Old Tucson: One of the BEST Family-Friendly Things to Do in Tucson

My daughter and I recently spent a day together in Old Tucson to embrace the Wild West and learn more about its history and colorful past. It was an EPIC mother/daughter experience – one that we’ll remember and talk about for years to come. That’s what I LOVE about traveling and experiencing new destinations. It opens your mind to new cultures – both present and past. And Old Tucson provides that opportunity to dive into the past and become a part as history comes alive. 

Here’s our entire experience, including our full-day experience, so you will have a better idea of what to expect.

How much does Old Tucson cost?

There are a few ticket options when buying tickets for Old Tucson, with their Western Experience being the most popular. This general admission ticket costs $39 for adults (ages 13+) and $24 for kids (ages 5 – 12) if you buy online. You can also buy “Walk-up” tickets directly at Old Tucson for $44/adult and $29/child. Children under 5 years old are free.

All park shows, rides and attractions are included in the admission price, and parking is free

For history buffs, you can take a Historical Tour to learn more about Old Tucson’s famous movie set and history. Tickets for this tour are $14.

And if you’re into ghost tours, Old Tucson’s Ghost Tours occur on selected evenings at 5:45 and 7:45 pm. Tickets for this tour cost $26.

Keep in mind that prices for holidays and special events might vary, so make sure to check their ticket calendar for up-to-date prices. 

General Admission for Summer and Holiday events may vary, so always check Old Tucson for current details.

What are the hours of Old Tucson?

Old Tucson opens at 10:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. Times do vary, depending on events, so don’t forget to check the available hours on the website. 

The Western Experience begins at 10:30 am and has shows and events running throughout the day. 

And the Ghost Tours run in the evenings, hours depending on the day and season. 

Directions to Old Tucson from Phoenix

Driving from Phoenix to Old Tucson is pretty much a straight shot south. Depending on where you’re coming from in the Valley, you’ll head toward I-10 South, and take you all the way to Tucson. We came from North Scottsdale, and the drive down took around 2 hours. 

What to bring with you for a day at Old Tucson

Keep in mind that most of the year, Tucson temperatures can be quite hot, so if you’re visiting during warmer days, don’t forget to apply sunscreen and wear a hat. You can bring clear bags or small purses with you, so I suggest placing extra sunscreen inside. Here’s what we brought on our visit:

• Clear bag with wallet, keys, personal items + small sunscreen bottle
• Water bottle
• Camera and phone
• Cowboy hat
• Layered clothing (it was chilly in the morning, so we wore sweatshirts and took them off when it warmed up) 
• Tennis shoes/sparkly cowboy boots – all walking areas are dusty, so I recommend comfortable closed-toe shoes. My daughter was adamant about wearing her sparkly pink boots to match her pink cowboy hat! 

How much time do I need to see everything in Old Tucson?

I would highly recommend spending the entire day in Old Tucson if you want to catch all the shows and attractions. There really are so many to see that you need the whole day. If you can only spend a certain number of hours inside, I suggest you look over the scheduled shows and events to choose which ones to add to your allotted time. 

Old Tucson Shows

What makes Old Tucson so special are all the shows they put on throughout the day. From the moment you walk inside to the last minutes of your visit, you are immersed in the Wild West. And the characters take you on a journey into the lives of famous outlaws like Jesse James and Billy the Kid along with the legend, himself – Wyatt Earp. Here are the shows you can experience during the Western Experience:

• Opening Welcome and Flag Raising Ceremony
• The Ballad of Bonnie Will
• The Annie Can-Can Show
• High Noon Duel
• Hotel Del Toro Robbery and Jailbreak: Stories of Jesse James
• Wild Bill’s Miracle Elixir Show
• Movie Stunt Demonstration
• And more

Old Tucson Attractions

As if the shows weren’t enough, Old Tucson also includes attractions in the Western Experience. Some of our favorite moments came from these fun, family-friendly attractions:

• The Talented Blacksmith
• Kids Western Games
• Petting Zoo
• Shooting Gallery
• Iron Door Mine
• Train and Stagecoach Ride
• Carousel 
• Photography Studio

And if you’re visiting during the Spring, you’re in luck! The Great Bring Spring is a fantastic event that includes BIG games, BIG food, and BIG FUN! (And, a larger petting zoo!) It runs from March 6th – May 12th. Plus, the weather is FANTASTIC, so it’s the perfect time to come out.

