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This photo is of one of my favorite spots along the California coastline. The photo really doesn't capture the beauty of this area. A drive north from here leads to a series of coastal villages with their own unique characters. I recall one in particular that really captured the essence of the ocean, with rope-bound pillars, rocks and seagulls surrounded by beautiful flowers.

Prescott
For an overview of the town's activities and history.
Prescott Tourism

The Fort
Learn all about its fascinating history and the  skirmishes with the U.S.
Fort Wellington

1837 Rebellion
Read about the events surrounding this famous rebellion.
Timeline 1836-1839

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• those odd and unusual places

PLEASE NOTE
We highly recommend you refer to a map of the region for actual directions to any sites mentioned in this magazine.

This month's feature... Tombstone, Arizona

This was one of my most favourite trips. If you enjoy stepping back in time  to experience life as it was, you must see Tombstone. The historic  part of town is fabulous, as is the re-enactment at the OK Corral. 

The Bird Cage Theatre

This is a photo I took in 1991 when I visited Tombstone, Arizona.  This unique historic town is well worth a visit if you are nostalgic about the old west. If you go, be sure to visit the saloons that are typical of the 1880s, and the shoot-out at the OK Corral!

Some history...

Walk in the footsteps of Wyatt Earp where he had his famous shoot out with the Clanton gang.

What makes Tombstone unique, besides the famous shootout with Wyatt Earp and the Clanton gang in October 1881, is the original buildings (some reconstructed) which have been maintained to fit that era, and the boardwalks with their shaded overhangs. 

The Bird Cage Theatre (shown here) has been kept as it was when it was closed in the late 1880s, although manikins have been added to reflect the types of visitors who dropped in to see the show.

Walking down the few historic streets during the right time of year, you will catch some of the townspeople reliving history as they go about their business wearing period clothes. They're friendly folk, too!

Tombstone, once famous for its tough gun fighting, is a quiet town now. Today, you won't find overhead wires, cement lamp standards or neon lights in the historic district. Instead, you'll find signs you'd expect to see in 1881, made from wood, carved and painted. 

Children and adults alike will enjoy the re-enactments on main street and in the OK Corral. They come complete with saloon girls, fist fights and shootouts.

You'll also find some excellent shops to purchase memorabilia, gifts, souvenirs of all kinds to send home. As well, you can find a collection of southwestern clothing, scarves, hats, boots, and the like.

You can get a lot of information from a website that has been online since 1996. www.clantongang.com covers everything from participants of the shootout, the town's history, and surprising facts about Boot Hill Cemetery. It also includes recent photos taken of ghosts seen hanging out around the grave stones.

The Arizona Highways web site
gives an excellent overview of the State and what it has to offer.

Keep in mind, Tombstone is still only a small town, so if you're accustomed to all the conveniences of a big city, you won't find them here. However, Sierra Vista is only a few miles west of town which has service stations, accommodations, and larger shopping facilities.

FOR CAMPERS
There is a KOA on the outskirts of town which has electricity, showers, and a convenience store. The sites are flat and ideal for RVs. 

FOR MOTORISTS
You will find motels and hotels in Sierra Vista, just west of Tombstone. Take Highway 82 west, then south on Highway 90.

Don't forget your camera!

You'll find lots to record and share with friends

and relatives when you get home.

Desert Cactus Garden:
Located just southwest of Tucson (85 miles from Tombstone), it offers a roadside trail where cactus typical of Arizona can be viewed.

The Town of Bisbee:
Close to the Mexico border south of Tombstone lies Bisbee, an old mining town. There are some parts of town that reflect the aftermath of mining, but the thing that intrigued me was the design of the town, built up the mountainside as it is. Bisbee is a great example of a vertical town. The streets are narrow; the hills are steep. You are taken directly back in time to the 1880s here. It's well worth a visit.

Tucson
I envy Arizonans for their climate, in particular, the fact they can have any climate they want at almost any time. 

On the flat lands is the heat of summer, while a trip up the mountain on Tucson's north side will take you through every season, from spring to fall and winter at the summit. The view changes from cactus to beautiful shade trees rustling in the breeze, and from the dry desert to a trickling stream making its way down the mountainside in spring.

We were there in May. Unfortunately, we'd just missed the desert in bloom.

The trip back down is awe-inspiring. You can see for miles across the desert, and look down on Tucson as it extends from the foot of the mountain out into the plains.