Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
481
Tombstone Boarding House
Housed in two whitewashed 1880s adobe buildings
with green trim, this inn is in a quiet residential neighborhood only 2 blocks from busy
Allen Street. The main house was originally the home of Tombstone's first bank manager.
Guest rooms are in an old boardinghouse. Accommodations are comfortable and clean,
with country decor. Hardwood floors and antiques lend a period feel.
108 N. Fourth St. (P.O. Box 1700), Tombstone, AZ 85638.
&
877/225-1319
or 520/457-3716. www.
tombstoneboardinghouse.com. 5 units. $99-$119 double. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V. Pets
accepted ($10 per night).
Amenities:
Restaurant.
In room:
No phone.
WHERE TO DINE
Big Nose Kate's Saloon
LIGHT FARE Okay, so the food here isn't all that memo-
rable, but the atmosphere sure is. Big Nose Kate's dates back to 1880 and is primarily a
saloon. As such, it stays packed with visitors who have come to revel in Tombstone's
outlaw past. So, while you sip your beer, why not order a sandwich and call it lunch? You
might even catch some live country music.
417 E. Allen St.
&
520/457-3107.
www.bignosekate.com. Reservations not accepted. Sandwiches
$7-$16. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am-8pm.
The Lamplight Room
CONTINENTAL Located a few blocks off busy Allen
Street, this restaurant serves the best food in Tombstone. The Lamplight Room is in the
living room of an old 1880s home, which also lends this place more character than that
of any other restaurant in town. The menu is short and includes lots of Mexican food, as
well as grilled salmon, and a few other dishes from north of the border. On Friday and
Saturday nights, there's live classical guitar music.
At the Tombstone Boarding House, 108 N. Fourth St.
&
520/457-3716.
www.tombstoneboarding
house.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $6-$17. MC, V. Fri-Sat 11:30am-3pm and
5-8:30pm; Sun 11:30am-3pm and 5-7pm.
14
6
BISBEE
94 miles SE of Tucson; 205 miles SE of Phoenix; 24 miles NW of Douglas
Arizona has a wealth of ghost towns that boomed on mining profits and then quickly
went bust when the mines played out, but none is as impressive as Bisbee, which is built
into the steep slopes of Tombstone Canyon on the south side of the Mule Mountains.
Between 1880 and 1975, Bisbee's mines produced more than $6 billion worth of metals.
When the Phelps Dodge Company shut down its copper mines here, Bisbee nearly went
the way of other abandoned mining towns, but because it's the Cochise County seat, it
was saved from disappearing into the desert dust.
Bisbee's glory days date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and because the
town stopped growing in the early part of the 20th century, it is now one of the best-pre-
served historic towns anywhere in the Southwest. Old brick buildings line narrow winding
streets, and miners' shacks sprawl across the hillsides above downtown. Many artists call the
town home, and aging hippies and other urban refugees have for many years been dropping
out of the rat race to restore Bisbee's old buildings and open small inns, restaurants, and
galleries. Between the rough edges left over from its mining days and this new cosmopolitan
atmosphere, Bisbee is one of Arizona's most interesting towns. However, be aware that
Bisbee is not for everyone. It appeals mostly to young, hip travelers who don't expect much
