Sierra Vista, Arizona

Life in Sierra Vista, Arizona, explained by people who’ve lived in Sierra Vista:

Favorites
Least Favorites
Things To Do
Reputation
Crime
Advice
Stories
The Future
Other Facts

*Click here to share your experience living in Sierra Vista*

*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Sierra Vista)

Sierra Vista Favorites

What’s your favorite thing about living in Sierra Vista?

Most people are friendly. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
The view of the mountains. (Sarah, 2 years)
The canyons, the river, Pyeatt Cave, riding horses, taking our cars out on the dirt. (Dino, 4 years)
Mountains and trails. (Anonymous, 5 years)
The comic book shop that is no longer there. (Jacob, 5 years)
Love hometown feel, everyone was like family. (Keith, 5 years)
The weather. (Robert, 5 years)
A diverse group of wonderful, friendly people. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Less traffic than big cities. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Views. (Kelly, 8 years)
Climate. (Anonymous, 10 years)
The warm sun. (Christina, 10 years)
The natural beauty and weather. This is a high desert climate. Very low humidity. The monsoon season in July and August is spectacular. Everything turns green, all the desert plants bloom, birds and butterflies are in abundance. Majestic lightening storms fill the horizon. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Weather & my classmates from old Buena high school. (Barbara, 13 years)
The small town vibe and supportive community. Sierra Vista has amazing people! (Michelle, 13 years)
The beauty of the area and the climate. (Sharon, 13 years)
Mountains and freedom. (Laura, 15 years)
The weather. (Scottie, 18 years)
My parents’ house. (Yolanda, 18 years)
The sky. (Cathy, 19 years)
The weather. (Anonymous, 20 years)
Food is pretty good and the mountains are nice to look at. We also have a pretty sweet library. (Ju, 20 years)
The weather. (Lindy, 20 years)
Richardo’s but it’s in Hereford. (Aubrey, 21 years)
Weather. (Beth, 21 years)
Any store I need to go to is five minutes away. (Lisa, 25 years)
It’s not over crowded, we have mountains and people are (usually) pleasant. (Stephanie, 26 years)
The area around it. (Alan, 30 years)
Weather. (T, 36 years)
No big city traffic! (June, 39 years)
Fort Huachuca. (Anonymous, 45 years)
Mountains/people. (Patricia, 50 years)
No traffic, cooler temperatures. (Anita, 52 years)
It’s home. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista Least Favorites

What’s your least favorite thing about living in Sierra Vista?

Not much to do family wise. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Remoteness. (Tim, 1.5 years)
Not enough chain restaurants. Very small mall. (Sarah, 2 years)
Weather. (Dino, 4 years)
Lack of good medical. (Anonymous, 5 years)
Everything else. (Jacob, 5 years)
Major entertainment is in Tucson. (Keith, 5 years)
Lack of lakes. (Robert, 5 years)
Lack of culture and the tired, run down look of the business district. (Anonymous, 6 years)
No good restaurants. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Shopping/restaurants. (Kelly, 8 years)
Lack of high end dining and entertainment. (Anonymous, 10 years)
When I lived there, not enough activities for the young. (Christina, 10 years)
The lack of venues for singles to meet. No places to dance. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Politics & up rising crimes. (Barbara, 13 years)
At the time, access to shopping and big city amenities. In the past few years, this has improved! Would love to see a skating rink or other activities for all ages. (Michelle, 13 years)
Not a lot of activities – forced us to get creative back in the 80’s.. (Sharon, 13 years)
Toooo small of a town! (Laura, 15 years)
Nothing to do. (Scottie, 18 years)
Never anything to do. (Yolanda, 18 years)
Very small town. (Cathy, 19 years)
Old people clogging up the roadways, and stupid bicyclists riding in the middle of the roads. (Anonymous, 20 years)
The people suck. Druggies are everywhere. The traffic lights are horrendous – makes getting anywhere in less than 5 minutes impossible. And of course, having traffic lights on what is essentially a freeway is just horrid. The town is pretty ugly. There’s no culture here. There’s no real opportunities for young people in this town, hence why so many want to leave to other places. Sadly, Sierra Vista is a blackhole that is very difficult to escape. We also have no more comic shop or Hastings, which is lame. (Ju, 20 years)
There is little for younger people to do. (Lindy, 20 years)
It’s too small and that there’s not a lot of jobs other than military, education, or food/retail. (Aubrey, 21 years)
Lack of activities. (Beth, 21 years)
Our food options are limited. (Lisa, 25 years)
Not much to do. (Stephanie, 26 years)
Everything. (Ryan, 27 years)
Lousy roads. (Alan, 30 years)
Everything leaves the area to fast. (T, 36 years)
Not much for kids to do. (June, 39 years)
All the cancer. (John, 40 years)
Crime, drugs, nothing to do for all ages. (Anonymous, 45 years)
Drugs coming across border. (Patricia, 50 years)
Lack of medical specialists and a university hospital. (Anita, 52 years)
Not a lot to do activities. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista Things To Do

