Travel News

Report From … Bisbee, Arizona

Locations in this article:  San Francisco, CA St. Louis, MO Tucson, AZ

CactusI had four winter days to spend in Arizona, and I wanted sun and snow — diverse terrain in close proximity. I started in Tucson where, in January, the afternoon temperature peaked in the mid-70s, and enjoyed two blissful nights at the Tucson guest ranch Hacienda del Sol. I then made my way 90 miles southeast to Bisbee, a mountain town known once for copper mines, and now for art galleries. Shortly after I arrived, snow began to fall, and it fell steadily for most of my two-day stay.

Hacienda del Sol is a former girls’ school that catered to East Coast students and operated from 1929 to 1940. Later it became a guest ranch favored by the likes of John Wayne and Spencer Tracy. Renovated by new investors in 1995, the small, mission style property sits atop a foothill with a full view of the rugged Santa Catalina Mountain Range.

It was arguably warm enough to swim in the heated pool, and go horseback riding at the Hacienda’s nearby stable, but I was happy to stay in the Saguaro Suite, a separate cottage with a large living room, fireplace, cactus garden and patio. There is one substantial bedroom, with an optional second connecting bedroom.

The Hacienda offers other “casitas” in addition to rooms, some of which feature living areas, but the Saguaro Suite has an unobstructed view of the city, mountains and sky, and gives the feeling of being in your own home. I felt I not only owned the cottage, but also the magnificent view, made more radiant in the clear desert air . I even had to drag myself up to the Hacienda’s award winning restaurant The Grill, which features — for a small property — a voluminous and ambitious wine list (including award winning wines from Brander Vineyards, in Los Olivos, California) and excellent food (average entree range: $40).

After Hacienda del Sol, Bisbee had a hard act to follow.

But the small town has an intriguing history: founded in 1880 by Judge DeWitt Bisbee, who financed the Copper Queen Mine, the town in the Mule Mountains began as a mining camp. When it was discovered to have a rich mineral supply — over 8 billion pounds of copper have been mined locally — the population soared; and by the early 1900s, more than 20,000 people lived in Bisbee. The town, which occupies a steep, narrow canyon, could barely contain its inhabitants, who built cottages on the steep mountainside. Bisbee had its own opera, and was the largest community between San Francisco and St. Louis, Missouri.

However, the population began to dwindle, and though the mines didn’t close until the 1970s, they’d long ceased to be as profitable as they were in their heyday. Still, instead of becoming a ghost town, Bisbee became an art colony.

I hunted online for accommodations in Bisbee, and found plenty of comfortable-looking, old-fashioned inns, but the Letson Loft Hotel had an air of distinction. New, tastefully appointed and occupying a former six-room hotel in the heart of downtown, Letson could hold its own by downtown New York standards. Later I learned that one of the property’s owners also owns Hacienda del Sol, which explains why both properties have the same cloud-like mattresses. My room had two queen beds, a good-sized bathroom, and an excellent view of Main Street, which, shortly after I arrived, began to fill with snow.

It’s not hard to imagine what like in Bisbee was like at the turn of the century, because there are so many museums with exhibits aimed to show you — like the Bisbee Restoration Museum on Main Street (admission is free). The Bisbee Mining and Historic Museum, affiliated with the Smithsonian (adults, $7.50, children $3.00), takes visitors through a crystal cave, and the Queen Mine Tour (Adults, $12, children $5) takes visitors on a mine train deep below the earth.

There’s also plenty to do above ground. I got good tips from my hostess, Patty Bell Carson at the Letson Loft Hotel, who directed me to Peddler’s Alley, Old Bisbee Roasters, and the Belleza Fine Art Gallery. Peddler’s Alley faces Main Street and is a venue for craftsmen and for Seth Appell, who serves free shots of espresso to promote the specialty coffees from his company, Old Bisbee Roasters. Seth, who’s been written up in Gourmet magazine, also makes chocolate truffles, and does a high volume of sales by e-mail, from www.uniquecoffee.com.

At Belleza, an art collective that supports women in transition, I found watercolors by Salvador Rodriguez Mondragon, an artist reminiscent of Rufino Tamayo (but much more affordable). Honey lovers need to check out the diverse varieties (raspberry, smokey, jalapeno, chipotle) of honey sold at Killer Bee Guy directly across the street from Peddler’s Alley on Main Street. Reed Booth (aka Killer Bee Guy) is a master beekeeper who knows his way around a hive.

I chose Cafe Roka for dinner, but without Patty’s help, I might not have gotten a reservation. The vibrant atmosphere, charged by spirited conversations between hipster artists over bottles of wine, is as much a part of the decor as the modern art.

Cafe Roka is not an easy place to get a table, probably because it’s the only restaurant in town (in rural Arizona, to be exact) to claim three diamonds in the 2002 AAA Guidebook, so reservations are a must… it also helps to know people like Patty.

The menu, from owner/chef Rod Kass, features roast duck, Thai chicken sausage, spicy Italian sausage, and locally grown organic vegetables. I chose the artichoke and portabella mushroom lasagna ($14.50), which is served, as are all entrees, as part of a four-course meal, with soup, salad, appetizer — and abundant, warm homemade bread.

Outside the large snowflakes fell so slowly, they seemed to hang in the air. I know I’ll be back.

After all, I want to see what Bisbee looks like in the summer.

Hacienda del Sol
5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Road
Tucson, AZ 85718
520-299-1501
https://www.haciendadelsol.com

Letson Loft Hotel
26 Main Street
Bisbee, AZ 85603
520-432-3210
https://www.letsonlofthotel.com

Belleza Gallery
27 Main Street
Bisbee, AZ 85603
520-432-5877
https://www.bellezagallery.com

Cafe Roka
35 Main Street
Historic Old Bisbee
Bisbee, AZ 85603
520-432-5153
https://www.caferoka.com

Peddler’s Alley
15 Main Street
Bisbee, AZ 85603
520-432-3733

Killer Bee Guy
P.O. Box 658
Bisbee, AZ 85603
877-227-9338
https://www.killerbeeguy.com

Old Bisbee Roasters
P.O. Box 686
Copper Queen Station
Bisbee, AZ 85603
866- 432-5063
https://uniquecoffee.blogspot.com/

By Brooke Comer for PeterGreenberg.com

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