What gives in Benson, Arizona? To begin with, the weather here is pretty is easy to deal with. The city was founded in 1880 during the mining boom in Arizona. Here in its vicinity, you will be able to absorb the Old Western culture and delve deep into its railroad heritage. Walk along its river-valleys and soak in the sights that will refresh any weary set of eyes. Yes, this place is eccentric in its own way, yet special too. One that deserves a nod on your travel plans. Here’s a list of the best things to do in Benson, Arizona. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Horseshoe Café & Bakery
Since 1936 and several generations after, Horseshoe Café & Bakery continues to serve their classic home-style desserts and dishes to their loyal patrons in Benson. You won’t miss their iconic café on E 4th street with the longest neon sign hanging on the façade. This café was even featured in several movies and it is everyone’s favorite destination to satisfy their food cravings or to celebrate a special occasion. Drop by for a snack, brunch, or dinner and have a taste of their sumptuous offerings made from locally sourced and fresh ingredients. Start with newly prepared soups, meals, and sandwiches and have a sweet ending with a fresh-from-the-oven celebration cake or chocolate pie.
Horseshoe Café & Bakery
Address: 154 E 4th St, Benson, AZ 85602
Website: Horseshoe Café & Bakery
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 6am - 8pm; Sun: 6am - 2pm
2. Double R Guest Ranch
Bring the whole family to Double R Guest ranch and have a real cowboy adventure. For over 30 years, the ranch has been providing visitors with guided mountain tours on horseback. You can be assured that you will be safe in the hands of professional cowboys who know the trails and landscapes like the back of their hands. Explore the mountains that were formerly the homes of the Apache Indians. Enjoy the scenic trails, go bird watching, and learn how to ride a horse! It’s a unique way to celebrate your birthday or any special occasion or simply to enjoy a weekend in the outdoors.
Double R Guest Ranch
Address: 440 W Cimmaron Ln, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
Website: Double R Guest Ranch
Opening hours: 7am - 7pm (daily)
Price: From 475 USD
3. Quarles Art Gallery
Art enthusiasts will find Quarles Art Gallery to be one of the coolest places to visit in Benson. The gallery is owned by the couple Sharon and Doug Quarles. It is a former movie theater transformed into a gallery that exhibits all of its artwork. Both artists have learned their photo-realistic style of painting on their own. They are popular for their lifelike murals and paintings depicting the beautiful landscapes, livestock, and life in the Old West like Arizona and its cities. The exhibits were shown in various parts of the state like Tombstone, Wilcox, Sierra Vista, Tucson, and others before finally settling in Benson in 2013.
Quarles Art Gallery
Address: 1020 B, W 4th St, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
Website: Quarles Art Gallery
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sun)
Price: Varies
4. Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary
If you love animals, a visit to Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary may be a unique and exciting experience for you. Formerly a private sanctuary, it was opened to the public after converting into a non-profit sanctuary for the rescue of donkeys, mules, and horses, in February 2020. You will have to book a tour of the sanctuary at least 24 hours before you intend to visit. Kids and adults can pet, feed, and clean these well-mannered animals. Aside from mingling with these beautiful beasts, you can arrange to adopt them. The sanctuary also serves as the last home for these donkeys when no one else wants to take them in.
Forever Home Donkey Rescue and Sanctuary
Address: 360 E Rockspring Rd, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
5. Benson Historical Museum
Visit this small but well-organized museum to learn about the history of the Benson and St. David area of San Pedro Valley. It is well-curated with exhibits of documents, artifacts, pictures, and displays of significant persons and events that shaped the Old West history. Get to know the life of Doctor Matt Hesser, a local doctor who founded the first hospital in Benson, and Sid Wilson, a former actor who became Tombsone’s former mayor. Imagine yourself riding the first horse-drawn school bus (that’s on display) on your way to class. There are more of these amazing artifacts and exhibits that will keep you enthralled, plus there’s a tiny gift shop with locally made handcrafted items.
Benson Historical Museum
Address: 180 S San Pedro St, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
Website: Benson Historical Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 2pm (closed on Mon & Sun)
Price: 5 USD
6. Arena Bar
Arena Bar is not your typical watering hole, but it does have a lot of beer and action! It only has five employees but they are very friendly and entertaining. There is an area where you can drink cheap beer and have delicious bar chow while mingling with locals. There’s a huge outdoor arena where most of the events take place. You can watch a rodeo show or an outdoor concert with a live band. There are bleachers, grandstands, outdoor bars, and designated areas where they serve food. Grab a beer and party hardy as the cowboys do! Keep an eye on their billboards for the announcement of their events.
Arena Bar
Address: 250 N Prickly Pear Ave, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
Website: Arena Bar
Opening hours: 11am - 2am (daily)
7. City of Benson Parks & Recreation
The parks and ramadas are the heart of the city for these places are where citizens gather to picnic and have some fun. Benson has three major public parks, all vast and verdant. Lions Park has sports facilities like a skate park, playgrounds, volleyball, basketball courts, walking trails, restrooms, grills, and ramadas. Apache Park, located in the historical district, was donated in 1949 to the city by Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. Union Street Park, which is beside the Community Center and Public Pool of the city, also has grills, ramadas, and a playground for kids. The ramadas charge a small fee for a few hours of use.
