The semester is winding down and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with the holidays and a much-needed break close behind. What better time is there to abandon all thoughts of school and work and take off on a trip to a destination that isn’t Tucson? Whether you are looking to spend or are pinching pennies, craving to hit hot spots hard or relax in your sweats, these travel destinations have plenty to offer for any mood.
Downtown Bisbee makes for a quick getaway. The former mining town might not seem like it has much to boast, with a population of only 6,000, but the city is an artist’s haven with rolling hills and antique shops down every street.
Just over an hour southeast of Tucson, winter actually sets in at the locale, with temperatures ranging from 60 degrees in the day and 30 degrees during the night, providing for snow-topped homes and mines.
Don’t let the town’s small size or old mining history sway you from taking a day-trip. There is plenty to do to keep you entertained and content.
The hotel: Copper Queen Hotel
11 Howell Avenue
www.copperqueen.com
The Copper Queen Hotel was built in 1902 due to the influx of workers in town for the mining business. The hotel is Victorian on both the inside and out, with a deep mahogany staircase leading up from the lobby and into the suites. If you don’t trust noshing at one of the local eats, hit up Winchester’s Restaurant. Be sure to try the Bisbee grilled turkey with Asiago cheese sandwich ($8.75). The mixture of the meat and cheese with red peppers and spinach will not disappoint. The Copper Queen Hotel also boasts a saloon with an outdoor patio. Its common for local acts to take up residence on the patio, performing a bevy of country and classic rock tunes. The hotel room rates range from $87 to $177 per night.
The food: High Desert Market and Café
203 Tombstone Canyon
www.highdesertmarket.net
Rules are meant to be broken. Or at least rearranged. The High Desert Market and Café don’t ask for you to pay up-front for the food you just ordered. Instead, visitors are supposed to take a seat on the Arizona room or outside to enjoy their meal first. There are no fountain drinks to be poured – instead diners can find drinks to be enjoyed for sale in the market. The café offers daily lunch specials, salads, sandwiches and dinner options. The market sells locally grown produce, and an assortment of imported cheese, chocolates, beer, linens and pottery. The market and café isn’t hard to find, just look for the Olde Tymers Restaurant and Saloon, a biker bar blaring folk-blues tunes, and a giant copper-hued statue in the middle of the road. Prices range from $2 to $7.95. Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The shops: Bisbee Antiques & Collectibles
3 Main Street
Get ready to shop for your mom. Bisbee Antiques & Collectibles offers a large assortment of hard-to-find dishes in very good condition. Keep an eye out for pricey Victorian majolica or Dresden porcelain pieces, but don’t expect to encounter more contemporary pieces like Franciscan Desert Rose. The store also carries a decent amount of Southwest American Indian jewelry – from petite squash blossom necklaces to hefty belt buckles – and rhinestone pieces. Come with a pocket full of money if you are planning to spend.
Frogs Unlimited 67 Main Street
Primarily a Southwest American Indian jewelry store, Frogs Unlimited carries Navajo and Zuni made pieces, along with a variety of other creations. Magnets reading “”I Got Shafted in Bisbee, Ariz.”” dot the store, as do tie-dyed Bisbee shirts, Japanese dolls and, if you hadn’t guessed it, frogs. Frog dolls and frog ceramics, you name it and the store sells it. Be a doll and pick up something for your parents – as cheesy as the touristy items might seem, your family will appreciate the nice thought.
