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The Sierra Vista Destination is named after a city located in southern Arizona. Tuscon is the biggest city within the destination and offers a wide range of things to do, including horseback rides, spas, golf courses, galleries, and museums.[2] Other cities in the area include Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Rio Rico, Tombstone, and Benson. Some natural features include Mica Mountain, Mt. Lemmon, Tucson Mountain Park, Chiricahua National Monument, and Saguaro National Park. The zone stays on the warm side for the majority of the year, with the temperature ranging from 37 degrees to 93 degrees throughout the year.
Tucson is the biggest city in the Sierra Vista Destination. One of the most popular attractions in Tucson is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is 98 acres of land with a variety of species to see, including prairie dogs, coyotes, local plants, and educational exhibits. The museum has multiple trails to explore, as well as four eateries with desert views.[6] Mount Lemmon is located within the region and is known for the scenic byway. The byway goes for around 60 miles and offers the scenic desert views that Arizona has to offer.[7]
Saguaro National Park is located within the destination and is 91,327 acres. Visitors can explore the visitors center, admire hundreds of saguaro cacti, and wander through the many trails. Saguaro National Park is an ideal spot to watch an Arizona sunset.[8] Coronado National Forest is located in Sierra Vista and is a spot where visitors can spend time hiking, exploring caves, viewing wildlife, horseback riding, and camping.[10] Sierra Vista is known for being a center for astronomy. There are various places visitors can go for public viewing and amateur astronomy.[12]
The bests times to visit the area is typically April, May, September, and October. These months have the most pleasant weather for visitors to enjoy and lower prices on accommodations. The winter season, November through March, is the busiest time to visit the region. Many people come to the area to escape the cold winters that they are experiencing in their hometowns. The weather stays around 75 degrees during the winter months, which is an ideal temperature for many individuals.[9]
Tucson is the home of Eegee's, which serves their famous frozen fruit drink and subs. Eegee's was founded in 1971 and now has expanded to 25 restaurants throughout Arizona. Eegee's started as a food truck that sold its products at local sporting events and eventually grew to where it is today.[11]
The Sierra Vista Destination is located in southern Arizona. Notable cities within the destination include Tucson, Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Tombstone, Wilcox, and Rio Rico. The Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation is located in the west part of the region and is an Indian reservation. Natural landmarks include Mica Mountain, Kitt Peak, Mt. Lemmon, and Chiricahua National Monument. The Sierra Vista Destination has warm weather for the majority of the year. The hottest season lasts from May to September, with an average temperature of 86 degrees. The average high of the year is 93 degrees. November through February are the cooler months throughout the year, with an average temperature of 66 degrees. The coldest day of the year gets down to around 37 degrees, with a high of 59 degrees. The best time to visit Sierra Vista based on weather would be early May to late June and from late August to mid-October.[1]
Agave is a plant that frequently grows in the Sierra Vista Destination. Tucson and Sierra Vista grow Arizona prickly poppies and the New Mexico fleabane, which are white daisies. Rabbitbrush or Chrysothamnus is a part of the sunflower family and grows throughout parts of the area. Rabbitbrush is a sign of a high desert climate.[3] The desert climate of the zone welcomes a wide range of wildlife, including diamondback rattlesnakes, bobcats, coyotes, white-tailed deer, mule deer, scorpions, and lizards.[4] Dairy products, cotton, lettuce, and hay are a few of the land's most-produced products. Other products include lemons, wheat, cotton lint, cantaloupe, spinach, and cauliflower.[5]
The Sierra Vista Destination gets its name from the city located in the south-central part of the region. The name Sierra Vista means "Mountain View" in Spanish. Various Sobaipuri groups first inhabited the area. Around 1854, American settlers came into the area. A saloon was opened by John and Ellen Reilly in 1892 and was one of the first businesses to open in the area. The area continued to develop, and in 1917 a post office and a store were established.
