arizona key magazine - statewide issue

ARIZONA WATERING HOLES

Last month, I explored a number of Arizona Swimming holes where residents and visitors can escape the summer heat by enjoying tranquil waters and a cool, refreshing swim. This month let’s take a tour of Arizona’s unique bars, saloons and watering holes - all capable of quenching your thirst after a long day of soaking up the sun, golfing, hiking, or relaxing by the pool. So, whether you need a tall glass of lemonade, a frosty mug of beer, or a tasty margarita, here are a few places to imbibe:

If you find yourself in Flagstaff, then I highly recommend a visit to The Museum Club. Locals call it “The Zoo” - it used to house a museum-like curio collection and taxidermy zoo. Today it holds a wonderful assortment of Route 66 memorabilia and hosts top live entertainment acts. It’s famous wooden dance floor is held up by five Ponderosa pines that appear to grow through the building. For more information, visit www.museumclub.com.

Heading down south a bit will bring you to The Palace Saloon, a favorite of Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp, located on Prescott’s famous Whiskey Row. To say that patrons love this place is an understatement. In 1900 a fire was burning down Whiskey Row... the drinkers literally picked the bar up, carried it across the street, and kept on drinking while the buildings went up in flames. This is a must visit. Learn more at www.historicpalace.com.

A little further south will bring you to Scottsdale and the Rusty Spur Saloon. Drinks are always ice cold thanks to the bank vault that serves as the refrigeration area. The building dates back to 1921 when it used to house a bank. More information can be found at www.rustyspursaloon.com. While in the vicinity, be sure to visit the Horny Toad in Carefree. This rustic spot serves a cold beer with the best deep fried chicken around. Named after an insect-eating lizard, a visit here is time well spent. For more information, you can visit www.thehornytoad.com.

Further south, in Patagonia (located between Tucson and the Mexican border) is the La Mision
de San Miguel. Although it looks like a church, once inside you’ll find this cowboy bar has
beautiful murels, paintings and statues. This is a great spot to enjoy live entertainment - learn
more at www.lamisionpatagonia.com.

Down in Tombstone, be sure to check out Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. This big and bright
cowboy bar started off as the Grand Hotel in 1881. Don’t miss the downstairs “shaft”. After
working the hotel day shift, an employee dug secretly during the night from his room to
prospect the mine shafts under Tombstone. You can learn more at www.bignosekate.com.

As you can see, Arizona offers a wonderful assortment of watering holes. Please drink
responsibly and as always, enjoy your visit to the Grand Canyon state.