Small Group Tombstone & San Xavier Mission Day Trip from Phoenix
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12 hours (approx.)
Pickup from select hotels
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
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Overview
On this all day trip from Phoenix to Tombstone, travel back to the days of the Wild West to 'The Town Too Tough To Die,' where you’ll visit the famous OK Corral and Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. Hear tales and legends of American outlaws in this legendary frontier outpost, where money, fame and lust were always at odds with the law. You’ll also visit San Xavier de Bac Mission while enjoying the drive back to Phoenix, for a full day of exploring two of Arizona’s most popular sights. Choose between a small-group or private option.
- Day trip to Tombstone Arizona and San Xavier Mission from Phoenix
- See OK Corral where the most famous gunfight in the history of the Old West took place
- Visit the Mission at San Xavier del Bac
- Includes a friendly and courteous expert guide
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This historic day trip from Phoenix to Tombstone is like traveling back in time from a busy, modern urban metropolis to the days of the old Wild West. Here in The Town Too Tough To Die, hear the tales of debauchery and crime from this legendary frontier mining camp, where wooden buildings and dusty streets make it feel like it’s still 1880.
While wandering the streets full of damsels and outlaws, stroll past Big Nose Kate’s Saloon that was once the Grand Hotel, which was built in 1881 and owned by a woman who was rumored to be the girlfriend of the feared gunfighter Doc Holliday. Make a stop by the OK Corral and hear about the infamous shootout, which some have called the world’s most famous 30-second gunfight.
You’ll also see the Birdcage Theater, a strange combination of a theater, gambling parlor, saloon and brothel — the type of building that typified life in the old Wild West. At the Tombstone Historical Courthouse, see inside the home of Wyatt Earp and his gunfighting friend Doc Holliday, and travel up to Boot Hill Cemetery where famous frontiersmen are buried.
On the winding drive back north to Phoenix, stop outside Tucson for one of Arizona’s most popular Mission attractions: The White Dove of the Desert, Spanish-style Mission at San Xavier del Bac. The Catholic Mission was often referred to as 'the place where the water appears,' since the subterranean Santa Cruz River flows up to the surface nearby. After touring the historic Mission grounds, relax in comfort in the luxurious van as you enjoy the drive back to Phoenix with the earthy colors of the Sonoran desert racing just past your door.
While wandering the streets full of damsels and outlaws, stroll past Big Nose Kate’s Saloon that was once the Grand Hotel, which was built in 1881 and owned by a woman who was rumored to be the girlfriend of the feared gunfighter Doc Holliday. Make a stop by the OK Corral and hear about the infamous shootout, which some have called the world’s most famous 30-second gunfight.
You’ll also see the Birdcage Theater, a strange combination of a theater, gambling parlor, saloon and brothel — the type of building that typified life in the old Wild West. At the Tombstone Historical Courthouse, see inside the home of Wyatt Earp and his gunfighting friend Doc Holliday, and travel up to Boot Hill Cemetery where famous frontiersmen are buried.
On the winding drive back north to Phoenix, stop outside Tucson for one of Arizona’s most popular Mission attractions: The White Dove of the Desert, Spanish-style Mission at San Xavier del Bac. The Catholic Mission was often referred to as 'the place where the water appears,' since the subterranean Santa Cruz River flows up to the surface nearby. After touring the historic Mission grounds, relax in comfort in the luxurious van as you enjoy the drive back to Phoenix with the earthy colors of the Sonoran desert racing just past your door.
Itinerary
Our first stop as we head into the wild west is the White Dove of The Desert; one of the Southwest’s best preserved missions at San Xavier del Bac. Founded in 1692, the San Xavier Mission is still in operation and allows guests to marvel at the ornate craftsmanship showcasing both Spanish and Native influences. Original frescoes and statuary are still on display within the mission for guests to admire as well.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
We’ll head further south into the “Town too Tough to Die”. Tombstone was home to the true men and women of the West. Outlaws, businessmen, miners, and cattlemen flocked to the area in the late 1870s for their chance to strike it rich. The most famous lawman of Tombstone and the entire West was Wyatt Earp! Wyatt and his brothers originally came to Tombstone as entrepreneurs; however, with the increasing unrest, they needed to protect their investment in the mining industry and became lawmen. During the tour, guests will be able to stand on the very ground Wyatt Earp stood during the shootout at the OK Corral! While in Tombstone, you’ll have a chance to visit both sides of this “colorful” town. The original gathering spots for outlaws and gunmen who strolled into town were Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and the Bird Cage Theatre. The Bird Cage Theatre, which had the reputation as “the wickedest nightspot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast,” was a saloon, gambling parlor, and theatre show that provided entertainment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 8 years to anyone brave enough to enter. For those men and women who were “overly brave” and fell afoul of the law, they had to make a visit to the Tombstone Courthouse. Included in your tour will be the entrance to the museum at the Tombstone Courthouse, which pays homage to the brave souls who did their best to keep the peace in this rough and tumble town. True to the reputation of the Wild West, gunfights and stand-offs were a weekly occurrence.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
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Small Group Tombstone & San Xavier Mission Day Trip from Phoenix
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