O.K. Corral
The site of the most famous thirty seconds in the Old West — the October 1881 gunfight between the Earps, Doc Holliday, and the Clanton–McLaury cowboys. Daily reenactments, plus the historic Tombstone Epitaph print shop on the grounds.
The Tombstone San Jose House Presents
The Tombstone Visitor Guide
Your field guide to the Town Too Tough to Die — attractions, saloons, a little history, and the insider tips to make the most of a day in the Old West.
I
Welcome to Tombstone
Few places wear their history as plainly as Tombstone, Arizona. Founded in 1879 on one of the richest silver strikes in the West, it boomed into one of the largest towns between St. Louis and San Francisco — and then refused to die. Today its wooden boardwalks, original saloons, and dusty side streets look much as they did when the Earps walked them.
This guide is a quick, printable companion for your visit: the sights worth your time, where to wet your whistle, the history behind it all, and a few tips we share with our own guests. Most of it sits within a few walkable blocks of Allen Street, the historic heart of town.
II
Getting Here
From Tucson (TUS) ~75 miles south via I-10 E → AZ-80 S. About 1 hr 15 min — the nearest major airport.
From Phoenix (PHX) ~190 miles via I-10 E → AZ-80 S. About 3 hours.
Parking Free on-site parking for guests of the San Jose House; public parking is plentiful around the historic district.
Getting around The historic district is best on foot. Stagecoach and trolley tours offer a ride-along overview.
III
Top Attractions
A full day covers the essentials; two lets you go underground and catch a show or two. Nearly everything below is within a short walk of Allen Street.
Bird Cage Theatre
An 1881 saloon, gambling hall, and theater once called "the wildest, wickedest night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast." Original bullet holes still pock the walls — and many consider it one of the most haunted buildings in America.
Boothill Graveyard
The town's original pioneer cemetery, where weathered wooden markers tell blunt — and often darkly funny — stories of Tombstone's earliest residents, including the cowboys who fell at the O.K. Corral.
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
The handsome 1882 Victorian courthouse is now a museum of the silver-boom era and frontier justice, with a reconstructed gallows standing in the courtyard.
Tombstone Epitaph Museum
Home of Arizona's oldest continuously published newspaper, founded in 1880. See the original press and the very issue that carried news of the famous gunfight.
Rose Tree Museum
Home of the world's largest rose tree — a Lady Banksia planted in 1885 that now shades more than 8,000 square feet and bursts into white bloom each spring.
Good Enough Mine Tour
Descend into a genuine 1880s silver mine beneath the streets for a guided look at the hard, dark work that built the boomtown above.
Gunfight & Stagecoach Shows
Costumed reenactors stage shootouts and Old West comedy throughout the historic district daily — and a narrated stagecoach or trolley ride is a fine way to get the lay of the land.
IV
Saloons & Dining
Most of Tombstone's saloons and restaurants line Allen Street, all an easy stroll apart. A few of the classics:
Big Nose Kate's Saloon
Set in the former Grand Hotel of 1880, with live music, cold drinks, Old West character — and a basement said to keep a resident ghost or two.
Crystal Palace Saloon
A beautifully restored 1879 saloon at Allen & Fifth, once frequented by the Earps. Period décor, drinks, and a full menu.
The Longhorn Restaurant
A longtime Allen Street mainstay for hearty Western and Mexican fare, on a corner with its own colorful history.
The Oriental Saloon
On the corner where Wyatt Earp once held a gambling interest — a classic stop for a drink in the thick of the action.
V
A Little History
In 1877, prospector Ed Schieffelin searched the San Pedro Valley despite warnings that all he would find in Apache country was his own tombstone. He struck silver instead — and named his claim, and the town that grew up around it, Tombstone. By the early 1880s it was among the richest and most populous towns in the Southwest.
On October 26, 1881, lawmen Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan Earp and their friend Doc Holliday faced the Clantons and McLaurys in a vacant lot near the O.K. Corral. The fight lasted about thirty seconds, left three men dead, and became the most famous shootout of the American West — echoing on in the feud and "Vendetta Ride" that followed.
Want the full story? Our History of Tombstone page covers the figures and feuds in depth — and our Ghost Stories page shares what some say still lingers after dark.
VI
Insider Tips
- Give yourself a full day for the essentials — two if you want to tour a mine, linger in the museums, and catch a couple of shows.
- The kindest weather is spring (March–May) and fall (October–November). Summer afternoons run hot, so start early and bring water, a hat, and sunscreen.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The historic district is a walkable stretch of wood-plank boardwalk and dirt side streets.
- Catch a gunfight reenactment — shows run daily along Allen Street and at the O.K. Corral.
- Time your trip with an event if you can: Wyatt Earp Days (Memorial Day weekend), Vigilante Days, the Rose Tree bloom in spring, and the big one — Helldorado Days each October.
- Stay close. From the San Jose House you can walk to nearly everything, and your parking is free.
VII
Where to Stay
Make a real Tombstone weekend of it — sleep where the history is. The Tombstone San Jose House was the town's first boarding house, built in 1879 and lovingly restored, with three character-filled suites a short walk from Allen Street.
Address 1 N 5th Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638
Phone (520) 302-4937
Check-in / out 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM · Free on-site parking
Tombstone San Jose House • Est. 1879 • "The Town Too Tough to Die" • tombstonesanjosehouse.com