay in Old Bisbee in the historic Bisbee Grand Hotel or choose from several different types of accommodation, including homes and apartments.

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How to get to Bisbee, Arizona

Bisbee is 25 minutes south of Tombstone and about 1 1/2 hours from Tucson, Arizona.

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