Arizona’s busiest border crossing, Nogales is also perhaps the most pleasant of all the “international” cities along the U.S.–Mexico border. Despite being divided by an ugly corrugated steel fence, it gets promoted as Ambos Nogales, “Both Nogales.” The twin cities are economically co-dependent, especially post-NAFTA, as Mexicans come across to shop at Safeway and Wal-Mart, and Americans while away evenings drinking cerveza in south-of-the-border cantinas. Apart from the intriguing little Pimeria Alta Historical Society Museum (Thurs.–Sun.; donations; 520/287-4621), which documents cross-border history in the storefront-sized Old City Hall at 136 N. Grand Avenue, 400 yards north of the border crossing, there are few real sights to see, but if you just want to spend an hour or two shopping for souvenirs and practicing your Spanish, Nogales, Mexico, is a painless place in which to do it.

  To save hassle (and time) crossing the border, drivers should park on the streets or in the $5-a-day lots on the U.S. side and walk across. Border formalities are minimal, and U.S. dollars are accepted on both sides.