Destination Arizona: Bisbee's best historical landmarks, shops and restaurants

Maybe the only thing more improbable than the town of Bisbee springing up on the sides of a steep canyon amid the Mule Mountains in southeastern Arizona is that it still is there.

Much like its artsy counterpart Jerome in central Arizona, Bisbee reinvented itself in the mid-1970s when its underground and open-pit mining operations ground to a half.

Now Bisbee is like a big interactive museum with historic buildings, walkable streets, shops and terrific places to eat and stay.

Best time to visit: Anytime. In fact, a mural on the side of a building declares that Bisbee has the best year-around climate on Earth. We’re going to take their word for it.

Distance: About 205 miles from central Phoenix.

Must-see paid attraction: Queen Mine Tour. Don a hard hat and ride on an ore track into an underground mine that was operating as late as 1975 and your guide will tell you what difficult work miners endured there beginning in the late 1880s. queenminetour.com.

Must-see free attraction: St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish. Built in 1915 during Bisbee’s mining heyday and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, its beautiful stained glass is original and spectacular. stpatsbisbee.com.

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Bargain accommodation: The Jonquil Motel was built in the 1930s and has seven rooms in a park-like setting close to all the action. Modern touches include pillow-top mattresses and flat-screen televisions. A colorful hand-painted mural adorns an entire wall of the motel. From $75. www.thejonquil.com.

Splurge accommodation: Copper Queen Hotel, Julia Lowell Room. Hey, why not experience all the history of Bisbee and stay in the bordello-style room said to be occupied by the ghost of Bisbee’s “Lady of the Evening?” About $160. copperqueen.com.

Coffee shop/breakfast spot: Ana’s Seasonal Kitchen. The key word is “seasonal.” If an ingredient is on the menu, it's in season. Having experienced the pumpkin pancakes, we can vouch for the freshness. facebook.com/AnasSeasonalKitchen.

Lunch spot: High Desert Market & Café. This quaint little spot across from the “Iron Man” statue near the Cochise County Courthouse is a jewel. It’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner and serves smoothies and great homemade pies. highdesertmarket.net.

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Family dinner: Screaming Banshee Pizza. It includes wood-fired pizzas, calzones, pastas, sandwiches and a bar, just in case the banshees have been screaming all day. screamingbansheepizza.net.

Special-occasion dinner: Café Roka. Dinner is served in four courses: soup, salad, sorbet and entree. Owner and chef Rod Kass uses local organic produce, grass-fed meats and sustainably harvested seafood. Reservations are recommended. caferoka.com.

Burn some calories: Bisbee has more than 3,000 stairs lacing its hillsides. They began as paths for mules, and the stairs were built during the Great Depression to provide work for unemployed miners. Not only will you get a great workout walking them, you’ll enjoy spectacular views and experience Bisbee’s quirky personality. bisbee1000.org.

Learn some history: The whole town is a museum, but don't miss the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum. Its building was the headquarters of the Phelps Dodge Corp., which owned the mines there for most of their existence. The place includes a stunning mineral collection. bisbeemuseum.org.

Live entertainment: The Stock Exchange Saloon and Grill. From Thursday through Sunday there is usually something happening, from open-mic nights to live bands to karaoke. stockexchangesaloon.com.

Best place to take a selfie: Do so with “Iron Man,” the 9-foot-tall concrete and copper statue in front of the Cochise County Courthouse. Officially, it's the Courthouse Plaza Miners’ Monument. Locals prefer “Iron Man” or “Copper Man.” We do, too.

Hidden gem: Room 4 Bar. In the Silver King Hotel on Brewery Avenue, Room 4 is believed to be the smallest bar in Arizona — built in what used to be a hotel room off the lobby. It has three stools and one small table, but live music on Friday and Saturday nights. silverkinghotel-bisbee.com.

Where the locals go: St. Elmo Bar, which opened in 1902 and has operated ever since. Right across the street from the Room 4 Bar, it lays claim to being the longest operating bar in the state. facebook.com/bisbeestelmo.

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Best annual event: Bisbee 1000: The Great Stair Climb. It’s a 4.5-mile race that includes nine flights of steps, a total of 1,034 stairs. It’s coupled with a craft-beer festival. bisbee1000.org.

Best hike: Chihuahua Hill. This steep hike is about 2 miles and leads to the “B” on Chihuahua Hill above Bisbee. Locals have built a couple of shrines along the way. From the top there are views of Bisbee, the Lavender Pit mine and beyond. hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=3171.

Best place to get an adult beverage: Old Bisbee Brewing Company. Choose from six craft beers in the tap room or on the raised patio, where your dog is welcome to join you. The food is simple but tasty, including chili prepared by Cafe Roka chef Rod Kass. oldbisbeebrewingcompany.com.

Dog-friendly highlight: Bisbee IS a dog-friendly highlight. Pooches are welcome almost everywhere in town.

Place to camp: The Shady Dell. OK, we’re fudging a little because while you will be spending the night in a vintage travel trailer, you won’t be towing it. The Shady Dell has 10 restored trailers from the 1940s and 1950s with period décor that rent like hotel rooms. How fun is that? theshadydell.com.

Just 15 minutes away: Or less. Check out Warren Ballpark, just southeast of Old Bisbee. It was completed in 1909 and is said to be the oldest continuously operated baseball park in the country. Visit in May and you might catch the Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament, played by rules from 1860 (when baseball was base ball). friendsofwarrenballpark.com.

Best place to eat healthy: Thuy’s Noodle Shop. Whether you make vegan or non-vegan selections, owner Dang Thi Thuy will only begin preparing your Vietnamese dish with fresh ingredients after you’ve ordered. It might take a few minutes, but it’s worth the wait. facebook.com/ThuysNoodleShop.

Best pizza: Stock Exchange Saloon and Grill. The lineup of wood-fired pizzas includes the usual, such as Meat Lovers and Hawaiian. But the staff also uses local, fresh ingredients to produce some surprises such as the Beets and Blue combination of beets and blue cheese. stockexchangesaloon.com.

Can’t-miss shopping: Begin at the “Bisbee Mall,” a small collection of shops and the Bisbee Coffee Company, then make your way up Main Street toward Tombstone Canyon Road. Art, clothes, jewelry, books and surprises await. discoverbisbee.com/shopping.htm.

Celebrating 100 years of national parks

Coolest thing you probably didn’t know: At its peak in the early 1900s, Bisbee reportedly had a population of about 25,000 people and was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. Oh, and there were 50 saloons.

Best place to see the sunrise/sunset: Chihuahua Hill, where the big white “B” is lit up in blue at night and appears to float in the sky. Of course, if one is hiking up before sunrise or down after sunset, a headlamp or flashlight is necessary.

Best local flavor: Chocolate Spirited Artisan Chocolate. This little shop creates truffles and solid chocolates using regional ingredients, including Chiltepin peppers. You’ll forget sweet and salty when you’ve tried sweet and spicy! spiritedchocolate.com.

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