Bisbee, Arizona: Former Copper Mining Town Turned Tourist Hotspot

Bisbee is a small city located about 92 miles southeast of Tucson, and thus, most popular with locals seeking a quick daytrip. Mike and I decided to check it out as it’s a super close drive and we love checking out towns with quirky attractions and historic Main Streets. The historic architecture and picturesque location in the Mule Mountains is just one reason tourists are drawn to the town. The abundance of local shops, galleries, and restaurants is another. We were interested in check out some historic sites especially historic Erie Street in a ghost town called Lowell. Also, there was a coffeeshop and breakfast restaurant we wanted to check out. o

The town also sits at an elevation of 5575 feet, which means it’s a bit cooler than Tucson during the insanely hot summer season. Above all, the town (founded in the 1880’s) is most famous for being home to the Copper Queen Mine. At one point it was a thriving mining community due to the vast amounts of copper, gold, and other precious metals found in the area. Today, tourists seek out the historic sites, museums, lively boutique shops, and independent restaurants. Over the past few years living in Arizona, we have really explored some unique places, this being just one of them.

A bit of history

In 1908, 20,000 residents called the city home (the most in the state). At the time, it had the reputation of “the liveliest spot between El Paso and San Francisco.” Impressive amounts of copper, gold, and silver were mined (8 billion pounds of copper). The mines eventually closed as reserves exhausted.

By the 1970’s, the once thriving town started to resemble a ghost town – that is until the quaint town began to draw attention from artists, hippies, and tourists who appreciated the distinct flavor of the area. Creative types began to flock here and continue to do so to this day for the eclectic shops, unique vibe, strong artistic culture, and interesting lineup of events such as the Bisbee 1000, a unique 4.5 mile race/walk featuring a 1000 step stair climb! I recommend signing up for a walking tour and the Mining and Historical Museum. If you are unable to do so, here’s some historical info you can read up on before visiting.

One of the liveliest downtowns in S. Arizona

Eventually, the downtown became a hopping place with numerous attractions, restaurants, breweries, art galleries, shops, and museums. Fortunately, charming Victorian style buildings still remain. This had led the town to win numerous awards in recent years including “best historical small town” by USA Today and “Best small town in the West” by Sunset Magazine. We loved walking around enjoying the old architecture. The mountain backdrop is quite attractive. Overall, it was a fun time enjoying all the historic sites especially in our modern society as everything becomes more sterile and suburbanized.

While I wouldn’t go so far as to claim it’s one of the best, it’s a decent daytrip option from Tucson, particularly if your interests lie in history, antique museums, and/or art. After paying for a pricey flight or taking a long roadtrip, you might as well see some other sights while you are out here. Who knows when you will be back again? This is what we have been doing the past few years – seeing everything we can while we live so close to all these amazing and unusual places.

Mine tours

More than a million tourists have come from all over the world to tour the Copper Queen mine since its’ opening in 1976. If you take a mine tour, you will get to put on a yellow slicker and miner’s hard hat and take a little ride underground to view the mine. You will learn more about the history of mining as well as some of the dangers workers encountered while working underground.

Many of the tour guides actually worked in the mines, and thus, have some valuable first hand knowledge. As a word of caution – those claustrophobic should avoid this tour. Please be aware that no open toed shoes permitted. You may also want to check out the Mining & Historical Museum after your tour.

The Lavender Pit

Another must-see in Bisbee is the Lavender Pit, a former open pit copper mine. Production through 1974 included over 600,000 tons of copper. Gold, silver, and turquoise were all byproducts of the mining. This type of turquoise, referred to as “Bisbee Blue,” is one of the finest in the world due to the striking hue. There is a large fence in front, although you can still get a pretty good view.

Copper Queen Hotel

The historic Copper Queen hotel is a popular lodging choice as it is located conveniently in the midst of the downtown. The hotel is rumored to be a hotbed of supernatural activity. And thus, it comes as no surprise that both Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters featured the property on their shows. As a fan of the supernatural as well as a big Zak Bagans fan, I’ve seen this episode numerous times (Season 6, Episode 3 if you are interested).

