18 Best Things to Do in Tombstone, Arizona

By VI Staff on April 20, 2019

Renowned for its Wild West history, Tombstone is a town in southeastern Arizona that is famous for being home to the likes of Wyatt Earp and his brothers and Doc Holliday. The town features an array of attractions such as the historic Allen Street where the O.K. Corral outdoor theater performs a re-enactment of the famous 1881 cowboy gunfight, the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, which boasts a replica of the gallows, and the bullet-riddled Bird Cage Theatre, which is said to be haunted by resident ghosts.

1.Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park is a state park in Tombstone, Arizona that is home to and preserves the original Cochise County courthouse. Built in 1882 in a shape replicating that of a Roman cross, the Tombstone Courthouse is a magnificent two-story Victorian structure that once housed the offices of the sheriff, treasurer, and recorder, as well as the jail, and courtrooms of Cochise County. Today, the 12,000 square foot courthouse is a museum filled with artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the rich history of the territory. Exhibits in the Tombstone Courthouse include a reproduction of the courtroom and sheriff’s office, a tax license for operating a brothel, an invitation to hanging and a replica of gallows in the courtyard outside the building. The Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park also features a museum, a gift shop, modern restrooms, and several shaded picnic areas.

223 E Toughnut St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3311

2.Rose Tree Museum and Bookstore

Located one block south of the historic Allen Street, the Rose Tree Museum and Bookstore is a historic boarding house and family home that is dedicated to one of Tombstone's oldest families and tells the story of how they made Tombstone their home for more than six generations. The museum features an array of artifacts and memorabilia from the Robertson – Macia family and Tombstone’s early days, including several historical collections along with dioramas of both the Gunfight at the OK Corral and the Lucky Cuss Mine. The attached bookshop carries a variety of exciting books on the history and culture of the local area, and the museum is home to the world’s largest rose tree.

118 S 4th St, Tombstone, AZ 85638

3.Good Enough Mine Tour

The Good Enough Mine Underground Tour is an hour-long tour that explores the Goodenough Mine, which was owned by Ed Schieffelin and was one of 25 silver mines in the Tombstone Mining District that started the mining boom which resulted in the incorporation of the City of Tombstone. The guided tour takes a more in-depth look at original 1879 workings of the mine and teaches visitors more about 19th-century hard rock silver mining, gives them the opportunity to see what ore looked like, and learn more about how it was processed. The tour also discovers the beautiful rocks and minerals that were pulled from the earth, and historic structures and artifacts and structures dating back 130 years.

435 E Toughnut St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3333

4.O.K. Corral

The O.K. Corral is a popular attraction that relives the famous gunfight between the Earps and the Clanton-McLaury gang that took place in 1881 in the vacant lot behind the O.K. Corral. Long-Simmering friction was brought to a head, and in a fateful thirty seconds, the gunfight had left three men dead and three wounded. Capturing the imagination of filmmakers, historians, and novelists for more than 135 years, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral has been restored to its former glory, transforming from a livery to an auto corral to continue to respond to the world’s fascination with the "Old West" frontier. The O.K. Corral features a reenactment of the 30-second shootout between the Earps and the Clanton-McLaury gang, as well as a tour through the O.K. Corral® Historic Complex exhibits which include the theater, stables, museum, and more.

O.K. Corral, 326 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3456

5.Bird Cage Theatre

The Bird Cage Theatre was a famous theater in Tombstone that operated continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for eight years from 1881 to 1889, during the height of the silver boom. Featuring a saloon, a bar, a theater, and a brothel, where the painted ladies hung from the ceiling in crib-style housings named ‘bird cages,’ the theater developed a reputation as one of the wickedest theaters between San Francisco and New Orleans. The theater was visited by many famous and infamous people during its time, including Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday who drank and played cards there. When the silver mines were shut, and the mining boom died down, the theatre was also closed in 1892. Today, the theater is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of the many people who were murdered there and supposedly shouting, and loud music is sometimes heard at night, and cigar smoke and whiskey can sometimes be smelled on the air. The Bird Cage Theatre offers guided night tours, which explore the “paranormal phenomena” and take in all the incredible original historical artifacts that have been perfectly preserved there since 1889.

