Bored kids and teens? Here’s 4 places in Cochise County great for youth!

Cochise County is known as a retirement community. With lots of great hiking trails, and beautiful mountains that tower around it, it's no wonder people choose this place as their home. There are all sorts of events for this demographic, such as wine festivals and birding events. But what about events for the youth? When I was in high school, one of the biggest complaints I heard from my peers was "there's nothing to do around here." They weren't wrong, places for young people to hang out are limited, but they weren't entirely right either. Here are 4 diverse places in Cochise County that can be fun for the kid's and teenagers in our community.

READ RELATED: How Arizona is Falling Behind in Education

Museums

I know most kid's find museums boring, but I was not one of those kids growing up. Some kid's and teenagers enjoy museums, and there are a few in Cochise County they can visit, such as the Chiricahua Desert Museum, the Southern Arizona Museum of Science and Technology, and the Henry F. Hauser Museum.

The Chiricahua Desert Museum is open daily from 9-5 and showcases a variety of desert animals and offers a look into Apache history.

The Southern Arizona Museum of Science and Technology is located in the Mall at Sierra Vista. it is open from 11-5 Thursday- Friday, and 12-4 on Sunday. This museum showcases fossils and offers an educational environment for younger kids with an interest in dinosaurs and geology.

 The Henry F. Hauser Museum in Sierra Vista is a museum that offers a walk-through history and showcases fossil and has a variety of indigenous artifacts on display.

Each museum in Southern Arizona offers a different look into the world. No matter the interests someone has, museums can be a fun, and sometimes educational experience for young people looking to get out and about. Whether they like art, dinosaurs, or history, Museums are affordable and fun for some.

Axe Throwing and Bowling

Cochise County also has places for things like escape rooms, axe throwing, and bowling. Urban Axe yard offers a fun and thrilling environment for those looking to solve escape rooms and throw axes. If bowling is more the vibe, there is a bowling alley on Fort Huachuca.

Urban Axe Yard is open from 4-10 weekdays, 12-11 Saturday, and 12-8 Sunday.

The desert lanes bowling alley is open from 11-9 on weekdays, 12-10 on Saturday, and 11-8 on Sunday.

Art and Theater

In Cochise County there are a couple of different places teens and kids can go to get involved with music, art and theater. Some of these places are Groove Labs, the Sierra Vista Community Theater, and K palace Theater.

Groove Labs is an organization in Sierra Vista that teaches people about music. They have private singing lessons, music labs, and programs and events specific for k-12 students. Students with Groove Labs don't just learn, they bring out natural talents they might not have realized they had. Signups are available online!.

The Sierra Vista Community Theater has a youth program. If you have a kid looking to get on stage, check out SVCT online and keep up with auditions. SVCT also offers a summer camp for kids looking to learn the intricacies of theater. They teach things such as tech, fight choreography, and leadership that prepare kids for a future in theater.

While the K palace theater doesn't necessarily have a youth program yet, they occasional put on youth shows. These shows are free to participate in, and you can find audition information online as it comes out. In 2025 they put on a youth production of Beauty and the Beast that shook the stage.

Rock Climbing

Who knew there was rock climbing available in Sierra Vista!? I didn't, that's for sure. For those kids and teens with extra energy, Ciba Climb is great. They are a rock-climbing center located at 4066 E Monsanto Dr, Sierra Vista, AZ. They are open Saturdays and Sundays and offer event packages for things like birthday parties. They also offer cheaper rates for kids under 12.

Ciba Climb also offers competitive teams for those 18 and under looking for a team to be a part of. Also, if you want to go with the whole family, they offer weekly membership packages so you and your kids can be active.

Get our free mobile app

Other Things to Do

The Sierra Vista Library holds events for kids and teens! They have weekly teen tabletop, a day where they give teen's looking to play Dungeons and Dragons a fun environment to begin! They also have readings for babies and preschool aged children who enjoy being told stories.

For youth who enjoy outdoors, visit one of the many free hiking trails in Cochise County! Visit Ramsey Canyon for a beautiful hike or stop by the San Pedro house to learn about the wildlife in our area.

Despite the stereotype that Cochise County is for the retired, there are lots of things for youngsters to do. So, where are you taking your kids this weekend!?

READ MORE: Cochise County Kids & Cartels on Social Media