Sierra Vista has a population of 43,888, with 73.3% of the population being White, 10.9% Black or African American, 3.6% Asian, .8% Native American, .5% Pacific Islander, 6.1% from other races, 4.9% from two or more races, and 15.8% Hispanic or Latino. Sierra Vista's major employer and driving economic force are Fort Huachuca. Fort Huachuca is a United States Army military base.[13] Sierra Vista is commonly known for being a refuge for "Snowbirds." Many individuals choose to retire in the area because of the pleasant weather.[14]
The Eldorado Suites Hotel is a three-story, Territorial-style building with eleven guest accommodations. What makes the hotel unique is that each of its units has a living room, a full-sized, fully-stocked kitchen, and the option to have two bedrooms or just one—depending on the occupancy needs of the visitors. Another unique aspect of the hotel are the three extensive verandas on each floor that stretch across the entire length of the building. Each room has access to the verandas and the views it offers of the surrounding area. The property is centrally located in downtown Bisbee, Arizona. Because of this, many guests simply walk anywhere they want to go during their stay there. Some well-known attractions nearby that also share the history of the town include the Queen Mine Tour and the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum. Searra, one of the owners of the Eldorado Suites Hotel, considers herself to be a local host; someone who knows the goings-on of the town and can help visitors have an enjoyable time there. The hotel is open year-round.
...Read MoreRamsey Canyon Inn
The Ramsey Canyon Inn is tucked a mile and a half into the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona. The historic bed and breakfast offers ten units for guests with varying room sizes. The owners of the bed and breakfast explain that the area where they are located is well known in the birdwatching community. They note that on their property, guests can experience more than 170 species of birds and a wide variety of other wildlife, including leopard frogs, ringtail cats, coatimundi, Coues whitetail, Gould’s turkey, cliff chipmunks, Arizona grey squirrels, rock squirrels, and Arizona black bear. The owners mention that one of the unique features of their business is the "blue-ribbon" pies they serve to guests at 4 p.m. daily. They explain that this was a legacy tradition of the B&B dating back as far as 1975. Scott says that they strive to provide a place where guests can "get away from their busy lives" and enjoy the outdoor wildlife.
...Read MoreCasa de San Pedro Bed & Breakfast is located in Hereford, Arizona, which is found near the southern border of the United States and Mexico. The bed and breakfast has 11 units available for patrons to reserve throughout the year. Every person staying at the inn is invited to breakfast the following morning. One can also find common areas such as a gift shop, library, swimming pool, hot tub, and various outdoor spaces with bird feeders. The business is typically known for the local wildlife that can be seen in the area, especially the many birds that live or pass through the vicinity. Birdwatching is one of the more common pastimes that guests participate in during their stay. Other activities, including hiking and biking, can be done at places such as Ash Canyon or Huachuca Mountain Canyons.
...Read MoreThe Calumet & Arizona Guest House is located in the town of Bisbee, Arizona. Rooms are available year-round; however, depending on certain conditions, there are five to ten rooms available at a time. Each room varies in size, and most have private bathrooms, there are two Jack & Jill fashion. Common areas in the house include a living room, music room, dining room, and outdoor patios. Breakfast is served daily, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. or earlier upon request. The breakfast has become one of the most well-known things about the business, according to Joy Timbers, one of the owners of the guest house. Attractions in the area include Chiricahua Mountains, Coronado National Memorial, and the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area.
...Read MoreCasa Tierra Adobe Bed and Breakfast
Casa Tierra, built-in 1989, offers three guestrooms available for reservation, each including a patio and a kitchenette. A vegetarian breakfast is served for those who are staying at the property, and snacks are provided in the fridges of each guestroom during patrons' stay. The surrounding area contains several cacti and desert land that can be seen from the brick patios on the grounds. Casa Tierra is open and operating from August to June, with the busiest season typically lasting from February to April. A couple of nearby attractions that typically draw in a fair amount of visitors are the Saguaro National Park and the Desert Museum. The owner recommends visiting both of these places to their guests.
...Read MoreRancho Milagro Bed And Breakfast is located in Elgin, Arizona, in a relatively rural area. The business is located on 40 acres of land, and also serves as an active ranch. The owner hopes that his guests are able to feel comfortable while staying at the bed and breakfast and says that the atmosphere created by the rural land can be described as quiet or peaceful. Three rooms, or casitas, are available for those that stay at Rancho Milagro Bed and Breakfast, all of which have private entrances, private bathrooms, and a few standard amenities. Besides the guestrooms, there is a common area that can be accessed at any time where visitors can relax, chat with other people, or purchase memorabilia. This room is also where breakfast is served, which is available any time in the morning as it is served in a continental style.
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