Where to stop between Tucson and Las Cruces (Mesilla)?

On our fly-drive tour we plan to take two days to cover this distance, giving us a little time to look around on the way. We%26#39;re not sure where to break the journey. Silver City looks a possible place.

We are looking for a budget/low medium price range hotel. Does anyone have a suggestion, please?

Where to stop between Tucson and Las Cruces (Mesilla)?

If you have never explored this area before, I would make the following recommendations.

In, or near Tucson, must sees are: Saguaro National Park (I recommend the ';West'; side, because it is adjacent to both) the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; and Old Tucson Studios, where many westerns have been filmed, especially those with John Wayne. On the south side of Tucson, the San Xavier del Bac Mission is one of the West%26#39;s most beautiful.

Since you have some time for ';meandering,'; I would head south on I-19, stopping at the Tubac Presidio State Historical Park, and then Tumacacori National Historic Park. Continue to Nogales, AZ... but with the severity of the drug wars going on along the border in Mexico, I would caution you to not cross the border at this time.

Turn NE, through some very pretty scenery to Sierra Vista, then east to historic, old Tombstone with its OK Corral, saloons, etc. of Wyatt Earp fame.

Either go north to I-10 at Benson, AZ...or take in the old mining towns of Bisbee, and Douglas, and then travel Northeast on AZ-80 to I-10, just inside New Mexzico. This latter area is the ';boonies,'; so you may have the opportunity to see some mule deer, antelope, or other wildlife.

Southwest New Mexico is Expert Mitch Hellman%26#39;s forte, so I%26#39;ll let him recommend places of interest from the NM state line, to Silver City...and then the Las Cruces area. Silver City would be my recommended over- night stop.

Where to stop between Tucson and Las Cruces (Mesilla)?

Silver City ';Accomodations'; reviews:

tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60831-Silver_City_Ne…

Thank you that%26#39;s very useful. Local knowledge is such an advantage. All we need now is the midway hotel.

By the way, what is the weather likely to be in the middle of May in this part of Arizona and New Mexico?

Thanks again.

last question first: weather will be warm during the day, cool at night. There is also a possibility that the so-called %26#39;monsoon%26#39; season may have begun by then, bringing brief afternoon thunderstorms to the area.

As for an inexpensive hotel or motel, my personal favorite is the Palace Hotel. It is inexpensive and is located in the Downtown area, which will enable you to park once and enjoy strolling around. The potential downside is how you feel about staying in a clean but rickety hotel in a 120+ year-old building rather than in a chain motel. Also, be advised that all rooms are on the second floor and there is no elevator, so if stairs are a problem this one is not for you.

Plenty to see and do in the area, but make sure that you are not coming to town during the Tour of the Gila bike race (April 29 to May 3) or the Silver City Blues Festival (May 22 to 25) without making lodging arrangements NOW, as these events are big draws.

Thanks, Mitchhellman, the Palace Hotel sounds like fun and a great antidote to the various chain motels we shall be using elsewhere to keep our budget under control.

Are there eating places within walking distance of the Palace, do you know?

Yes I do know, and yes there are. The Palace is on Broadway, a couple of doors west of Bullard St., the main Downtown street. On Bullard you%26#39;ll find:

BadAss Bakery (yes, that%26#39;s really the name!) for baked goods and slices of breakfast pizza;

The Jalisco Cafe for Mexican and southern New Mexican fare;

Isaac%26#39;s for upscale bar food for dinner;

Javalina%26#39;s for coffee, etc.;

Diane%26#39;s for eclectic food;

Nancy%26#39;s Silver Cafe for decent short-order food:

Shevek %26amp; Co. for high-end Mediterranean %26amp; Continental cuisine;

Alotta Gelato for desserts and home-made Italian ice cream (gelato);

Cafe Un Mundo for light lunches;

...and at least half-a-dozen others, all within a eight-block walk up Bullard-- and this doesn%26#39;t count some of the others available on side streets.

Yum! Now I%26#39;m hungry!

As expected, Mitch did an excellent job of providing restaurant and accomodation information.

Since he didn%26#39;t mention any ';specific'; things to see enroute to Las Cruces. I%26#39;d recommend the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument about 45 miles north of Silver City, if that would be of interest to you. (The walk from the parking area can be a bit strenuous if you are not in good shape.)

Either from there, or direct from Silver City if you are skipping it, I would also suggest you take NM-152 east (from the junction near San Lorenzo) through the very scenic, Black Range Mountains, past old mining towns such as Kingston, and Hillsboro. There may be livestock or deer on the highway in the higher areas, so watch the curves). You will come out near Caballo Lake (south of Truth or Consequences) at I-25. You can then take I-25 south through Hatch, to Las Cruces, or you can parallel the interstate all the way on the ';old'; U.S., 2 lane highway, now NM-185, if you are not ';making time.';

You will enjoy historic Mesilla also.

Geez, what a back-seat driver! :)

I haven%26#39;t mentioned local attractions yet because, well, I wasn%26#39;t asked to!

The Gila Cliff Dwellings are one of the most popular places to see in the area, but they do take some time to view. Though the trip is only 44 miles from Silver City, it takes nearly two hours to drive there... but it%26#39;s worth it if you have the time.

Another local attraction of note, an easy half-hour drive from Silver, is City of Rocks State Park. It%26#39;s sort of a natural Stonehenge, with big boulders with interesting shapes in the middle of an otherwise flat plain.

There%26#39;s more to see and do-- just let us know where your interest lie and we%26#39;ll give you plenty of ideas.

Wadewade said they were taking two days from Tucson, to Las Cruces (Mesilla), to have ';a little time to look around on the way,'; so I was just suggesting places to see in Southern Arizona, and Southwest New Mexico, while he was looking. :-)

I hate backseat drivers myself! I%26#39;ll ride the rest of the way in the trunk. Should I drill a hole in the trunk so I can breath? I hope you said yes! :-)

Funny you should mention the trunk. Was listening to ';A Prairie Home Companion'; on our local NPR affiliate, and it was the annual joke show. One joke mentioned that the difference between a dog and a woman is that if you locked both of them in the trunk of your car and drove around for a while, only the dog would still be happy to see you when you opened it up!