Cities

Ajo

Awaken your senses in the sonoran uplands. Ajo's spanish architecture is an excellent introduction to southern arizona's colonial history and a gateway to adventure in nearby organ pipe cactus national monument.

Once-sleepy Ajo has always been a magnet for desert enthusiasts – it’s surrounded by 12 million acres of public and tribal land. Now it’s fostering a growing arts community.

Anchored by a historic train depot, Ajo’s graceful town plaza – surrounded by shops, a post office, restaurants, and punctuated by towering palm trees and a central park – may remind you of Spain. With good reason. Built in 1917, the Spanish Colonial Revival style is a perfect complement to the sunny desert terrain. The heart of Ajo, the plaza hosts frequent festivals that bring together Arizonans, members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mexicans, and visitors from around the world. As you meander, be sure and stop into the two lovely houses of worship built in the mid-1920s, the Catholic Church and the Federated Church.

Once a copper mining town – you can view the Cornelia Open Pit Mine from an overlook outside of town – Ajo is now an emerging arts community, attracting creatives from Tucson, Phoenix, and other Southwestern cities. The beautifully renovated Sonoran Desert Conference Center – part conference center and hotel, part artist community – furthers this creative vibe.

Just 15 miles south, along the border with Sonora, Mexico, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument reveals its wonders. An unspoiled preserve, this cactus forest has been honored by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve for its biodiversity. Serene and under-visited, it’s the best place to see wild stands of these unusual cacti that feature multiple columns growing out from a central base. Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is another nearby place to bird, camp, hike, and view wildlife. Whatever your interests, Ajo is alive with activity.

Visit Town Website

More to Discover Near Ajo

Tohono O'odham Nation

Visit the ancestral lands of people who continue to thrive in the vast deserts southwest of Tucson.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Visit the only place in the U.S. where organ pipe cactus grows in the wild.

Cities

Tucson

Visit Arizona’s second-largest city, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and a year-round outdoor playground. You can be secluded or social in Tucson....

Search Filters

Search Results

Horseback Riding

360 Adventures

Arizona adventure tours by 360 Adventures take the worry out of exploring so you can focus on having fun. While Arizona features some of...

Outdoor Adventure

Altitude Mountain Guides

Altitude Mountain Guides offer guided climbing and canyoneering trips in Arizona’s beautiful and vast desert landscapes. Based out of...

Boating & Water

Arizona Boat Rentals

At Arizona boat rentals we work hard to offer the best quality boat and jet ski rentals on the market at any lake in the state. Enjoy the...

Tours

Arizona Climbing Guides

Rock Climbing and Canyoneering. Tours and Courses.Join our friendly knowledgeable guides for a trip that you're sure to remember. Come...

Tours

Arizona Golf Trails

Arizona Golf Trails provides luxury golf vacations to Arizona destinations. With a focus on Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tucson, we can put...

History

Arizona History Museum

Explore downtown Tucson history at the Downtown History Museum, which features exhibits that depict early Tucson businesses and homes,...

History

Arizona History Museum, Tucson

Experience the stories and artifacts of Arizona personalities such as Geronimo and Wyatt Earp, as well as Emperor and Empress Maximilian...

Performing Arts

Arizona Opera

Arizona Opera produces fully-staged operas, concerts, and collaborative programs throughout the state of Arizona each season. We are among...

Boating & Water

Arizona Rafting by Wilderness Aware

Head into the mountains of Arizona to experience a truly unique whitewater adventure on the Upper Salt River. As soon as you hit the river,...

American Indian

Arizona State Museum

Arizona State Museum offers many opportunities to experience the Native cultures of Arizona, the American Southwest, and northern Mexico...

Hiking & Trails

Arizona Trail Expeditions

Arizona Trail Expeditions is a division of Hermosa Tours located in Sedona, Arizona. AZT Expeditions is a new program offered in...

Nature & Wildlife

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

This indoor and outdoor museum is dedicated to conserving the Sonoran Desert by protecting native plants and animals, providing educational...

Discover

Cities & Regions

From the abundance of Saguaro cactuses and unique wildlife in the Sonoran Desert to the high country and forests of the White Mountains to the breathtaking Grand Canyon, Arizona’s regions are full of experiences that don’t disappoint.