Old Tucson Studios

One of the most familiar “Western” towns in the world is actually a movie set that represents 19th century Tucson. Purists may justifiably frown at the manufactured nature of the dusty streets, boardwalk sidewalks, swinging door saloons and such, but there’s something ironically memorable about standing in the spot where Wyatt Earp gunned down Billy Clanton … No, wait, that was Kurt Russell blasting fake rounds at Thomas Haden Church. Gunfight re-enactments take place Thursdays through Monday (they’re also offered in the real Tombstone, about an hour and a half away to the southeast, also highly scripted), and other offerings range from studio tours to John Wayne documentaries to carousel rides.

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