Yuma rewards the curious. In a single day you can walk the cells of Arizona Territory's first prison, paddle the Colorado River, taste a date shake on a working farm and close the evening with a cigar and a pour of something rare. This is our guide, from the lounge at 1651 S Arizona Ave, to the places we point guests toward when they ask what to do in Yuma.
Start at the Yuma Visitor Center
Visit Yuma's center at 264 S. Main St. keeps maps, brochures and details on farm tours and specialty dinners. It is on Main Street, near the Colorado River State Historic Park, which makes it a natural first stop.
Step into Yuma's history
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
Ground was broken on April 28, 1876, for Arizona Territory's first prison. Today you can walk the original strap-iron cells, the guard tower and the solitary chamber, then browse a museum of artifacts about the staff and the convicts, among them the stagecoach robber Pearl Hart. Visit Yuma notes it was voted USA Today's "Best Haunted Destination in the U.S." 220 N. Prison Hill Road. Arizona State Parks
Colorado River State Historic Park
Beginning in 1864, the U.S. Army's Yuma Quartermaster Depot supplied the military posts of the Southwest for nearly 20 years. The roughly ten-acre park keeps five buildings from the depot's first years, which Arizona State Parks describes as "among the oldest and best-preserved buildings in the state," along with a model of the depot as it looked in 1872. 201 N. 4th Ave. Arizona State Parks
Sanguinetti House Museum and Gardens
Named for the "Merchant Prince of Yuma," the house at 240 S. Madison Ave. holds memorabilia and antiques and often hosts tea time and ghost tours. Pair it with Jack Mellon Mercantile, named for a riverboat captain and filled with memorabilia of its own.
Pivot Point Plaza
An outdoor exhibit area, opened in 2010, where Madison Avenue meets the river.
The river, the wetlands and the dunes
- Yuma East Wetlands: 400 acres of restored wetlands in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, reached from the Yuma Crossing bike path. Visit Arizona reports the restoration doubled the bird population; watch for the endangered yellow-billed cuckoo. Paved, all-abilities paths and low-incline trails make for an easy walk.
- The Colorado River: kayaking, canoeing, tubing and boating, with scenic pathways along the river near downtown.
- Imperial Sand Dunes: about 20 miles from Yuma, open to motorcycles, quads, UTVs and sand rails. Visit Yuma lists ATV and UTV rentals for the dunes.
- Muggins Mountains, Wellton: rocky terrain for off-roading.
- Wildlife and golf: three national wildlife refuges, including Kofa, and almost a dozen golf courses in the area.
An afternoon on Main Street
- Yuma Art Center (254 S. Main St.): a former vaudeville house with four galleries, a pottery studio, an artists' gift shop and a 1912 theater. Ask for the map of public murals and sculptures for a self-guided walk.
- Lutes Casino (221 S. Main St.): dating to 1901, with no card tables or slot machines. Expect pool, food, retro signage and vintage photographs.
- Red's Bird Cage (231 S. Main St.): an underground dive bar in a former Western Union telegraph office.
- Prison Hill Brewing Company (278 S. Main St.): Yuma craft beer. You will find Prison Hill beer in our beer garden as well.
- Shops: Colorado River Pottery (67 W. 2nd St.) for handmade wares and Desert Olive Farms (224 S. Main St.) for agriculture-themed souvenirs.
Dates, farms and a taste of the valley
Martha's Gardens (9747 S. Ave. 9 3/4 E.) is known for Medjool date shakes made from dates grown on the property, with grounds tours from November through March. Imperial Date Gardens and Naked Dates also offer farm tours; arrange them in advance. For an evening with a story, the Sanguinetti House hosts history dinners; contact the house for dates.
Where to eat
- The Garden Café (250 S. Madison Ave.): breakfast or brunch on a patio surrounded by lemon trees.
- The Chile Pepper (1030 W. 24th St.): opened in the 1950s, known for tortillas made fresh daily and homemade tamales year-round.
- Cafecito (118 S. Madison Ave.): coffee, including the corchata, cold brew blended with horchata.
- JT Prime Pop-up Kitchen (714 E. 32nd St.): reservations required; the menu changes regularly.
Restaurant details come from Visit Arizona's 48 Hours in Yuma; call ahead before you go.
A day across the border
Visit Yuma lists a trip to Mexico among its day trips. Read its Going to Mexico guide before you cross.
Yuma's calendar
Names to watch on the Visit Yuma events calendar: the Yuma Airshow, Midnight at the Oasis, the Yuma County Fair, the Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival, the Dorothy Young Electric Light Parade and Día de los Muertos. Dates change each year, so check the calendar before you plan. Our own tastings and brand nights are on the events page.
Yuma after dark
As the sunset fades, Yuma's bars, breweries and casinos come alive. For a slower, more refined evening, settle into Sun of a Gun Cigars & Spirits, an official J.C. Newman Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge at 1651 S Arizona Ave.
- Cigar lounge and smoke shop: choose from the walk-in humidor, from everyday favorites to allocated Opus X.
- Cocktail and whiskey bar: handcrafted cocktails and a 300-bottle spirits menu with more than 170 whiskeys.
- Wine bar: Napa Cabernet, Champagne and tawny port, with wine by the glass or the bottle.
- Patio beer garden: a cold beer and a cigar in the open air, or sit inside the lounge if you prefer.
- Happy hour: Monday through Friday, 4:00 to 6:00 PM: $2 off handcrafted cocktails, $2 off wine by the glass and $1 off beers.
Open at 9:00 AM every day, until 11:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 1:00 AM Friday and Saturday. Call 928-276-3500. For more evening ideas, see our Yuma nightlife guide.
Common questions
What is there to do in Yuma, AZ? Walk the cells of Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, tour the Colorado River State Historic Park, paddle the river, stroll the Yuma East Wetlands, ride the Imperial Sand Dunes, browse Main Street and taste a date shake at a local date farm. In the evening, Yuma has bars, breweries, casinos and Sun of a Gun Cigars & Spirits, an official J.C. Newman Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge.
How far are the Imperial Sand Dunes from Yuma? About 20 miles, according to Visit Yuma, which also lists ATV and UTV rentals for the dunes.
When can you tour a date farm in Yuma? Martha's Gardens runs grounds tours from November through March. Imperial Date Gardens and Naked Dates arrange farm tours in advance.
What can you do in Yuma at night? Yuma's evenings include bars, breweries, casinos and the river at night. Sun of a Gun Cigars & Spirits at 1651 S Arizona Ave pours cocktails, whiskey, wine and beer and stays open until 1:00 AM on Friday and Saturday.
Where can I smoke a cigar with a drink in Yuma? At Sun of a Gun Cigars & Spirits, 1651 S Arizona Ave: a walk-in humidor, a full bar and a patio beer garden inside an official J.C. Newman Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge.
Sources: Visit Yuma; Visit Arizona, 48 Hours in Yuma; Arizona State Parks, Yuma Territorial Prison; Arizona State Parks, Colorado River State Historic Park. Hours, tours and menus at the places above can change; confirm with each before you visit.
