15 Fun Things To Do In Jerome AZ (2024)
Planning a day trip to Jerome AZ? If so, this article’s for you.
Overlooking the Verde Valley on Cleopatra Hill, Jerome is a ghost town with a fascinating history. Jerome was originally created as a mining town, when prospectors discovered rich copper deposits back in 1876. After generating over a billion dollars in metals, the mines shut down around 1950, and the town was designated a national historic district in 1967!
The town has a variety of quirky little shops, restaurants, hotels, and old buildings where you can get a peek into its rich history. I recently visited Jerome for a day trip, and now understand why it’s such a popular tourist destination!
Here are 15 fun things to see and do in Jerome Arizona.
1. Visit Jerome’s State Historic Park
A must visit when you enter town is Jerome’s State Historic Park. Built into the Douglas mansion, a mansion built in 1916 by mining entrepreneurs, this museum is an excellent place to learn about the long history of mining in Jerome.
The museum has an interesting 3D model of the town with underground mines, a film, and a variety of displays and exhibits throughout. Just before you enter this park, you’ll see the Audrey Headframe, the largest wooden mining headframe in Arizona.
When it’s open, you can walk over a glass window that descends down 1900 ft in the earth! The park costs $7/visit, and is open from 9am-4:30pm.
2. See Jerome’s Sliding Jail
One of the reason’s Jerome is such a spooky place to visit is all of the catastrophes that occurred during the peak copper mining period. You can get a perspective of just how dangerous it was by seeing Jerome’s sliding jail.
This is a small jail, displaced 225 feet in a 1930 landslide caused by an underground dynamite explosion! It’s now in the middle of the town’s main street, so you can check it out as you stroll around the shops.
3. Go on a Ghost Tour
Learn about the history of Jerome and tour supposedly haunted places around town on a ghost tour! You’ll get to walk through abandoned buildings, use EMF readers to hunt for ghosts, and learn all about the history of Jerome from a knowledgeable tour guide.
4. Dine At Haunted Hamburger
If it’s your first time in Jerome, the Haunted Hamburger is a must try restaurant. This restaurant’s allegedly haunted, and they serve everything from PB&J bacon burgers to carrot cake, and booze infused milkshakes.
The outdoor seating area has a beautiful view of the Verde Valley, and they have a little gift shop at the entrance where you can shop for souvenirs. If you’re not in the mood for hamburgers, here are some other great restaurants in Jerome:
- The Clinkscale: Hotel & restaurant, popular for breakfast/brunch with penny mimosas
- The Asylum: 100 year old hospital turned into a hotel & restaurant, popular for their butternut squash soup and desserts
- Bobby D’s Barbecue: Great brisket, ribs, cornbread, and beer-battered onion rings
5. Shop around at the gift shops
As you arrive in Jerome, you’ll begin to see small hotels, saloons, and shops. I recommend parking by Jerome’s community garden, in the center of town. From there, you can stroll around the quirky little shops in town.
Here are some shops worth checking out:
- Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes: Kaleidoscopes and unique glass art
- Raku Gallery: Southwestern art gallery with live glass blowing demonstration
- The Miner’s Pick Rock Shop: Large selection of crystals, gemstones, and jewelry
- Laughing Mountain: Unique gifts, candles, antiques, jewelry
- Copper Art Museum Gift Store: Copper ores, handcrafted art, and copper jewelry
6. Visit Jerome’s Mine Museum
Jerome’s mining museum and gift shop is another interesting place to stop along Main street. It has everything from historic mining equipment to old newspapers, and a variety of displays and photographs on Jerome’s past. Admission cost $2 for adults, and children under 12 are free.
7. Stop for sweets
No trip to Jerome would be complete without stopping for dessert. For old fashioned candy and kettle corn, head to Rickeldoris Candy & Popcorn. For fudge, milkshakes, or ice cream, head to OJ’s Copper Country Fudge. And for cinnamon rolls, gelato, or affogato (espresso ice cream), stop by Coppertown coffee!
8. Go Wine Tasting
The Verde Valley is one of the best wine regions in Arizona, and there’s a variety of wine tasting rooms in Jerome, Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Cornville.
Some of the best spots to relax and enjoy a glass of wine in Jerome are Original Jerome Winery, Caduceus Cellars, and Vino Zona. You can also go on a wine tour from Sedona, to tour all of the best wineries in the Verde Valley region.
9. Visit the Copper Art Museum In Clarkdale
The Copper Art Museum is an interesting museum with one of the largest copper collections in the country. It has thousands of artifacts, from copper art to military equipment, architecture, kitchenware, and much more.
It’s in Clarkdale, only a 10 minute drive from Jerome, so it’s definitely worth a stop if you have the time.
10. Ride the Verde Canyon Railroad
Ride the Verde Canyon railroad to enjoy beautiful views of the Verde River, ancient cliff dwellings, old mining sites, bald eagles, and more. This is a 4 hour ride in a vintage train car, with appetizers, drinks, and live narration.
They offer morning tours, as well as evening sunset and stargazing tours. The train depot is located in Clarkdale, just a 10 minute drive from Jerome.
11. Visit the Tuzigoot National Monument
The Tuzigoot National Monument is an interesting multi–story pueblo ruin located in Clarkdale, just a 15 minute drive from Jerome. It has a visitor center, and a short uphill walk to the ruins, where you’ll have an incredible panoramic view of the Verde Valley.
Entrance to the ruins cost $7/person for a 7 day pass, which is also valid to Montezuma’s Castle.
12. Visit Montezuma’s Castle and Well
If you’re visiting Jerome from Scottsdale or Phoenix, stop by Montezuma’s Castle and Well on the way over. Montezuma’s Castle is a well preserved 20 room Sinagua ruin, built into a limestone cliff, near Camp Verde.
It has a museum, and pathways shaded by sycamore trees that lead to a view of the cliff dwelling. Admission costs $10/person, and covers entrance to the Tuzigoot National Monument.
Montezuma’s Well is a fascinating natural limestone sinkhole. This well is thought to have formed between 13,000 to 5.5 million years ago! It has a trail of stairs descending into the well, where you can see ancient cliff dwellings, and get close to the water.
It’s completely free to visit, and is just a 20 minute drive from Montezuma’s Castle.
13. Visit The Gold King Mine & Museum
If you’re traveling with kids, the Gold King Mine & Museum is worth a visit. This is a little ghost town with a petting zoo, gold panning exhibit, old mining equipment, and a junkyard filled with antique cars, and. It’s open everyday except tuesday, and children under 5 enter free.
14. Go Kayaking In The Verde River
After visiting Jerome, you can go kayaking in the Verde River, one of Arizona’s longest free flowing rivers. With professional guides, you’ll get to relax and soak up the beautiful scenery, and learn how to go over mini rapids. The kayak tours begin in Cottonwood, which is just a short 15-20 minute drive from Jerome.
15. Stroll around Old Town Cottonwood
Historic Old Town Cottonwood has a charming old-fashioned vibe, and is just a 20 minute drive east of Jerome. There’s art galleries, wineries, and a variety of restaurants and bars in the span of a few blocks. There’s more restaurant options than Jerome, from pizza shops to Thai food, so it’s an excellent place to go for dinner.
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