What are fun things to do in Sierra Vista?

Hiking. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Outdoors and hiking nearby. (Tim, 1.5 years)
All outdoors stuff. (Dino, 4 years)
Ride bikes hike. (Anonymous, 5 years)
I assume this a trick question. (Jacob, 5 years)
Hiking, fishing, friday night High school football. (Keith, 5 years)
Hiking. (Robert, 5 years)
Hiking, hummingbird banding. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Movies. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Not much. (Kelly, 8 years)
Hiking, wildlife viewing, exploring history. (Anonymous, 10 years)
Hiking and local festivals. (Christina, 10 years)
Lots of outdoor activities hiking in the Huachuca mountains, biking on the 30 miles of bike paths in and around town, birding (we are in a migratory flyway) exploring caves, ghost towns, the San Pedro river, shooting sports, astronomy, day trips to tombstone, Bisbee etc. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Visiting Tombstone, hiking, visiting Ft. Huachuca for all the history! (Barbara, 13 years)
Hiking, Veterans Park, weekend events. (Michelle, 13 years)
Hike in Ramsey Canyon, star gazing out in the desert, hummingbird banding. (Sharon, 13 years)
Hiking! Shooting! (Laura, 15 years)
Go camping in Carr Canyon. (Scottie, 18 years)
Hiking, movies, eating, the scenery. (Yolanda, 18 years)
Fourth of July, Art in the Park. (Cathy, 19 years)
Nothing. (Anonymous, 20 years)
Movies are fun. I like the Uptown 3 personally, but Cinemark is fine enough. There are a lot of good food options here, especially west of Coronado. (Ju, 20 years)
Hike, walk. (Lindy, 20 years)
Go to tombstone, Bisbee, or Kartchner caverns, again outside of Sierra Vista. (Aubrey, 21 years)
Hiking. (Beth, 21 years)
Explore the nature around the area. (Lisa, 25 years)
Hiking, riding quads, hunting. (Stephanie, 26 years)
You let me know. (Ryan, 27 years)
Trips to the mountains. (Alan, 30 years)
Hike. (T, 36 years)
I like the hiking in nearby mountains. (June, 39 years)
Go to Tucson. (John, 40 years)
Not much. (Anonymous, 45 years)
Hike/take photos. (Patricia, 50 years)
Hikes in the mountains and on the San Pedro River. (Anita, 52 years)
Mountain climbing, lakes, biking, sun tanning. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista’s Reputation

What’s Sierra Vista known for?