535 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3421

6.Allen Street

Allen Street is the primary business and tourist district of the famous Old West town of Tombstone and the center of the town’s many tourist attractions, such as the O.K. Corral and the Bird Cage Theatre. Featuring three blocks of shaded boardwalks lined with saloons, shops, restaurants, and bars, Allen Street's historic district is lined with beautifully reconstructed buildings that reflect what Tombstone was like during the boomtown days and exudes the excitement and enchantment of the Wild West days. Allen Street is packed with fun attractions such as re-enactments of famous showdowns at the O.K. Corral, the Tombstone Ghosts and Legends Tour at the Bird Cage Theatre, and the Historama, a multimedia performance showcasing Tombstone's long and varied history.

Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638

7.Tombstone Walking Tours

Tombstone Walking Tours are guided walks around the town led by local historian Dr. Jay, who combines knowledge with his unique brand of humor which he calls ‘Edu-tainment’ to provide an exciting and scintillating experience. The highly-acclaimed stroll-through-history allows visitors to walk in the actual footsteps of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday as they made their way to the actual site of the most famous gunfight in old west history. The tour lasts 90 minutes, and good walking shoes are recommended.

Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-9876

8.Boothilll Graveyard

The Boothill Graveyard, also known as the ‘Old City Cemetery,’ is a small graveyard in Tombstone that was used after 1883 to bury outlaws. Named for the number of men who died with their boots on that were buried there, Boothill is the general name for any number of cemeteries generally in the American West that was the burial grounds of gunfighters who ‘died with their boots on.’ The Boothill Graveyard had a separate Jewish cemetery nearby and is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. The graveyard has up to 250 interments, including notable gravesites for Marshal Fred White, the McLaury brothers, and Billy Clanton, Jack Dunlop aka ‘Three Fingered Jack’, and China Mary aka Mrs. Ah Lum.

408 AZ-80, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3300

9.The Tombstone Epitaph Newspaper and Museum

The Tombstone Epitaph is a monthly publication that serves as a window in the history and culture of the Old West that was founded in 1880 and is Arizona's oldest continuously published newspaper. The Tombstone Epitaph ® Museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of the paper and features an array of exhibits relating to how the Tombstone Epitaph was printed in the 1880s on the original Washington hand press, and how the editor of the newspaper, John Clum, captured the Apache warrior Geronimo and why he hired the Earp brothers to defend Tombstone. Located on Fifth Street between Allen and Fremont Streets behind the Crystal Palace Saloon, Tombstone Epitaph ® Museum is open from 9:30 am to 6: 00 pm and admission is free.

The Tombstone Epitaph, 11 South Fifth Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-2211

10.Old Tombstone Western Theme Park

The Old Tombstone Western Theme Park is packed with attractions and tours that are suitable for the whole family, ranging from mini golf to a shooting gallery and Old West Comedy show. The theme park features a variety of Wild West Rides, famous gunfight re-enactments, Hollywood stunt shows, mini-golf and Pan-for-Gold, a shooting gallery, and an Old Time PhotoShop. The park also has several restaurants, including Cervesa's Cantina, cafés and bars, Trolley Tours of the park, and the award-winning troupe performance show in 1880s Tombstone featuring thrills called Tombstone Cowboys.

339 S. 4th Street, Tombstone AZ 85638, Phone: 520-955-3090

11.Historic Gleeson Jail

The historic Gleeson Jail is a former jail in the ghost town of Gleeson that was built in 1910 and beautifully restored to its former glory in 2008. Founded as a mining town in the 1870s that quickly transformed into a typical frontier settlement that attracted rowdy cowboys and miners. The first jail was built out of wood with a tin roof but didn’t last very long after some inmates attempted to escape by raising the building's tin roof. The second jail was built just in front of the first prison and was constructed out of concrete and featured two cells, connected by a ‘cage’ in the center and was completed in 1910. Notable prisoners kept in the jail include Mexican outlaw, Francisco Chavez, and murderer, Luther Price.

