Sierra Vista (Sorry Vista to its more disgruntled members) also is home to quite a large number of retired military people, due to its proximity to
Ft. Huachuca and the warm climate. Sierra Vista also happens to be located pretty close to the Mexican border, meaning we get our fair share of immigrants passing through. Sierra Vista is in
Cochise County, and is home to
Cochise College as well. The
hot button issue in town is usually
developers vs.
environmentalists- the town is constantly under the threat of running out of water. The nearby
Huachuca Mountains (literally, "Thunder Mountain", which makes "Huachuca Mountains" "Thunder Mountain Mountains") offer some pretty decent hiking, although it's much better late in the year, when you don't have that hot
Arizona sun beating down upon you.
Sierra Vista is also around 80 miles southeast of
Tucson, and the drive is a little over an hour.
Sierra Vista is
Spanish for "Mountain View". The town used to be called "Fry, Arizona", but the name was changed to promote tourism (see
Greenland).
Sierra Vista is also home to the
FIRST McDonald's drive-through window, from back in the 1950's.