Located 195 miles from Phoenix, Bisbee is a former mining town located a mile high into the Mule Mountains. These days it is home to a thriving arts and antiquing community. Main Street boasts an array of antique shops and galleries (you can find some unique art and antiques here) together with fine restaurants.

The town was founded in 1880 and named after Judge DeWitt Bisbee, who was financial backer of the Copper Queen Mine. This Old West mining camp proved to be one of the richest mineral sites in the world and produced nearly 3 million ounces of gold and 8 million pounds of copper.

The town is world famous for it's Mining & Historical Museum and the 75-minute Queen Copper Mine Tour where you will be guided by former miners.

Both offer a fascinating glimpse into Bisbee's 1800s heyday.

The early 1900s saw the population of the town rising to somewhere in the region of 20,000 making it the largest city between San Francisco and St. Louis.

In Bisbee's downtown area you will find the Stock Exchange Bar. A good place to just sit and have a drink and rest your legs after walking the hilly streets.

If you are visiting around July you should make sure you are in town on Independence Day (July 4th) for Bisbee's Annual Race Day.

Hundreds of people sign up to run and climb the steps of historic Bisbee (there are 1034 of them).

There is also the Barco Iceman Competition, this is a race where people carry large blocks of ice with the use of tongs up about 150 stairs.

Finally there is The Bisbee Hill Climb involving stairs as well as a very steep rocky slope. Great fun to watch but looks gruelling for the competitors!

The climate is generally sunny and mild, Bisbee's mile-high elevation offers visitors cooler temperatures than those of Tucson and Phoenix. Summer highs range in the 80s to low-90s, and typical low temperatures in winter in the mid-30s. Rainfall is less than 15 inches a year.

Bisbee is located only 15 miles from Mexico. Hiking, climbing, camping and caves are all within a one-hour drive.

You can read more at the City of Bisbee website
and
Bisbee Chamber of Commerce site