Welcome to Nogales-Santa Cruz County!

Our unique region of the American Southwest offers a profound sense of belonging; a timelessness among our sometimes snow capped mountains, Sonoita Creek, Patagonia Lake, and the majestic San Rafael Valley.

Here, we are closely connected to Mother Nature and her processes. Over the millenniums, our year-round-running Sonoita Creek has been an ageless way stop for countless bird migrations, attracting large numbers of birders from the U.S. and abroad.

Unlike the lowland deserts to the north, monsoon rains are plentiful in their season and nourish our verdant terrain.  And starry skies connect us to the cosmos.

The choices of where to live are many. They include the city environment of Nogales, the suburban setting of Rio Rico, the quaint small town communities of Patagonia and Sonoita, the wine country of Elgin, or the alpine environment of the Santa Rita and the Patagonia Mountains. The harmonious mix of cultures offers richness not easily found elsewhere. 

Here, Native American, Hispanic and Anglo cultures come together. Ranching traditions of the Old West are part of us. 

And this intermingling of cultures and traditions is only enhanced by the special opportunity of crossing into nearby Mexico to experience its extraordinary Mission heritage. Moreover, traveling from our mountain desert setting to Mexico’s Sea of Cortez opens an even wider variety of recreational experiences including its expansive beaches, boating of all kinds, whale watching, and even deep sea fishing all within easy driving distance.

We hope you will take our special Santa Cruz tour to see and feel what nature, culture and tradition has done to make for this wonderfully diverse opportunity.

We welcome you to put down your roots here and become part of our regional community.

Bienvenidos,

Arnold Quijada                        Olivia Ainza-Kramer                     

Chairman of the Board          President/CEO