Tombstone Tour from Phoenix & Scottsdale

Explore San Xavier del Bac

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.

Explore Tombstone

We’ll head further south into the “Town to 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 1870’s 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 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. For those souls unfortunate enough to be on the losing end of those gun battles, they were buried at the infamous Boot Hill Cemetery. The cemetery aptly got its name from those who died with their boots on and were buried as such.