Less than an hour north of Tucson, Oracle State Park is a gem of a day trip destination with more than 38 kilometres of trails, some that welcome dogs and others for cyclists. Pop into the Kannally Ranch House for a glimpse of the creative family who lived here a century ago. Plan to stay late because Oracle is officially an International Dark Sky Park, away from city lights, with plenty of opportunities to check out the night sky. You can even join a Star Party for an exploration of the cosmos.

Pro tip: Because of Oracle State Park’s unique location skirting four bioregions, visitors can see 11 species of owls! Chances of spotting a great horned owl are good, while catching a glimpse of a Mexican spotted owl is rare — but a definite possibility

If you’re lucky enough to have a piece of Bisbee Blue in your rock collection, you might know something of the mining history of this city. Copper, gold and silver set the stage for success in the late 1800s, but it’s the vibrant turquoise gem that continues to shine. Take an underground tour of the Copper Queen Mine with a former miner, then spend some time topside exploring the historic streets and neighbourhoods, including Lowell, an intact, mid-century roadway that often makes appearances in films.

Pro tip: Stay a while at the Shady Dell Vintage Trailer Court. Take your pick from more than a dozen permanently parked trailers outfitted with all the necessities. There’s a diner on site and a bar housed inside a 1955 Airstream.

The Town Too Tough To Die, made famous by Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, delivers on everything you expect including historic saloons, western wear shops and gunfight reenactments. And it has some things you might not expect, like the Murray Spring Clovis Site, one of the most important archeological sites used by early humans in North America.

The Bird Cage Theater has plenty of history revolving around prostitution, including the not-to-be-missed ghost tours. And botanical buffs will love the Rose Tree Museum and the world’s oldest rose tree at its centre, planted in 1885 from Scottish cuttings. Book a stay at the Tombstone Monument Ranch & Cattle Company, where you’ll be put to work as a true ranch hand, herding cattle and calves, riding and fixing fences, and checking wells.

Pro tip: Feeling peckish? Head over to Puny John’s BBQ for their loaded smoked baked potato. Believe it or not, they also offer a few vegan options.

It’s impossible to ignore the Dragoon Mountains with their jagged and almost foreboding faces. It makes sense that Chiricahua Apache leader, Cochise, selected these as a refuge for his people. Today, the Cochise Stronghold area offers a self-guided trail that wanders among the yucca, cactus and canyon outcroppings. In the town of Dragoon, the Amerind Museum is also an art gallery and research centre dedicated to archaeology, Indigenous culture and western art. The gift shop carries gorgeous pottery, jewellery and handmade baskets.

We’ve arrived in wine country! Willcox is the largest grape-growing region in the state with more than a dozen vineyards and wine tasting stops and two festivals every year. It’s also a big attraction for birders, especially around the Willcox Playa wetlands, where an estimated 200,000 sandhill cranes spend the winter on this lakebed. Staying overnight? Spend the night in a Quonset—a domed structure— at Rhumb Line Vineyard and Lavender Farm, where the vineyard, olive grove and lavender field is right out the door.

The headline attraction in Benson is undoubtedly Kartchner Caverns State Park and its living cave with icicle-like formations that are forever growing thanks to water seepage from above. Back on the surface, wander over to the Holy Trinity Monastery and tour the courtyard garden with its pecan trees. Make a stop at the bookstore and take away a freshly baked loaf of bread. Next, mosey over to the Mescal Movie Set where 28 frontier buildings and a mountain backdrop have been the location for famous films.

The Chiricahua National Monument, also known as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks, is a collection of pinnacles, columns and spires—a result of violent volcanic activity. Experienced hikers can tackle the 12-kilometre Heart of Rocks loop to see some of the most distinctive formations in the monument. Or, take the scenic Bonita Canyon Drive to Massai Point for a panoramic view of this unusual landscape.

Straight south from Tucson, the historic village of Tubac celebrates art in all its forms—with two museums, several galleries and plenty of shops with beautiful things. Pop into the gift shop at the Tubac Center of the Arts for one-of-a-kind creations and stay for a live performance or take in a workshop. The story of Tumacácori National Historical Park weaves through cultures and across continents. Stand in the church at San José de Tumacácori and consider the lives of O’odham, Yaqui and Apache Peoples, European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers and soldiers.

Pro tip: For a posh retreat, head to the Tubac Golf Resort and Spa and indulge in the turquoise sage body polish. Book a table at the Stables Ranch Grille and savour a mesquite-grilled flat iron steak.

South of Sierra Vista, the Ramsay Canyon Preserve is truly a wildlife lover’s paradise. Protected by the Nature Conservancy, the 150-hectare parcel sits at an ecological crossroads where the Sierra Madre of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts all come together. This combination results in a staggering diversity of species. It’s here you’ll find ridge-nosed rattlesnake, lesser long-nosed bat, elegant trogon and Rivoli’s and Anna’s hummingbirds. Jump on the Hamburg Trail to meander along the creek where sycamores, maples and columbines line the banks.

Pro tip: Sierra Vista is known as the Hummingbird Capital of the U.S., with some 15 species of hummers passing through the area.

The border town of Douglas boasts the historic Gadsden Hotel with its magnificent marble columns (and a chip in the marble staircase left by Pancho Villa and his horse), where you can take a seat at the Saddle & Spur Tavern and order an El Diablo cocktail. But the town’s ‘must-see’ is definitely Art Car World, a delightful museum showcasing a collection of automotive art ranging from the dazzling to the dark.