Experience history with an Historic Nogales Walking Tour
Take a stroll through downtown Nogales, Arizona and experience a cultural fabric that is woven from the cattle, commerce, retail, mining, military and produce industries. The self-guided walking tour takes you through the commercial and residential sections of the city’s center, where legends abound. It is rumored that Pancho Villa hid in secret compartments of houses along Crawford Street. Former mayor’s and owners of prominent businesses have taken up residence in this historic district. And history is still in the making. Ambassador and former Arizona Governor, Raúl H. Castro, and his wife have restored their home on Crawford Street to its former elegance. Attorney and renowned conservationist Cabot Sedgewick rents out a suite of professional offices on Crawford. Stop by or call the Pimeria Alta Museum or Historic Nogales Main Street offices to get your tour. Pimeria Alta Museum: 136 Grand Avenue, 520.287.4621. Historic Nogales Main Street at 75 N. Terrace, 520.397.9219.

Shop ‘til you drop on in two countries
From custom crafts to fine art, the border region at Mexico and Arizona at Ambos Nogales is packed with shopping alternatives. If you’re heading across the line, you’ll definitely want to include the shops of downtown Nogales, Arizona on your route. Across the line you’ll fine hundreds of indoor and outdoor shops on Obregon Street where you can shop or just enjoy the people, places, sights and sounds of Mexico. If you do purchase, be ready to bargain. It’s all part of the fun!

In Tubac, Amado, Patagonia and Sonoita, shoppers will find lots of galleries and gift stores, set in communities that each have a unique flavor. In the village of Tubac, shops import folk art for years from artists in Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico. Patagonia and Sonoita offer shopping in a quaint setting against the backdrop of the majestic Santa Rita Mountains.

The Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail
The Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail begins in Nogales, travels to San Francisco, California, and continues east around the San Francisco Bay. The national trail celebrates the route followed by Anza in 1775-76. Anza, a tough frontiersman who spent much of his life in Sonora, led a party of 30 soldiers and their families to found a presidio and mission on the San Francisco Bay.

Patagonia Lake State Park
In Southern Arizona the most famous is Patagonia Lake State Park, which is also a wildlife refuge—a place where fishermen, campers, outdoor enthusiasts, and conservationists meet on common ground. Call 520.287.6965.

The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
The splendor of the Patagonia area invites hikers from around the world to ply their sport along the riparian areas of Sonoita Creek and Patagonia Lake. For a light, shaded walk, hike the trails in The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve and enjoy the huge cottonwood trees and abundant wildlife. Call 520.394-2400.

The Arizona Trail
The historic Arizona Trail, which runs from Mexico to Utah, can be accessed from Harshaw Road about 3 miles east of Patagonia. The trail is rated moderate to difficult in the Patagonia area. Hikers looking for a challenge will want to climb the steep, rugged Red Mountain trail. The reward is a 360-degree, panoramic view of the Sonoran Borderlands in Mexico and the United States. The Upland Trail loop is rated easy to moderate and offers a five-mile loop trek along Sonoita Creek in the heart of birding country.

Golf
There is something for golfers at all skill levels. Enjoy your game at these championship courses at Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, Kino Springs Country Club, Palo Duro Creek Golf Course, Rio Rico Country Club.

Whipple Observatory
From Amado, visit the Whipple Observatory in the Santa Rita Mountains. Enjoy exhibits on astronomy, natural science, and cultural history. There is also an outdoor patio with the Native American petroglyphs discovered on site, desert flora, and stunning views of the surrounding Santa Rita Mountains. Please call before you go 520.670.5707.

Pimeria Alta Historical Society
Stop by the Pimeria Alta Museum, the Old Town Hall, located at 136 North Grand Avenue. In 1914, the Nogales Volunteer fire Department pitched in and built the Old Town Hall on Grand Avenue, which is now home to many historic treasures. Designed by the renowned Tucson architect Henry O. Jaastad, the building was constructed with all of the amenities-steam heat, sewer, electricity, and running water. The entire ground floor can be explored. Ask about a free copy of the Historic Nogales Self-Guided Walking Tour courtesy of Historic Nogales Main Street.