Small town. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Fort Huachuca. (Tim, 1.5 years)
Ft Huachuca. (Sarah, 2 years)
The canyons, San Pedro. (Dino, 4 years)
Military. (Anonymous, 5 years)
Its most recent shooting? (Jacob, 5 years)
The river, the waterfall, and Ft. Huachuca. (Keith, 5 years)
Mammoth kill site. (Robert, 5 years)
Ft. Huachuca. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Hiking, nice weather year around. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Hiking. (Kelly, 8 years)
Ft Huachuca. (Anonymous, 10 years)
Ft. Huachuca. (Christina, 10 years)
Ft Huachuca, hummingbird capital. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Hummingbirds, Huachuca Mtns & Ft. Huachuca, Buffalo Soldiers. (Barbara, 13 years)
Ft. Huachuca! And amazing Mountain View’s and wildlife. (Michelle, 13 years)
Being a small town. (Sharon, 13 years)
Its hummingbirds! (Laura, 15 years)
The world’s first McDonald’s Drive Thru. (Scottie, 18 years)
First McDonald’s drive through. (Yolanda, 18 years)
Military. (Cathy, 19 years)
From what I’m told, it’s the mountains, the Buffalo Soldiers, and hummingbirds. (Ju, 20 years)
The mountains and Ft Huachuca. (Lindy, 20 years)
Hummingbird and Poetry. (Beth, 21 years)
First drive through Mcdonalds. (Lisa, 25 years)
Mountains! (Stephanie, 26 years)
Poor medical care, Ft. Huachuca. (Ryan, 27 years)
Urban spawl. (Alan, 30 years)
Hummingbirds. (T, 36 years)
It isn’t, most people have never heard of it, unless you say we are half hour away from Tombstone! (June, 39 years)
Ft Huachuca. (John, 40 years)
Fort Huachuca. (Anonymous, 45 years)
Ft Huachuca. (Patricia, 50 years)
Ft Huachuca. (Anita, 52 years)
Nothing. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista Crime

What’s the crime like in Sierra Vista? (hot spot areas, etc.)

Not as much as most places. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Not bad. (Tim, 1.5 years)
None. (Dino, 4 years)
Not much. (Anonymous, 5 years)
Not in your face but obviously very prevalent. (Jacob, 5 years)
Very little. (Keith, 5 years)
I don’t think crime here is particularly serious. There are some areas on the west end and in Frytown that are obvious “hot spots” but there really are no areas so bad that I am afraid to go there. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Drug/violence in fry town. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Fry town mostly. (Kelly, 8 years)
Generally low except the trailer parks. (Anonymous, 10 years)
Not too bad. (Christina, 10 years)
Not bad. The west end is kinda sketchy though. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Getting worse! (Barbara, 13 years)
Minimal. Fry town has some crime, but it’s a pretty safe area.
nothing. (Michelle, 13 years)
It seems to be getting worse than what it was when I was growing up. More drugs. More shootings. (Laura, 15 years)
Anywhere down Fry Boulevard. (Scottie, 18 years)
Getting bad. (Cathy, 19 years)
It’s pretty low, mostly drug addicts stealing things. (Anonymous, 20 years)
There’s just a lot of vandalism, theft, and drug abuse. Overall, it’s safe enough. I’m never really concerned moving around the town. The fact is, we just have a lot of stupid people doing a lot of stupid things. (Ju, 20 years)
Not bad. (Lindy, 20 years)
I lived in Hereford and crime wasn’t bad there, but illegals liked to come into our yard for water. Otherwise, the Carmichael area never had a good reputation for that. (Aubrey, 21 years)
Overall not an issue. (Beth, 21 years)
Getting worse. (Lisa, 25 years)
Way less than Tucson. (Stephanie, 26 years)
Fry town is bad, heroin and meth are prevalent around here. (Ryan, 27 years)
Normal for a bordertown this size. (Alan, 30 years)
Very bad. (T, 36 years)
Depends on area. (June, 39 years)
Punk kids that have no morals. (John, 40 years)
Horrific. (Anonymous, 45 years)
Not there now. (Patricia, 50 years)
Slightly less than other cities, although I feel safe. (Anita, 52 years)

Sierra Vista Advice

Any advice for people moving to Sierra Vista?