11250 North High Lonesome Road, Gleeson, Arizona

12.Silver Strike Winery

Located in the heart of Tombstone Arizona on historic Allen Street, Silver Strike Winery is a local, family-owned, fully operating winery with a tasting room and a relaxing lounge area. The winery produces Arizona wines made from locally-grown grapes in a range of Mediterranean grape varietals, originating from France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Spain. Wines are fermented in and aged on stainless steel and are both flavorful and smooth and boast accents of Columbard and Sangiovese, without the addition of sulfites. Silver Strike Winery is open daily throughout the year.

334 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-678-8200

13.Tin Cup Mining Company

Established during the boom of Tombstone during the silver rush, the Tin Cup Mining Company was a working mine in the town where many of the men worked, and some died. Today, the company is a piece of a piece of history for the legendary town of Tombstone and the Wild Wild West, dedicated to telling the story of the mine, the men who worked there, and the history behind the lifeblood of one of the most infamous cities in American history.

214 E. Fremont Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-2363

14.Tombstone Trolley Tour LLC

Experience the Wild Wild West and see all of the hotspots in the cowboy town of Tombstone with an interesting and informative trolley tours with Tombstone Trolley Tours. The locally owned and operated company provides tours to all the top attractions around the town, including the O.K. Corral, the Bird Cage Theatre, the legendary Boot Hill Cemetery, and the Old Tombstone Western Theme Park, among others. Trolley tours last around 25 minutes and expert conductors share the history, legends, and lore of the town. Tickets may be purchased online, at the Trolley Depot or Old Tombstone Western Theme Park.

137 S 4th St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-955-3090

15.Tombstone Gunfighter and Ghost Tour

Visit the most haunted spots in Tombstone’s historic district on an after-hours Tombstone Gunfighter and Ghost Tour. The exciting tours visit the infamous Bird Cage Theatre, which is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of the many people who were murdered there, and China Mary's home in old China Town. Owned and operated by Mike Jones, the one-of-a-kind Ghost Tours begin at 6:30 pm every evening, outside of Big Nose Kate's Saloon, once the luxurious Grand Hotel, and wanders through the streets of Tombstone, seeking out the haunted and horrific legends of Tombstone. Gunfighter and Ghost Tours take around 45 minutes and include visits to The Owl Café, also known as The Bucket of Blood Buckskin, The Bank of Cochise County Brown's Hotel, Hafford's Saloon, and the O.K. Corral Shooting of Virgil Earp.

5th and Allen Streets, Tombstone, AZ, Phone: 520-255-0474

16.Big Nose Kate’s Saloon

Big Nose Kate’s Saloon is a historic saloon that serves authentic Mexican and Southern fare accompanied by live country music and Wild West reenactments. The favorite bar was opened in 1880 as the Grand Hotel, which was declared as one of the finest hotels in the state with 16 bedrooms, luxurious furnishings, and art-adorned walls. The deluxe hotel housed some of Tombstone's most famous residents including Wyatt and Virgil Earp, Doc Holliday, the McLaury brothers, and the Clanton Gang when they visited Tombstone. After being destroyed by a fire in 1882, the building was converted into Big Nose Kate's Saloon, which has earned the reputation of being the ‘best cowboy bar in the west’ with great food and libations and live music every night.

417 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3107

17.Crystal Palace Saloon and Restaurant

Founded as the Golden Eagle Brewing Company in 1879, the Crystal Palace Saloon is a historical drinking establishment that has been a solid Tombstone fixture for nearly 140 years. Located on the corner of 5th and Allen Streets in the heart of Tombstone and named after its builder, Benjamin Wehrfritz, the building was one of early Tombstone's first saloons, occupying a small space with the brewery situated behind. Boasting rustic landmark furnishings, and serving authentic Mexican and Southern fare and drinks, the Crystal Palace Saloon is open daily for lunch and dinner, and hosts live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.

436 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, Phone: 520-457-3611

18.Longhorn Restaurant

The Longhorn Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Tombstone and serves a family-friendly menu of American cuisine, such as prime steaks and barbecue, hearty burgers, fresh seafood, crisp salads, and decadent desserts. Located in a historical building that was once the Bucket of Blood Saloon, the Holiday Water Company, and the Owl Café and the hotel from which Virgil Earp was shot from the second floor, the Longhorn Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, and can be rented for private events and functions.

501 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85616, Phone: 520-457-3405