As the evening settles over Tucson, Arizona, a small town that seems to be plucked straight out of an Old Western film hums to life. A bright red miniature train chugs past frontier-style facades of saloons, and the sound of gunfighters echoes in the desert breeze. This is the Trail Dust Town, a pocket-sized theme park in the middle of the city that offers family-friendly fun packed into a walkable plaza. The replica town is made up of cute, Wild West-themed shops interspersed with rides and shows,
plus it has a couple of solid dining options that prove why Tucson is a desert-bred UNESCO city of culinary excellence.
The origin story of Trail Dust Town is both unusual and fortuitous. Back in the 1950s, a set was created for a Glenn Ford-led Western film, but the movie was never finished. Instead, the set, which was modeled after an 1800s frontier settlement, ended up in the hands of a businessman who turned it into a visitor attraction. It was initially made up only of restaurants and shops, some of which have been in business for 60 years or more. The Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse, for example, first opened in 1962, and you can still stop by there for a mesquite-grilled Cowboy Steak. Just remember the one rule of the steakhouse, in keeping with its laidback ethos: Don't wear a tie, or else it will be cut off and hung from the ceiling.
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What To See And Do At Trail Dust Town
Trail Dust Town is conveniently located about a 25-minute drive from the Tucson International Airport. It's also close to some other great Tucson destinations (Agua Caliente Park, a shaded desert oasis with a natural warm spring, is a 15-minute drive away). Since the plaza is made up of many different shops and attractions, hours vary depending on what you want to see, but most of its highlights don't open until 5 p.m. or later.
Plus, some of its stores and all of the rides — including the train, carousel, and Ferris wheel — are only open Thursdays through Saturdays. The train is a particular ride that families can't miss. It's a replica C. P. Huntington locomotive that departs from an 1880s-modeled depot and transports you through fun, themed sites, like an underground "Lost City of Gold" and a dust-blown cavalry fort, before taking you back into the heart of the town.
Inside the town, wander the boardwalk past old-timey memorabilia shops, a gourmet chocolate depot, and an Old West photo studio, complete with props and costumes to wear for your shoot. If you come on a Friday or Sunday, make sure to catch the 30-minute Pistoleros Wild West Show that occurs twice, at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., for a comedic skit packed with slapstick and staged explosions. Many of the Trail Dust Town's attractions stay open as it gets dark, so you can do things like panning for gold at Gabby's Gulch under the stars — Tucson is one of the world's best stargazing destinations, after all. For something to eat, the Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse is open all evening, while for breakfast and lunch, you can head to Millie's Pancake Haus.
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Read the original article on Islands.