Check into work and housing before coming here. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Nothing special. (Tim, 1.5 years)
If not outdoorsy don’t move there! (Dino, 4 years)
Good luck with your time in the service. (Jacob, 5 years)
Enjoy life. (Keith, 5 years)
Research and talk to people who have lived here. The city propaganda had us believing that there was more to do here than meets the eye. After we moved, we realized how small-scale some of the activities and programs actually are. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Be careful were you live. (Anonymous, 6 years)
Like outdoor activities. (Kelly, 8 years)
Buy land. (Anonymous, 10 years)
Explore even the areas around Sierra Vista. (Christina, 10 years)
Be prepared for low humidity, get a humidifier for your house. Get a reflective window shade for your vehicle. Be advised that Arizona is an open carry firearms state. It gets chilly at night. Wildfires can easily get started. Get a good camera for the sunsets. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Live on outskirts of town! (Barbara, 13 years)
Get involved! The community is amazing and you will find your people if you join community events or activities. (Michelle, 13 years)
Enjoy the great outdoors. This area is so beautiful all year around.. (Sharon, 13 years)
Always be on the look out for adventure! Plenty of amazing things to do (especially free!). (Laura, 15 years)
Move out as fast as you can. (Scottie, 18 years)
Raise your kids with good values and know their friends. (Yolanda, 18 years)
Don’t – unless you support the military there is a dearth of jobs. (Cathy, 19 years)
Move outta of town . (Anonymous, 20 years)
Uh, don’t? But if you really want to, take advantage of the cheap housing here and go and explore. There’s more hidden here than what you know. I’ve been here longer than most and trust me when I say that. (Ju, 20 years)
Be prepared to drive 75 miles to do shopping and shows and sports. (Lindy, 20 years)
DO NOT EVER go to the Sierra vista hospital/medical center. Go to Tucson, always!!! (Aubrey, 21 years)
If you have children you may want to reconsider. (Beth, 21 years)
Be prepared. (Lisa, 25 years)
Stay away of some of the newer sub-divisions, houses are built too close together. (Stephanie, 26 years)
Check out Tucson. (Ryan, 27 years)
Don’t. (Alan, 30 years)
Weather is amazing. (T, 36 years)
This isn’t for big city living. (June, 39 years)
Stay away. (John, 40 years)
Don’t, I want to move. (Anonymous, 45 years)
You’ll never leave. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista Stories

Share an experience you’ve had in Sierra Vista (fun, crazy, dangerous, etc.).

Seeing people ride around in the back of trucks like when I was a kid. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Many fun outdoor adventures. (Tim, 1.5 years)
Hiking. (Sarah, 2 years)
Too many. (Dino, 4 years)
Carnival at veterans park. (Anonymous, 6 years)
I met the love of my life here. (Kelly, 8 years)
I was always out and about on my bike, didn’t see many others, and that’s a shame. (Christina, 10 years)
Visiting Carr falls after a good monsoon rain, watching the fireworks from reservoir hill watching monsoon lightening storms. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Kevin D. frying egg on sidewalk, building the first drive-in McDonalds, The Patch on Ft. Huachuca, going to the Bluffs, Old Buena High School, Geronimo theater. (Barbara, 13 years)
Project Graduation was amazing and so well put together! A safe and fun activity for new graduates. (Michelle, 13 years)
In high school we always hung out at the park! We would hang out there before we could drive after practice. Then when we could, in our cars by the skatepark and always have filibertos! (Laura, 15 years)
I loved going to Vinny’s to have wings. (Scottie, 18 years)
All family related. (Cathy, 19 years)
This one time ………nothing happened. (Anonymous, 20 years)
I remember walking into a flooded wash with my friends. That was fun. We were trying to cross it. We did indeed make it, albeit we were very, very wet. (Ju, 20 years)
Being in the military and meeting my spouse, coming back to where it all began. (Lindy, 20 years)
Seeing four baby bobcats playing in yard. (Beth, 21 years)
Going to the San Pedro at night with friends. (Lisa, 25 years)
Great times in high school. (Alan, 30 years)
Kids born here, son murdered here. (June, 39 years)
Going camping at Patagonia and pena blanca. (John, 40 years)
A long time ago attending men and women’s softball games. Do they even have the men’s anymore???? (Anonymous, 45 years)
Buena! And so many friends. (Patricia, 50 years)
When we moved here in 1965, there were 2 grocery stores, 1 bank, 1 pharmacy, 1 furniture store, 1 dress shop, 1 hospital, a few doctors and dentists, gas stations, and a few restaurants. Bisbee had more shopping, and auto dealers had their main sales offices in Bisbee, with satellite lots in Sierra Vista. One couldn’t buy anything here unless paying top dollar, so we went to Tucson for clothes, shoes, appliances, and furniture, even prescriptions. My friend called it Sorry Vista. If people think Sierra Vista is nothing now, they don’t know what nothing is. (Anita, 52 years)
Mountain climbing and caves. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista’s Future

How do you think Sierra Vista will change over the next 10 years?