The hotel opened in 1902- investors of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company stayed here. It the longest continuously operating hotel in Arizona. Many famous celebrities such as John Wayne, Nancy Reagan, and Julia Roberts have stayed here. I wouldn’t mind staying in Room 312 one of these days – it is their Harry Houdini themed room.

The ghost town of Lowell

For me, one of the most interesting things we did was exploring nearby ghost town of Lowell. We have been checking out many of these old abandoned ghost towns across the state and I have to say it’s both depressing and intriguing at the same time.

Conveniently, it is located just 5 minutes outside of town. The town consists of just one street, appropriately referred to as Erie Street. Walking the street is a nostalgic step back in time as you pass a bunch of historic abandoned storefronts like a Greyhound Station, a police station, a Harley Davidson store, and a Texaco gas station complete with the old pumps. Take a quick look…

It truly was an interesting experience to walk down the street and imagine how life was back in the day. Bring your camera – lots of fun photo opps and classic pics to bring home as mementos. On an interesting side note, the Stephen King movie Desperation filmed here.

The best breakfast in town: old school dining at its’ best!

In Lowell, be sure to check out the Bisbee Breakfast Club. Despite being touted as a foodie town, the restaurant scene consists mainly of general cafes and tourist traps. One of the exceptions is this classic which opened in 2005 in the historic Rexall Drug building.

The Southwestern style breakfast hotspot was so popular with locals and tourists that several locations have sprouted up throughout the region as well as Phoenix. The ambiance is colorful, casual & comfortable with an attractive old time vibe. I loved listening to the classic oldies playing in the background. It’s got some character for sure. You will find all the typical American favorites on the menu, plus a few Southwestern specialties.

While not the best breakfast I’ve ever had, the food was decent enough to warrant a visit and the historic ambiance fit in with the ghost town. I recommend trying out DJ’s Potato Cakes, 2 homemade potato pancakes served with sour cream and applesauce, with 2 eggs your way on the side. If a lengthy wait bothers you, avoid at all cost on Saturday and Sunday mornings or at least get here early to beat the crowds!

Pictured here is the Big Burro, a totally overstuffed tortilla with eggs, potatoes, black beans, onions, and cheddar jack cheese which is topped with avocado and green sauce. Crispy hash browns served on the side.

I would skip the coffee here and rather head over to the Bisbee Coffee Company for an expertly made espresso drink. This artisan roaster has been in business since 1997. Their espresso drinks are fantastic, as is the charming atmosphere. The outdoor patio is a great place to treat yourself to an espresso while people watching on a mild summer’s day.

Funky dining options

If you are looking for a great place for lunch, options include a number of small cafes, Mexican restaurants, and a number of breweries. Screaming Banshee Pizza, although overpriced and a bit slow on the service side, serves up some tasty appetizers and pretty decent pizza for a small town. The eclectic decor and unusual location inside an old gas station make it a bit more interesting than some other basic choices in town.

What else can you do?

Other popular attractions include: ghost tours (the town is one of the most haunted in America), the Restoration Museum, and as mentioned earlier, shopping at antique stores and taking in the unique art scene at the galleries. Also, there is a popular monthly art walk known as Bisbee After 5, so if you are an art lover you may want to time your visit on the 2nd Saturday of the month. During this time, there are numerous special exhibits and many shops stay open late.

My final thoughts

Honestly, I thought the town itself was a bit dingy and overrated. While some aspects were great, namely the unique ghost town remains, the interesting architecture, and the abundance of antique shops, the overall vibe felt a bit dreary. That being said, I am an explorer by nature so I love checking out new places and there were enough interesting sight to justify our short drive. There really were not enough attractions and sites of interest to warrant a long stay, although this would likely not be the case for those very interested in either mining or art.

I would advise taking a daytrip here if you are looking for more to do and have already explored more worthwhile regional destinations like Madera Canyon, Saguaro National Park (check out my visitor guide) & Tucson Mountain Park.