City of Benson Parks & Recreation
Address: 1204 N Johnson St, Benson, NC 27504, United States
Website: City of Benson Parks & Recreation
Opening hours: Mon & Wed: 6am - 9pm; Tue & Thu: 7am - 9pm; Sat: 9am - 12pm (closed on Sun)
Price: From 5 USD
8. Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
Reconnect with your spirituality and visit St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Bargain hunters will definitely be delighted when they visit the store with the wide array of second-hand items up for sale. The collections include household items, handbags, purses, appliances, clothes, and old furniture that were donated by the parishioners. The store is operated and managed by volunteers. The sales proceeds are used to help Benson’s disadvantaged people with their financial needs. They also give out fresh produce for free and provide assistance to out-of-towners with free food and one-night hotel stay. Visiting the store restores your hope in humanity and offers a sense of well-being when you help in other charitable ways.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
Address: 181 S Patagonia St, Benson, AZ 85602, United States
Website: Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9am - 2pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: Varies
9. The Thing
The Thing beckons roadside travelers around Arizona with many billboards across its highways. Travelers who have visited The Thing talk about the realistic-looking mummy pair; that of a mother and her child. The mummies are apparently the creations of Homer Tate. Entrance to The Thing costs 1 USD for adults and 0.75 USD for kids. When you’re done looking around at the awesome exhibition pieces here, get some souvenirs and head on to the next attraction of Benson!
The Thing
Address: 2631 Johnson Rd, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: The Thing
10. Kartchner Caverns
The highlight of this state park has got to be its show cave, which runs for 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles). Kartchner Caverns was discovered by the local cave explorers in 1974 and is full of alluring speleothems that have been growing for more than 50,000 years. These interesting speleothems are still growing to this day.
Two major parts of the cavern are open to the public - the Big Room, which has the most comprehensive formation of brushite moon milk, and the Throne Room, which hold’s one of the globe’s longest soda straw stalactites. How long exactly? It stands at a mighty 6.5 meters (21 feet and 2 inches).
Kartchner Caverns
Address: Highway 90, 9 miles (14 km) south of Interstate 10, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: Kartchner Caverns
11. Whetstone Mountains
This picturesque place lies within the Cochise County range, at the Coronado National Forest. Whetstone Mountains can be accessed by foot, through the hiking trails of Kartchner Caves State Park. History tells us that Whetstone is the very place where Wyatt Earp fought in a good old’ cowboy gunfight, back in 1882. The highest peak is Apache Peak, which reaches the height of 2,351 meters (7714 feet).
Whetstone Mountains
Address: Highway 90, 9 miles (14 km) south of Interstate 10, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: Whetstone Mountains
12. Gammons Gulch
Ever wondered what it would be like to visit a real-life ghost town? Gammon Gulch delivers just that to you, complete with a full-scale movie set and a museum to educate you on its history on movie filming too! The site has been used for many movie shots and even for music videos too. The Gammons still run the place, and you’d be amazed by the tales that the tourist guides bring to life behind each movie set and the films that have been shot here. The sets include a jail, a saloon and a mercantile store. Do note: there’s no gift store at Gammon Gulch.
Gammons Gulch
Address: 331 W Rockspring Lane, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: Gammons Gulch
13. Benson Visitor Center
If you’re not sure on where to go in Benson, drop by its resourceful visitor center. The staff has been acclaimed for being friendly and helpful, and you’ll also have a chance to discover the displays within. Leave with a couple of informative leaflets, and admire the model train that runs all about the room.
Benson Visitor Centre
Address: 249 E 4th St, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: Benson Visitor Centre
14. Butterfield Overland Mail Station ruins
The Butterfield Overland Mail Station was founded by John Butterfield back in the 1800s. The Apache Pass station and the Dragoon Springs station is part of the series of stations which run around Tucson and the Arizona border. The ruins consist of the former walls of the stations. A mighty historical site to visit if you’re interested in the history of railways in America.
Butterfield Overland Mail Station
Address: Interstate 10 East, Dragoon Road, Exit 318
Website: Butterfield Overland Mail Station
15. San Pedro Golf Course
Who says you have to leave your golf cravings behind when you’re in Benson? The 18-hole golf course was completed in 2003 and is a public golf course that provides access to golfers to play at a reasonable price. The golf course rates start at 25 USD. Don’t forget to check out the Benson City Grille for a quick bite. We hear that their Baby Back Ribs Basket and Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich are to die for!
San Pedro Golf Course
Address: 926 N Madison Ave, 85602 Benson, AZ
Website: San Pedro Golf Course
It's always interesting in Benson
Yes, the town certainly has its old day charm to it. If you’re up for a glimpse into what the old West looked like, it’s time to buy your tickets and find your way down here. Take a good look at its intriguing architecture and otherworldly scenic sites. We bet that you’ll return home with treasure and smiles lining your faces.