Welcome to the next leg of "The GoodTime Girls" Ruby and Pip Road Trip! Embark on an amazing summer road trip through Southern Arizona, where eccentricity thrives and unique experiences await. From quirky roadside attractions to unusual art installations, this region is a treasure trove of offbeat destinations. So fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a journey like no other!
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures
We start in Tucson, at The Mini Time Machine Museum ofMiniatures. Where else can you see not only tiny dollhouses and room boxes but tiny ghost towns, tiny tools, a tiny bookstore…the list of tiny objects goes on. You will be awed at the intricacy of each piece in the collection. There
are even classes and camps so you, too, can create teeny tiny art. 4455 E Camp Lowell Dr, Tucson, AZ 85712 Website: https://theminitimemachine.org/
San Xavier del Bac Mission
Located just 10 miles south of Tucson, Arizona, San Xavier del Bac Mission is not eccentric in the least – but it is a DO NOT MISS site. This stunning Spanish colonial mission, also known as the "White Dove of the Desert," dates back to the late 18th century and has become an iconic symbol of the Southwest. Adorned with intricate carvings, vibrant frescoes, and ornate details, the mission's grandeur is a sight to behold. 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson, AZ 85746. Website: www.sanxaviermission.org.
The Thing? Just follow the two hundred and eighty-eight or so signs - you can't miss it. I promise. This attraction is an all-encompassing, perfectly eccentric, roadtrip attraction and highly recommended by Ruby and Pip. First, it’s got air conditioning, which you will need much of before heading to Tombstone. Second, what can we say? There are dinosaurs. And aliens. And mummies. And a conspiracy wall which will make you look at Stonehenge in an entirely different light. There is also a Dairy Queen, so take advantage. 2631 N Johnson Rd, Dragoon, AZ 85609 Website: http://bowlinsthething.com/
O.K. Corral
Relive the Wild West at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona (also known as “The Town Too Tough to Die"). You can witness reenactments of the famous gunfight between the Earp brothers and the Clanton gang, which in real life took only a few seconds and didn’t make much sense. Nonetheless, this is the west and tall tales and exaggerations run thicker than the fake blood. The whole town is an ode to this mythic west, including Boot Hill and the Bird Cage Theater, which, during the day, is a museum honoring painted ladies during the day and at night a ghost hunter's dream. 326 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 8563 Website: https://okcorral.com/
Bisbee, AZ
Bisbee, nestled in the Mule Mountains, is a haven for artists and others who wish to be as far away from civilization and other people as possible. The town is stuffed with galleries of fine art and folk art and...indescribable art. People here are so arty, they can’t stop themselves from creating – make sure you take in all the murals around town. Make sure to wander Erie Street, an entire street been dedicated to the 1950s – it’s called the Lowell Americana Project and it truly looks as if The Rapture occurred somewhere around 1958 and this is what was left. Don’t miss the Copper Queen Mine Tour, as it isedifying. Website: https://www.discoverbisbee.com/
Southern Arizona is awash in eccentric and fantastic sites,perfect for "The Good Time Girls" Ruby and Pip's amazing summer road trip. The above are all MUST SEES. But if you’re still in the desert mood, and more of the hikey-nature type, don’t miss, the Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, and Sabino Canyon and the Biosphere2. So pack your bags, hit the road, and get ready to make some extraordinary memories.
K.T. Blakemore grew up in the United States West and never left. THE GOOD TIME GIRLS is the first in the Wild-Willed Women of the West Series, featuring women who take no prisoners and succeed through sheer grit, determination, and a parcel of luck.
Her award-winning historical suspense and young adult historical fiction, written under the pen name Kim Taylor Blakemore, has been awarded a Silver Falchion Award, Tucson Festival of Book Literary Award, and a WILLA Award for Best YA Fiction.
In addition to writing, she runs the Novelitics ranch, which provides developmental editing and workshops to novelists. She teaches editing and craft workshops to writing groups around the United States and Canada.
She has hung her hat in California, Colorado, and currently the Pacific Northwest. The rain does not deter her research whether it be train timetables from 1905 or the best way to catch a loose horse.
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