Things to Do in Yuma Between Rounds of Golf

The best things to do in Yuma on a day off from golf are close to town: Yuma Territorial Prison and Colorado River State Historic Parks ($10 each for adults), the riverfront paths from Gateway Park, a Medjool date farm, and day trips to Los Algodones, the Imperial Sand Dunes and Mittry Lake. Winter adds a rodeo, a car show and a free air show.

Most winter golfers want things to do in Yuma for the afternoon after a morning round, or for a full rest day once a week. Here is what is open, when, and what it costs, with hours and fees as seen on October 23, 2026.

Quick facts

• Two state parks downtown: Yuma Territorial Prison and Colorado River State Historic Park, $10 adults and $7 youth at each.
• Free: the riverfront paths from Gateway Park, a sightseeing stop at the dunes, and the MCAS Yuma Airshow (Saturday, March 13, 2027).
• Closest day trip: Los Algodones, about 12 minutes to the Andrade crossing.
• Clock: the dunes, Andrade and Algodones are on Pacific time, one hour behind Yuma in winter.
• Summer: May to September is extreme heat; plan outdoor outings for early morning.

Things to do in Yuma: hours and fees at a glance

Children 6 and under are free at both state parks. The Territorial Prison closes on Thanksgiving Eve and Day and Christmas Eve and Day.

Downtown and the river

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park

The preserved cells and guard tower of the territorial prison, which held inmates from 1876 to 1909, sit above the Colorado River at 220 N. Prison Hill Road. It is open seven days a week. A visit fits easily into an afternoon after a morning round.

Colorado River State Historic Park

This 10-acre park at 201 N. 4th Avenue occupies the former US Army Quartermaster Depot, established in 1864, with five historic buildings and exhibits. Phone 928-329-0471. Note that it is closed on Mondays from October to May, and open only Thursday to Sunday in summer.

Gateway Park and the Wetlands

Gateway Park sits on the Colorado River below the 1915 Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge, near the Territorial Prison. From there, the East Wetlands trails (a loop of about 3 miles plus an unpaved half-mile river trail) lead along the river. West Wetlands Park has about 1.3 miles of river frontage with a paved, lit path. The Yuma Crossing levee path links the riverfront parks, so a walk or bike ride of a few miles is easy on a rest day. Distances come from travel guides and are approximate.

Staying downtown

If you want to walk to all of this, the two Pivot Point hotels are the base. From the Hilton Garden Inn Yuma Pivot Point and the Home2 Suites Yuma Pivot Point, historic Main Street is about 2 blocks away, Gateway Park and Colorado River State Historic Park are next door, and the prison is about 15 minutes on foot (map estimates). The Historic Coronado Motor Hotel on 4th Avenue is a cheaper option with downtown dinner in walking distance. Downtown has Prison Hill Brewing Company on Main Street for a post-round beer; more in where to eat in Yuma.

A Medjool date farm

Martha's Gardens Medjool Date Farm runs a guided tour followed by its farm store, known for date shakes and boxed dates. Current tour times and prices were not found, so call 928-726-8831 or 928-726-8833. Full details, plus the January AGFest, are in Yuma Medjool dates.

Day trips from Yuma

Some of the best things to do in Yuma are just outside it. Each of these fits in a day, and three of them cross onto Pacific time.

Distances are OSRM routes from central Yuma, except Kofa (from guides) and San Diego (Google Maps).

Los Algodones. Most visitors park in the Quechan tribe's lot ($10 a day for a car) and walk across. A regular driver's license alone is not enough to get back. See the Los Algodones day trip.

Imperial Sand Dunes. Short stops at Osborne Overlook, the Plank Road site, Buttercup Ranger Station and the Watchable Wildlife Area need no permit. See Imperial Sand Dunes from Yuma.

Mittry Lake. About 600 acres of water and 2,400 acres of marsh and upland on the Colorado River north of Yuma, for fishing (largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill), birding and paddling. BLM directions: AZ-95 east 7 miles from Yuma, north on Avenue 7E for 9.5 miles to the end of pavement; the lake begins about half a mile beyond. It has a 3-lane boat ramp and is day use only.

Kofa's Palm Canyon. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1939 to protect desert bighorn sheep. Drive about 60 miles north on US-95, then about 7 miles east on graded gravel Palm Canyon Road to a trailhead. A trail of roughly half a mile leads to a view of native California fan palms in a side ravine. Monsoon storms can rut or wash out the road, so call the refuge office (928-783-7861) first. One listing gives a longer mileage, so treat the distance as approximate.

San Diego. A two-night break on the coast is a popular change of scene for winter visitors: San Diego weekend from Yuma.

Winter events in Yuma (2026-27)

From January to March the list of things to do in Yuma grows, with at least one dated event each month.

Book lodging early for the Midnight at the Oasis weekend. On airshow day, expect traffic around the air station and possible effects on flights at YUM. More on the March calendar in Yuma golf in March.

One thing Yuma no longer has is spring training. The San Diego Padres trained here from 1969 until moving to Peoria for 1994; Cactus League games are now in the Phoenix area, about 3 hours away.

Golf-adjacent things to do in Yuma

Not every rest day needs to be golf-free.

• Night golf. The Foothills Par 3 runs night golf under lights Tuesday to Saturday from 6:00 PM, $20, with LED balls for $5.
• A practice session. The 12-bay Trackman range at Las Barrancas charges $20 for 30 minutes or $40 an hour.
• A clubhouse dinner. The Hills GastroPub at Desert Hills was rated 4.4 on Google (254 reviews) when checked.
• Golf history. Desert Hills hosted the Yuma Open, a Ben Hogan and Nike Tour event, from 1990 to 1993. See the Yuma Open golf tournament.
• The river side of town. Cocopah Bend sits by the Colorado River on the west side of town, an easy pairing with a morning at the river parks.

The Desert Hills course guide and Las Barrancas course guide cover the two courses with the most going on off the course. If you have also spent time in Nevada, things to do in Mesquite is the equivalent guide there.

Plan it on the map

Open the Yuma golf map to see the Territorial Prison, Los Algodones, every course and every stay, with drive times from downtown. The $30 plan can build rest days into a golf trip, or cover a whole winter stay with a weekly course rotation.