Patagonia

Patagonia is getting quite famous for being practically unknown. The town sits quietly 20 miles north of Mexico between two districts of the expansive Coronado National Forest, shaded by both the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains. With an elevation of just over 4,000 ft, its cooler climate attracts grassland bird watchers. For most, though, the real draw to Patagonia is the wine. In the 1970s, a soil scientist by the name of Dr. Gordon Dutt discovered that the red earth around town was practically a match for that of Cote-d’Or in Burgundy, France. In the time since, close to a dozen vineyards have opened, and the area has been granted a federal designation as a unique wine-producing region. Once you’ve gotten a little color in your cheeks, there are the nearby ghost towns of Harshaw, Duquesne, and Lochiel. The Stage Stop Inn in Patagonia gets high marks from travellers for value and decor.