May get few bigger stores or restaurants. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Not much. (Tim, 1.5 years)
It hasn’t changed much. (Keith, 5 years)
I’m afraid it will become a retirement community and young families will choose elsewhere to live. (Robert, 5 years)
It really depends on so much, like the future of the Fort and the new proposed development near Benson. I would hope to see it become more appealing and small-business oriented, by building up and improving an area that resembles a traditional “downtown”. (Anonymous, 6 years)
More crime, less shopping stores. (Anonymous, 6 years)
I really hope the council will allow it to grow! Sams club entertainment restaurant chains. (Kelly, 8 years)
Continued growth. (Anonymous, 10 years)
Every few years there’s always a change. Since 2002 it’s changed dramatically . (Christina, 10 years)
If we diversify our economy we will get growth. Housing will be cheaper, goods and services will be more available and population will increase but water resources will be an issue. If we continue to be dependent on Fort Huachuca as the main driver of our economy we will be at the mercy of political forces outside of our control. If those forces ever close the base we will become a ghost town. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Hasn’t really changed except more businesses, housing, crime. (Barbara, 13 years)
I envision continued expansion including new stores, homes, and activities. (Michelle, 13 years)
I think it will continue to grow and face changes in its diversity. (Laura, 15 years)
It will be a ghost town if they don’t expand the base. (Scottie, 18 years)
I do not think it will. (Cathy, 19 years)
Overrun with old people. (Anonymous, 20 years)
I can see the town investing more into that whole bicycle thing that’s happening. As a piece of advice, I would really connect those bicycle paths to the one that’s on Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy. I also foresee the town getting more commerce, but that remains to be seen. (Ju, 20 years)
Hopefully, younger people will come in to change the idea of this being only a town for retirees. (Lindy, 20 years)
I doubt it will change much. (Aubrey, 21 years)
Unfortunately I think it will decline with less opportunities for growth and employment. (Beth, 21 years)
I’m not sure, we grow slowly. (Lisa, 25 years)
It’ll grow. (Stephanie, 26 years)
I do not know. (Ryan, 27 years)
Keep getting smaller. (Alan, 30 years)
It won’t. (June, 39 years)
It won’t. (John, 40 years)
More crime less to do for our kids, sad!!! (Anonymous, 45 years)
It will continue to grow. (Anita, 52 years)
Near the post is going to be like tombstone and everything is going to be out near the mall and in that area. (Sandra)

Sierra Vista Facts

Any other interesting facts about Sierra Vista?

The views and weather is nice. (Daniel, 1.5 years)
Learn to explore every nook and cranny. (Dino, 4 years)
It has more than one paved road. (Jacob, 5 years)
Good location close to Tombstone, Bisbee, and Karchner. (Robert, 5 years)
The cove is great. (Anonymous, 6 years)
We are at an average elevation of 4600 feet and we have 2 mountain peaks over 9000 feet within 10 miles from town. Our average temperature is usually 10 degrees less than Tucson and 20 degrees less than phoenix. This was once Apache land and the home of the Buffalo Soldiers. Lots of history here. (Rick, 10.5 years)
Beautiful weather, the old history, hummingbird capital. (Barbara, 13 years)
First drive thru! (Laura, 15 years)
It has the largest aquifer underground on the west coast. (Scottie, 18 years)
There was once a putt putt down by the flea market which was fun for people with children. (Lindy, 20 years)
Hummingbird capital of North america,first McDonald’s drive thru in the world. (Alan, 30 years)
We love painting rocks. (June, 39 years)
Cancer cluster. (John, 40 years)
History. (Patricia, 50 years)
1965: Except for Village Meadows, the town basically ended at 7th Street. There was a dirt air strip off N 7th Street, which was also dirt. S. 7th didn’t go more than a block. Sue and Herb’s was the drive-in restaurant on 7th and Fry, where Jack in the Box is now. The Military Inn was fine dining, where Wells-Fargo main bank is now. Dominick’s Steak House was right outside the main gate. (Anita, 52 years)