WeekendZona’s second installment of its Arizona travel series is headed to the small border town of Douglas. Taking place July 20-22, the Discover Douglas experience will take travelers to the town that’s named one of the nation’s best “micropolitan” areas. Located two hours southeast of Tucson with a population of just 15,000, Douglas’ history dates back to the 1500s when Cabeza de Vaca established a route from Mexico, bringing true southwest culture here.
For outdoor-lovers, the town is ripe with attractions for hikers and birders and history buffs will enjoy historic buildings like the Gadsden Hotel and the Grand Theatre. Or check out Church Square, which was featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not as the only city block in the world with a different church on each corner.
Discover Douglas is part WeekendZona’s all-inclusive experiences that explore Arizona’s smaller, lesser-known towns. Coordinated by Local First Arizona Foundation staff along with local businesses in each community, the trips highlight the best parts of each town and taps into local insider spots. The Discover Douglas experience will focus on the arts and culture of the Southwest along with its storied history, including checking out the secret tunnels of El Chapo and more.
“We want to show Arizonans that there are many unique vacation opportunities right here in our own state,” said Maya Azzi, Rural Program Coordinator for the Local First Arizona Foundation. “Every year, Arizonans spend $6.5 billion vacationing in California alone. If we could direct some of those dollars into Arizona’s rural communities, it would make a huge difference for those towns.”
Discover Douglas: Arts, Culture and Heritage Getaway
All Packages Include:
- Two-night stay at Gadsden Hotel
- Meals
- Dinner at Casa Segovia (Friday)
- Murder Mystery Dinner catered by Casa Segovia (Saturday)
- Breakfast at Blueberry Cafe (Saturday)
- Breakfast at Mana (Sunday)
- Lunch at Border Taco (Sunday)
- Group Activities
- A clay pottery workshop guided by a local artist, paired with a guided local wine tasting
- Guided tour of the quirky and unique Art Car Museum
- Guided tour of the Historic District (including private tours of the Grand Theatre, and tunnels used by El Chapo and during the prohibition)
- Guided Border Air Museum Tour (where Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart opened the first international airport in the U.S.)
- Murder Mystery Dinner and a private tour of the Gadsden, catered by Casa Segovia
Additional available activities not included in the price of the package include Main Street shopping and antiquing, hike up “D” Hill, tour John Slaughter Ranch, The Douglas-Williams House, Slaughter Ranch Museum, The San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge.
Two person, two-night package: $485
One person, two-night package: $295
For more information, visit: localfirstazfoundation.org/events/weekendzona-douglas
