WILD WEST ROAD TRIPPIN'

SADDLE UP

This past week provided two opportunities for me to leave my corral and I was eager to make the most of the adventures in the hopes that I could share something fun with you here.

I hit the road with big expectations and an even bigger appetite for Old West charm and legendary pie. What I found? A little less luster (and a lot more dustier) than I’d hoped. But I went on both adventures with a few of my favorite fellas, so that made it all worthwhile in the end. Making memories, as they say!

I debated about whether or not I should share about one or both or neither of the places we visited, but decided I’d do my best to focus on the positive and let you decide if you want to go. I usually say “The More You Know, The More You Go,” but in this case it was “The More You Go, The More You Know” and really, you just don’t really know until you go!

UP NORTH: ROCK SPRINGS CAFÉ

I’ve admired Rock Springs Café in Black Canyon City, Arizona, from afar dozens of times on my home from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff but never had the time to stop.

But this past week, I made a special plan! May 7th was move out day from my son’s (Baby Buzz No. 1) sophomore year at college and I just knew a slice of the famous pie at Rock Springs Café would be the perfect way to celebrate.

Of course I checked out the menu ahead of time, and had my heart set on a hearty breakfast. After all that Tetris packing of his belongings in my car, I was ready to eat! Except… I again (I’m noticing a pattern here), missed the breakfast window.

Here’s how Rock Springs Café stacked up:

✅ The Good
The café is charming and full of character. It’s clearly a beloved stop for locals and road-trippers alike, with a fun country vibe and shelves full of local goods and treats. Plus, so much pie! They have a whole shop dedicated to them! If you go, I recommend bringing an ice chest and buying a whole pie to take home! Seriously, it’s that good!

⚠️ The Bad
It can get pretty hectic here. The good news: we hit it at just the right time (on a Wednesday at 1:30 PM). There was plenty of parking and no waiting for a table at the restaurant (which is located inside the General Store—we got lost trying to find it). The bad news: I didn’t care for my lunch. I ordered “potato skins” and even after dousing them with salt, pepper and ranch dressing, they were flavorless. However, Yelp & Google reviews are chock full of people who love the food, so maybe I just ordered the wrong thing.

🍴 The Tasty
Baby Buzz No. 1 ordered banana cream pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He wasn’t all that impressed but I was by the looks of it. I also deserve an award for not nibbling on the flaky crust he left on his plate. I brought Mr. Buzz home a slice of coconut cream pie and he said it was the best he ever had.

🚘️ Getting There
Rock Springs Café is 62 miles from Buckeye and takes approximately 1 hour to get there. If you’re looking for a quick day trip, it’s an easy drive.

DOWN SOUTH: TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA

My dad was in town for Baby Buzz No. 2’s high school graduation and he’s been talking about wanting to go to Tombstone for years. I knew this was our chance.

Despite the fact that there were red flag wind warnings issued for that day (Tuesday), I (very uncharacteristically) insisted we go. Well, actually, I tried to get him to go to Lake Pleasant to see the burros but “if you’ve seen one burro, you’ve seen ‘em all” so I guess that didn’t sound exciting enough.

We weren’t in the car but 5 minutes when I remembered that I am a terrible back seat driver, especially when I’m sitting in the front seat. It was a long (and terrifying) drive for all of us because of me. I almost kissed a cactus when made it safely back home.

Here’s how our visit to Tombstone, Arizona stacked up:

✅ The Good
Tombstone definitely looks the part. The dusty wooden boardwalks, costumed cowboys, stagecoaches rolling by—it’s like walking through a movie set. It’s a fun place to people-watch, snap photos, and imagine the gun-slingin’ days of the Wild West. My favorite was the Gunfighter Hall of Fame Museum where they have TONS of real relics (guns, pistols, uniforms, etc.) and old photographs of famous outlaws (when they’re alive and when they’re dead, be warned). It was totally worth the $8 price of admission.

⚠️ The Bad
There’s a lot to see and do in Tombstone—but you’ve got to hoof it. If you're not steady on your feet, it could be a challenge. The whole area is spread out, dusty (dirt roads, true Wild West style), and not exactly easy on the body. We lucked out with cooler weather, but I can’t imagine doing it in the summer heat. The buildings don’t have air conditioning, and the whipping wind left us parched. And be warned—just about everything comes with a price tag. Want to see a reenactment? That’s $10. Curious about a historic building? That’ll cost you too. I get it—they’ve got to keep the lights (or lanterns) on. Just know before you go: it’s a tourist trap.

🍴 The Tasty
Nada. We didn’t eat or drink there and thank goodness I brought my own water because I was parched. While there are a few saloons and maybe a sit down restaurant or 2, most places looked like they were closed. If you go, bring snacks and drinks. And, be well fed before you arrive. You’ll be hungry when you leave!

🚘️ Getting There
It is 210 miles and 3½ hours from Buckeye to Tombstone. Although we made a day trip out of it, I would definitely not recommend doing that. It was a looooong ways away. It would be better to stay in Tucson (visit the Pima Air & Space Museum while you’re there) and then visit Tombstone. Also, be sure to gas up your car in Tucson too! It’s pretty rural out there in Tombstone and the services are limited.

THE END OF THE TRAIL

In the end, not every adventure has to be a showstopper to be worth the trip. Between the pie, the laughs, and the quality time with my favorite guys, I still came home with a full heart. Even the “meh” moments make for memories.

Would I go back to either? Maybe not in a hurry… but I’m still glad I went. If you go, let me know!

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Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.

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