Tumacacori National Historic Park
If you’re going to visit Tubac, it’s only a short drive to Tumacacori, the “town” that’s too tough to pronounce. (Actually, it’s neither a town nor tough to pronounce if you do it slowly and phonetically — Too-mah-kah-core-ee.) It’s the site of a Franciscan mission built in 1795 that was regularly besieged by the Apache Indians. The ruins that are visible today include a chapel and graveyard. Visitors can also walk through an elaborate church built in 1822. The site has been converted into a National Historic Park with a visitor center where you can learn all about the mission. This is a very picturesque and tranquil spot with lots of mesquite trees and a half-mile trail. On weekends, there’s often a craft demonstration. Call 520.398.2341.

Tubac Historic Presidio
Year-round at the park, a museum, underground archaeology displays and living history demonstrations invite the public to learn about Tubac’s rich tapestry of history. Visitors will get a sense of what life was like in the days as a rustic Spanish settlement. It was at the presidio that conflicts of the Old West raged and soldiers protected the area. Call 520.398.2252.

Rusty's Border Tours
Take an adventure tour of the area with lcaol tour guide Rusty Cummings. Whether you want to visit Tucson, Mount Hopkins Observatory, Tubac, Tumacacori or the border town of Nogales, Rustory's Border Tours will give you a unique inside perspective of the Santa Cruz Valley. To make reservations, phone 520.398.3328 or visit www.rustysbordertours.com.

Jesse Hendrix Hummingbird Ranch
According to the National Audubon Society, the American Birding Association and other sources, this ranch has the largest number of hummers that anyone has seen in one spot in the U.S. Jesse Hendrix puts about 150 feeders around his remote Nogales home to keep up with the thousands of birds that visit him each year between the peak period of April and October. The Hendrix Ranch has been featured in People Magazine, PBS and the BBC and people come from all over the world to visit. Give Jesse a call at 520.287.8615 and visit his hummers.

Historic Cady Hall & Library
Catch some serenity in the historic Cady Hall and Patagonia Public Library listed on the State Register of Historic Places. Sit and read the newspaper, check out a book or check your email. Located at 346 Duquesne Ave.

Ghost Towns
Ghost towns with names like Harshaw, Mowry and Washington Camp near Patagonia and Oro Blanco and Ruby along route 289 (Ruby Road) bear mute witness to the boom and bust of the railroads and mining industry. Some, like Ruby, are so perfect that it seems the residents mysteriously disappeared while having breakfast. Washington Camp is one of the ghost towns being restored and some have fallen into disrepair with only remnants to remind us of their once bustling past.

San Rafael Valley
Approximately 20 miles southeast of Patagonia is the San Rafael Valley, one of the few intact high elevation grasslands left in America. The headwaters of the Santa Cruz River are in the San Rafael Valley, which has significant biological value. There are numerous rare and endangered species, high quality riparian and grassland habitat and unfragmented wildlife corridors. Stretching into Mexico, this breathtakingly beautiful valley has supported cattle ranching for centuries. As it becomes increasingly difficult for ranchers to subsist in the cattle industry, conservation groups have purchased parts of the valley. Pack a picnic lunch and tour the valley. It is truly magnificent.

Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon with its easy trail access, campgrounds and picnic areas lies in the northwest side of the Santa Rita Mountains where the higher elevation means cooler temperatures during the hot months and snow during the winter. The canyon has a long and colorful history which you can learn more about by obtaining a booklet produced by Friends of Madera Canyon. Contact them at: P.O. Box 1203, Green Valley, AZ 85622.

Arizona’s Wine Country: Local Vineyards
Elgin, Arizona’s Wine Country, is home to several wineries that offer some of the best wines found outside of France. These vineyards represent a rapidly growing industry, which began some four decades in the Sonoita Valley. Each vineyard produces unique vintages which reflect the personalities and attitudes of their owners, from colorful picnic-style wine to serious award winning varietals. Callaghan Vineyards: 520.455.5322; www.callaghanvineyards.com. Sonoita Vineyards: 520.455.5893; www.sonoitavineyards.com

Tree of Life Rejuvenation Centers
Tree of Life, one of the world’s foremost raw food rejuvenation centers, offers guest from around the world a healing retreat that focuses on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual rejuvenation. Transformational programs include workshops, educational programs, holistic medical support and spa services. Guests can come to the Tree of Life 365 days a year for a meal, a day or even a three-month renewal. Call 866.394.2520 or 520.394.2520. Visit www.treeoflife.nu.