Tour the wild, wild west: Old Tucson Studios!
We had the opportunity to check out Old Tucson Studios on a recent trip to Tucson, Arizona. Old Tucson is a movie studio and theme park. Great westerns such as Gun fight at the OK Coral and Little House on the Prairie were filmed there. We got free tickets and had zero expectations of what we were going to encounter there. The only thing we knew was it was a replica of the wild west.
We pulled into the theme park and parked. We started noticing that we were basically the only ones NOT dressed up. We just so happen to go to Old Tucson on the one weekend that they have the Steampunk Festival! It was so fun to see all the super creative costumes and weaponry. I am told that Steampunk is basically what people from the 1800’s thought the future would be like. It was super wacky with all the gamma ray guns and half-robot people.
Upon entering Old Tucson it was like we stepped right into the late 1800’s! There were old buildings, entertainers in character, horses, a stagecoach and an old mine. We got our “agenda” for the day and started walking! Our first stop was the mine! Our tour guide, “Terrible Tom” was HILARIOUS!! We would have done the tour twice just to listen to him and his jokes!
Next the boys spent some time riding the carousel, driving old cars, and then we went to a show! The first show we checked out was a show about Saloon Girls… the head Saloon Girl sashayed and danced into the audience while singing and picked Patrick to dance with her. I don’t think she was prepared to be swung around the dance floor by a good ole Texas boy! The crowd loved it!
We grabbed some lunch at the Bar-B-Q restaurant. If I had to do it again I would just take an ice chest with lunch and leave it in the car. It was crowded and the food was pricey. The Bar-B-Q ribs themselves were really great though!
After lunch we paid $5.00 and our whole family rode around “town” in the stagecoach! I am sooo glad we have cars now! That ride was so bumpy and dusty!! It was still super fun though! We got off the stagecoach and went to grab our seats for the gunfight! The boys LOVED the show! Owen wanted to watch more of it! Even though it was cold and raining off and on the boys (and us) had a BLAST!! It was PERFECT for their ages and we would totally go back again!
In addition to all the rides and gun fights there was also a puppet show and craft booth… the boys chose to make creatures out of pipe cleaners! The entertainers were so patient!
General Admission Adult: $16.95
General Admission to Old Tucson Studios during regular daytime operating hours includes select rides, shows, and tours.
General Admission Child: $10.95
Children ages 4 to 11 General Admission to Old Tucson Studios during regular daytime operating hours includes select rides, shows, and tours.