Ajo, AZ Reviews

Unique, Scenic & Connected - 10/9/2018
Ajo is a great little place that affords residents access to unsurpassed, pristine desert as the gateway community to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and nearby beaches and resort amenities as Arizona’s closest city to the ocean by way of Rocky Point, Mexico. Ajo also has the choice of two big cities with different characters that are not all that far away. Not only can you drive to Phoenix or Tucson for the day, but Ajo enjoys daily, affordable public transportation to both. Architecturally speaking, Ajo is a true gem. It has a national historic district comprising of many mission-style bungalows built around the turn of the 20th century. This is quite rare in Arizona, as only 1.5% of housing in the state is older than 1935. As a result, owners of these homes in Ajo enjoy a deep discount on property taxes as an incentive to maintain and preserve them. Social life in town is homegrown and enhanced by an influx of seasonal visitors who invest time and energy to promote clubs, Read More

A great town for snowbirds! - 3/18/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to the ocean in Rocky Point (1.5 hours away) and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (30 minutes), frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching everywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs Read More

Paradise for small town living. - 3/9/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to the ocean in Rocky Point (1.5 hours away) and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (30 minutes), frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching everywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs Read More

Paradise for small town living! - 3/9/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to the ocean in Rocky Point (1.5 hours away) and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (30 minutes), frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching everywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs Read More

Paradise for small town living! - 3/9/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to the ocean in Rocky Point (1.5 hours away) and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching everywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs for just about Read More

Ajo: - 3/9/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to Rocky Point and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching everywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs for just about any interest: gardening, Read More

Ajo: - 3/9/2014
If you enjoy small town life, Ajo is a great place to be a snow bird. I have spent many winters here and the enthusiasm of other snow birds, combined with all the planned winter activities in town, is infectious. There is the Sonoran Shindig (a celebration of the Sonoran Desert), performances by the visiting Tucson Symphony, monthly sunsets on top of Child's mountain, visits to Rocky Point and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, frequent fish fries, pancake breakfasts, visiting authors at the library, local theater, classes offered through the the International Sonoran Desert Alliance at the Curly School and endless hiking in pristine Sonoran desert. Most of these activities are free. Ajo has one of the warmest winter climates in the US making for perfect winter weather. Javalina's and coyotes will walk right into town and there is great bird watching anywhere you go. The people are friendly and welcoming. There are small clubs for just about any interest: gardening, Read More

Ajo - 7/29/2010
I lived in Ajo for a year as part of an artist recruitment project. The town is beautiful in it's simplicity and may be a good place for retirement. There is however, negative considerations : the abandoned mine (which may reopen),passing through border patrol to get in or out of town and excessive local police patrol and traffic enforcement. The art project turned out to be HUD housing and residents must qualify with disability checks, section 8 housing or prepay their rent. Had we not prepaid, we would have left after 6 months. We enjoyed the break, but there is very little to do, the library is tiny and ill equiped, and crime is a problem. If you enjoy desert views, barking dogs and limited services....go to Ajo, just don't expect art, fine dining or Read More

Ajo - 7/29/2010
I lived in Ajo for a year as part of an artist recruitment project. The town is beautiful in it's simplicity and may be a good place for retirement. There is however, negative considerations : the abandoned mine (which may reopen),passing through border patrol to get in or out of town and excessive local police patrol and traffic enforcement. The art project turned out to be HUD housing and residents must qualify with disability checks, section 8 housing or prepay their rent. Had we not prepaid, we would have left after 6 months. We enjoyed the break, but there is very little to do, the library is tiny and ill equiped, and crime is a problem. If you enjoy desert views, barking dogs and limited services....go to Ajo, just don't expect art, fine dining or Read More

What a heavenly place Ajo, Arizona is - 5/27/2006
I happened upon Ajo after a couple trips photographing the city of Phoenix for calendar publisher I work with. Weary of being surrounded by 4,000,000 people, I'd slip away to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to regain a sense of peace and tranquility.

In March of 2005, on my way back to my California office job, I got "lost" trying to take a short cut around Ajo and got stuck in a residential area of Ajo and wound up looking at all the charming spanish mission styled little homes and got wondering how much they cost. Long story made short, I bought one in August 2005 for just $56,000 and have had the greatest fun doing a light remodeling of it.

Now I have a place in teh sun to look forward to that didnt have to make me loose sleep at night. I am actually renting it for $250 per month MORE than the 15 year monthly note on the place. can't do that in California. Thank you, Read More