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The style of the Old West is readily apparent in the dress of the locals. Cowboy boots are the footwear of choice, even with tuxedos. Casual attire is appropriate in even the fanciest restaurants, and shorts are worn year around as acceptable clothing to everything except the East Coast events like the symphony. There is a great steak house that hangs confiscated ties from the rafters and walls of the restaurant, and has ties taken from such well known cowboys as Michael Landon. Houses and buildings are simple one-story southwestern style, and in the suburbs, horse corrals and 3-5 acre land parcels are common. The local paper advertises activities ranging from cattle roundups and stagecoach rides to horseback rides and breakfast out on the range.

The scenery in this part of the state is not the desolate, barren wilderness you might envision. Rather, trees and flowers abound. Mesquite trees with their long, winding branches, are paired with the brilliant red of the ocotillo bloom. Saguaro cactus, which are only found in this small region, are like tall, majestic sentinels of the sun. Tucson, a large metropolitan city, is comprised almost entirely of stucco and adobe buildings, which lend their pastel hues to the desert landscape. The sun shines very brightly here, and even in the winter, sunglasses are a necessity, as walking outdoors makes even the locals squint.