Two cups of coffee and about 100 miles later, my boyfriend and I finally made it to our first stop: Tucson, AZ. Even though the drive from Phoenix to Tucson is an easy drive (about one and a half hours), we were feeling a little hungry and taking a break before the big adventure was probably a good idea. The  spirits were up, the crowds were cheering and the city was painted with blue and red colors. It turned out, the homecoming game was going on that day. We drove around the town for a while and decided to continue the trip.

After another hour of driving and not really finding anything, we started to feel a little bit worried. It was getting late and the fact that we had no plans, no reservations nor the slightest idea of where we were going was starting to stress us out (deep inside I was feeling guilty because after all, it was my idea not to make hotel reservations or any other plans for that matter). Suddenly, we saw a sign indicating that we were approaching the city of Tombstone. An air of relief and excitement invaded us and we could not wait to see what the town had to offer.

We finally arrived and didn't really know what to expect. The first thing we saw was a place where they were doing a re-enactment of the Gunfight at the OK Corral, which happened in Tombstone back in 1881. (visit this website to learn more about the gunfight www.clantongang.com/oldwest/gunfight.html). As we continued exploring the town, which by the way is amazing and perfectly preserved, we decided to go to one of the local Saloons to get a real wild western beer. While we gulped down our beers we started to notice that everybody was dressed up in typical western outfits. It turned out, the annual festival called Helldorado Days was going on that weekend.

 During this festival, the town receives hundreds of visitors from all around the country who dress the part and enjoy the daily activities that the town has to offer. Raffles, parades, mustache contests and street entertainment are just a few examples of what Helldorado is all about.

We walked around for a while trying to assimilate what we had just discovered. We could not stop smiling even though we felt a little embarrassment because apparently we were the only ones who didn't know Helldorado was going on that weekend. It's the first time in my life that I wished I hadn't left home without my cowboy boots and hat.

He definitely remembered to bring the cowboy accessories!

It's was time to start looking for a hotel, unfortunately Tombstone's hotels were completely booked and we had to consider other alternatives, (I really recommend that you make reservations and plan accordingly if you want to come enjoy Helldorado). A few options came up, including spending the night in the car, but let's face it, we're not THAT adventurous. Somebody mentioned there was a small, "hippie" town named Bisbee which was about 25 miles south. My boyfriend's face illuminated and I knew that was our next destination. 

Bisbee: The secret gem of Arizona

A windy road led us to discover one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. As the scenery started to change and the mountains got covered with pine trees instead of cacti, we were amazed to see what the town looked like from far away. We took a look and knew we did not want to leave.

The city of Bisbee is very well-known for its artistic community which attracts people from all over the world. It has also been said that it has "the most perfect year round climate" and this makes it the ideal tourism spot. Bisbee was a mining town and their main extraction was copper. We were lucky to run into one of its old copper mines when entering the city and it was pretty spectacular (click here to learn more about Bisbee www.cityofbisbee.com/bisb_history.html)

This was the copper mine 

We drove around the town for a while trying to get acquainted with our new discovery while our hearts were beating with excitement. The streets were narrow and windy and had a European touch. We were so excited to have found this place that we completely forgot we didn't have a place to spend the night. We walked down the steep roads trying to absorb everything our eyes were seeing. As we admired the art that surrounded us and smelled the delicious scents coming out of every restaurant, we remembered it was time to find a room. We must have asked in more than 10 hotels but none had any vacancy for that night. We were very disappointed to hear that the Helldorado crowd had found our secret gem. Apparently, this town was booked too.

As we walked back to our car with disenchantment and a little bit of worry, I couldn't help to notice a lit up sign from the distance. I squinted to get a better look and realized that luck was on our side that night because it was a vacancy sign! I eagerly showed my boyfriend and we ran as fast as we could. This was our room and we weren't going to let anyone take it.

We found the most amazing little bed and breakfast and luckily, they had one last room waiting for us! The little hotel was full of secrets and surprises everywhere just waiting to be discovered. Narrow halls, mysterious stairways and even a secret garden were all part of this bed and breakfast. It was like being in a fairy tale, we even started saying that we found our Wonderland!

That night we went out for dinner and then we just walked around the town appreciating everything it had to offer. We heard a band playing in the distance and decided to follow the music. We ended up finding a great little bar where we toasted to Pumpkin Spice Beer (locally brewed). It was a long, interesting night but unfortunately it was bedtime for us back in Wonderland.

The next morning we had charged our batteries and we were ready to continue the adventure. We started with a delicious breakfast made to order and had some nice coffee while enjoying the view of the town.

We explored the hotel one last time and we even met the dog whose name, by the way, was Alice (it was Alice in Wonderland!). We also visited the secret garden and said good bye to our room, the Crying Shame room (nothing personal, every room had a name).

That's me, discovering the secret garden and yes, I am smelling it too!

Little Alice in Wonderland, isn't she cute?

More of the Secret Garden

We packed our bags and got ready to hit the road again. It was time to go home but first we had to make a few stops on the way. Our first stop, wine tasting!

Quenching our thirst in the Desert

We asked around and found out that not too far away, there was a city called Sonoita that produced some of the best wines of Arizona. Despite the distance (about 55 miles west), and being out of our way, we decided to go check it out. We drove about 1 and a half hrs. out of our way home, but the scenery was absolutely worth it. The vineyards were beautiful even though the season was ending. We went to a local winery named Rancho Rossa and tantalized our senses with various types of chardonnay and merlot for a very affordable price. We even brought a bottle home to remind us of this adventure later.

I must admit we were very surprised to discover that our wonderful state produced wine too. The quality was fantastic and although Arizona is not a big producer, it's definitely worth trying its wine if you ever get a chance.

Our journey was coming to an end and it was time to start heading home. However, before, we had to make our last stop. This time, this was on the way. We went to visit the Kartchner Caverns. There are several caves to choose from and the tour is very educational. I highly recommend visiting these caves if you happen to be in the area and if you're in the mood for stalactites and stalagmites, maybe after the visit you'll be able to tell which one is which. www.azstateparks.gov

It was time to drive back to Phoenix. We could not believe how much we had seen and discovered in such little time, after all, we did this road trip on a weekend. So if you're ever feeling bored and want to try something different next weekend, head south and enjoy what Arizona has to offer. We had an amazing time and returned home full of unforgettable memories. We're already planning our new road trip so, until next time...