Old Tucson Restaurants

There are three restaurants to choose from in Old Tucson: 

• Big Jake’s BBQ serves delicious BBQ brisket, pulled pork, and chicken pot pie along with fries, slaw, and potato salad – a cowboy and cowgirl’s dream lunch. 
• If you’re hungry for traditional southwest food, try Rosa’s Cantina for tacos, black beans, rice, quesadillas, or nachos.
• For more of the traditional American food style, hit up Cowboy Café. They offer burgers, hot dogs and corn dogs, salads, pretzels, and chili. 
• And don’t forget about dessert. Head to The Creamery for desserts like yummy churros ice cream and floats. Oh, and don’t forget to take home some delicious fudge from Phoebe’s Sweets on your way out. 

TIP: Outside food is not permitted, but if you have young kids, you can bring in a couple of snacks for them. 

What a day at Old Tucson looks like

Now that we got all the general info out of the way, let’s get into the GOOD STUFF! Here’s what our day looked like at Old Tucson so you can get an idea of all the family fun you can have:

8:15 am: We left our house in Scottsdale, AZ, early in the morning to get a good start on the day. We did have a pit stop for a quick bathroom and snack break, but otherwise, it was easy driving.

10:30 am: Arrived at Old Tucson and Mia received her top-secret instructions for the upcoming Welcome Ceremony. 

10:55 am: Opening Welcome and Flag Raising Ceremony. This was the most special part of our day because my little Mia was honored as the Mayor of the Day. She received a special certificate and got to raise the flag. When I tell you that the entire staff at Old Tucson really goes all out to make you feel like you’re a part of the experience, it’s completely true. All day, Mia was treated like the Mayor by EVERY SINGLE person there. It was so incredibly special!

11:00 am: Living History Session about Old Tucson Studios: Did you know that there have been tons of EPIC Western movies filmed at Old Tucson? We joined the tour about Old Tucson Studios where they do the Stunt Demonstration show to learn more about the films shot here. Pretty cool for film buffs. 

11:15 am: Hotel Del Toro Robbery: Jesse James Story Part 1. This was our first show of the day, and it set the tone for the incredible day to come. It takes place right in the middle of the Town Square, and you’re introduced to Jesse James and Wyatt Earp in this reenactment of the Hotel Del Toro Robbery. And after the show, the actors stick around for any questions you might have and photos. How adorable are they?!?

11:30 am: Stagecoach Ride. Mia was dying to ride in the Old West Stagecoach, so we jumped in and took a scenic ride throughout the city. We almost fell prey to a stagecoach stickup on the way back, but thankfully the robber couldn’t get himself together quickly enough. LOL

TIP: There’s a Wild Bill’s Miracle Elixir Show next to the Stagecoach and Blacksmith area. Unfortunately, we missed it on this trip, but I heard it’s a GREAT show to see. If you can, add it to your itinerary. 

11:45 am: Blacksmith Demonstration. We then crossed over to see what the blacksmith was making. He showed us how he makes horseshoes, which Mia thought was just so cool. 

TIP: If you buy a horseshoe from the Last Outpost and bring it back to him, he’ll engrave your name on it. So cool! 

12:00 Noon: Games and Petting Zoo. All of the kids’ games are located right next to the Stagecoach area, so of course we had to go check them out. Mia LOVED the games (especially the hula hoops) and Petting Zoo. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get her to leave those cute little baby goats, so yes, we were here for a while. If you have kids, you understand 100%. We also rode the carousel, which is located in this area as well, as well as playing at the Shooting Gallery multiple times. Again, such a great reason to visit in Spring during The Great Big Spring event.

12:45 pm: Ice Cream Break. Ok, you’re probably questioning my parenting skills right now – I mean, ice cream before lunch?!? BUT, in my defense, we were told by a certain outlaw (who will not be named) that the Mayor gets FREE Ice cream, so how can I say no to that? Plus, we were about to see our second show at 1:00, so we didn’t really have time for lunch. So ice cream it was! 

1:00 pm: The Jailbreak of Jesse James Story Part 2. It was now time to head to the big stadium area in the north of the city for the sequel to Jesse James’ story. The clouds had passed at this time, and it was getting pretty warm, so it was a good thing we had that ice cream to cool us off before we went. (Parenting redemption). This show was spectacular, with amazing stunts like falling off a building and a big shoot-out fight at the end. I’ll say it again, the actors do such an AMAZING job on all the shows! 

