The Thing?
The Thing (a.k.a. The Thing Museum) is an Arizona roadside attraction extensively advertised by signs along Interstate 10 between El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Arizona.
An attraction, 4 mi north of Dragoon
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Willcox, 17 miles northeast. Where to stay ↓
Summers are hot
June and July highs run 92–94°, and about 94 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
A day trip from Tucson
Tucson is about 48 miles west (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr and Oct
April and October are the mild months, with highs of 76–79°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Dragoon. Green months are the mild ones.
The Thing?
The Thing (a.k.a. The Thing Museum) is an Arizona roadside attraction extensively advertised by signs along Interstate 10 between El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Arizona. The object, supposedly a mummified mother and child, is believed to have been made by exhibit creator Homer Tate for sideshows.
The Thing was purchased by former lawyer Thomas Binkley Prince in the mid-twentieth century, who quickly based a tourist attraction on the strange object. Although Prince died in 1969, the attraction was run by his wife Janet for many years. Today, the site is under the ownership of Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc. Despite its remoteness, the attraction has been popular; it has appeared in several tourist guides, and has been the subject of several news stories and reports.
- Type
- Attraction
- Wikipedia readers
- 29K a year
Where to stay near The Thing?
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Willcox (23) and Benson (22).
Willcox
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
3,189 people
17 mi northeast of The Thing?
Compare 7 towns
| Town | From The Thing? | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willcox | 17 mi northeast | 25 min | 23 10 hotels · 4 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 3,189 | $159K | C |
| Benson | 20 mi southwest | 30 min | 22 5 hotels · 5 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 9 RV parks | 5,532 | $149K | — |
| Tombstone | 25 mi south | 35 min | 31 8 hotels · 6 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 1,376 | $183K | — |
| Dragoon | 4 mi south | 5 min | 2 2 inns & B&Bs | 85 | $136K | — |
| St. David | 17 mi southwest | 25 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 2 RV parks | 1,098 | $154K | — |
| Sunsites | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 2 1 inn or B&B · 1 RV park | 611 | $149K | — |
| Whetstone | 29 mi southwest | 45 min | 3 3 RV parks | 2,971 | $214K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near The Thing?
Other well-known places within 54 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw41 mi National MonumentChiricahua National Monument70K visitors a year
34 mi National ParkSaguaro National Park848K visitors a year
124 mi CaveKartchner Caverns State Park
54 mi Stadium & arenaArizona Stadium
50 mi MountainMount Lemmon
48 mi MuseumPima Air & Space Museum
226 mi MuseumBird Cage Theatre
316 mi National forestCoronado National ForestPhoto credits
Chiricahua National Monument: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Saguaro National Park: Luke Jones from Yucca Valley, CC BY 2.0 · Kartchner Caverns State Park: Mike Lewis, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arizona Stadium: Wcarlisle4, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Lemmon: Debby Kriegel, Public domain · Pima Air & Space Museum: The original uploader was MCB at English Wikipedia. Later versions were uploade, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Bird Cage Theatre: Hawkeye58, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coronado National Forest: Zereshk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting The Thing?
What town is The Thing? near?
Dragoon, AZ, about 4 miles south.
When is the best time to visit The Thing??
April and October, with highs of 76–79°.
How far is The Thing? from Tucson?
About 48 miles west of Tucson, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to The Thing??
Tucson (TUS), about 52 miles away.
Where should I stay near The Thing??
Willcox (17 mi, 23 places to stay), Benson (20 mi, 22 places to stay) and Tombstone (25 mi, 31 places to stay).
Tips from people in Dragoon
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Dragoon’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.