Postcard from Yuma – Taken to Task

Within 24 hours of posting my last blog on snowbirds in Yuma, I received a comment, well actually more of a criticism, from a lady named Ann. From her note, I assume she might be in someway associated with the Yuma Visitor’s Center. Be that as it may, she took me to task, and rightly so, for my comment, “there doesn’t seem to be all that much to do.”

What I was really trying to say was that for me personally, there doesn’t seem to be all that much to do…and I should have said it that way. As you know, I love Tucson because there is always so much to do…for me personally. I am more into culture and arts than most folks.

But, in the interest of fairness to my readers, and for Ann, let me list some of the things you can do in Yuma.

1. There are some historical places to visit like the Yuma Territorial Prison (see photo 1), where some of the badest folks from the 19th century spent some time. There is also the Yuma Crossing, the Yuma Valley Railway and the St. Thomas Mission.
2. For nature lovers, there is the three National Wildlife Refuges, and plenty of open spaces to do bird watching (also the Yuma Birding and Nature Festival in April). And there are some lovely state and local parks to explore.
3. Just west of town in California is the huge Imperial Sand Dunes National Recreational Area (see photo 2) where you can take your sand buggies, ATV’s and other vehicles and ride for miles and miles and miles over some beautiful sand dunes. These dunes stretch all the way into Mexico (some sequences from Star Wars were filmed here).
4. Just before you get to the Dunes, you can stop at “The Center of the Universe,” and wander about and try and figure what the hell this place is all about (I will have a blog on this place soon).
5. Being that Yuma also borders on Mexico, you can drive west to Algodones and get cheap medicine or good tacos and marguerites. Or south to San Luis and check out how your tax dollars are being spent on the border fence (see photo 3).
6. You can eat drink and dance at the LZ Bar and Grill (Landing Zone).
7. You can eat, drink, and dance at Crazy Earls.
8. You can eat, drink and watch sports at Buffalo Wild Wings (don’t order the Blazin’ wings or you suffer)
9. There is a ton of good Mexican restaurants (and a few bad ones)
10. You can drive just north through the Yuma Proving Grounds and watch bombs, tanks, and missiles being tested
11. Go museum hopping at different places
12. Golf courses are everywhere (13 to be exact)
13. Fishing and boating in several places
14. Check out the border along the Colorado River at sunset and watch the smugglers on the Mexican side trying to figure out how to get drugs and illegal aliens across at night (I’m not joking as I have done this).
15. Check out the RV Parks for games of Pentanque (see last blog).

So, Ann, I hope I have been fair in my list of things to do in Yuma. I’ve listed some things that you can find on the Visitor’s Center Web site along with a few things you won’t. Can’t be any fairer than that. There is a lot happening in Yuma, although classical music concerts seem to be in short supply.