1:15 pm: The Annie Can Can-Can Show. As soon as the Jailbreak show was over, we scooted ourselves to The Grand Palace Saloon for the Can-Can show. Luckily, it was right next to the arena, so we made it in time. And I’m so glad we did because if you ask Mia what her FAVORITE show of the day was, THIS IS IT! Witty humor for the adults and dancing for the kids. And Mia even got to go up on stage and show off her can-can moves, too! Super fun show for the whole family!

TIP: If you have girls and they are willing to be volunteers, this is the show for them! Sit in the front row so they have a chance to be chosen. 

1:40 pm: Lunch at Big Jake’s BBQ. We finally stopped for a late lunch, and by this time we were so hungry! We opted for Big Jake’s BBQ and got the brisket and chicken pot pie lunches. Both were quite good. We left with full stomachs and happy hearts. 

2:15 pm: Bathroom Break. What’s a full day without a proper bathroom break? For those wondering, yes, they have bathrooms. And no, they are not Wild West holes. They are proper, modern-day bathrooms. 

2:20 pm: Explore Shops & More Kids Games. We took a little bit of time to explore some of the shops on Main Street that we hadn’t been inside yet. So we checked out the Corner Store, Photography Studio and Olsens and then headed back to the Kids Games area. We loved all the additional games they had added in for their Great Big Spring event, making it even more family-friendly. So Mia played a few more games while I took in the scenery (aka, rested in one of the lounge chairs by the waterfall).

2:45 pm: Train Ride. It was now time to grab the train and take the scenic tour all the way around Old Tucson. We loved it! Such a fun way to see the entire town, including the Old Tucson Studios area. 

3:00 pm: Iron Door Mine. Make sure you add this one to your day because it’s so fun. We grabbed our lantern and made our way down into the Iron Door Mine. The Guide was adorable with more witty jokes that went over Mia’s head, but I got a good laugh. 

TIP: This is a great escape from the heat if you go during those hot days! Nice and cool down in the Mine. 

3:15 pm: Afternoon drink & Chat. At this point, Mia was getting a bit tired and thirsty, so we grabbed some water at the Cantina and took a short breather. We also took time to chat with some of the actors about their experiences. 

TIP: Talk to the actors and characters. They have so many cool stories to tell. Plus, they will ask any questions your littles might have. My Mia ALWAYS has lots of questions, and she loves to talk. So for her, just talking to them was such a treat. 

3:45 pm: Buy souvenirs and say goodbye. By now, I could see that Mia was pretty much done. I wanted to stay and see the Stunt Demonstration show, but I could also tell that she was at her end. We still had another 2-hour drive home, so I called it a day. 

TIP: There is an Old Tucson Movie Stunt Demonstration Show at 4:00 pm, so if you’re still around at the end of the day, make sure to see it! 

4:00 pm. Drive back home

Tips for Kids and Babies at Old Tucson

For anyone who still might be on the fence about bringing small kids and babies with you to Old Tucson, here are a few tips that will help prepare you for the day.

1. Strollers: You are allowed to bring your stroller, but keep in mind that all the walking areas are dirt and not paved. If you have a baby carrier, I would definitely bring that instead. 
2. Some of the shows do have loud gunfights that can be scary for younger ones. Prepare them for what’s coming or cover their ears during the gunfights. 
3. There are no kid’s meals at the restaurants, but you can bring snacks for kids. I highly recommend it, especially for full days.
4. If you want to get a unique family picture, schedule a family photo session at the Photography Studio. Those are the family photographs that last a lifetime. 
5. The Petting Zoo, Kids games area, Train Ride, and Stagecoach rides are the most kid-friendly attractions. Spend extra time there to keep the kids happy!

Old Tucson Studios: Movies filmed at Old Tucson

One of the special aspects of Old Tucson is that it’s actually an old working movie studio set. Over 500 movies and TV shows have been filmed at Old Tucson Studios, so it’s really cool to see those living sets and remember epic moments from the movies. 

Remember that iconic moment when Johnny Ringo (Val Kilmer) shouts out, “I’m your huckleberry,” in the movie, Tombstone? Shot in Old Tucson Studios. 

And added to the list are other greats such as Arizona, Three Amigos, El Dorado, and even Little House on the Prairie were filmed here at Old Tucson Studios. And you can see where the magic took place!

Is a visit to Old Tucson worth it?

You know I always end my family guides with the question, Is it worth it? And for Old Tucson, a visit with your family is DEFINITELY worth it! The Wild West is a dying breed, and it’s a great way to introduce or teach your children a little bit about it in a fun way. We had the BEST time during our day in Old Tucson, and I’m sure you will too!

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