What Is There to Do in Downtown Prescott, on Whiskey Row and Courthouse Plaza?

If you're picturing life in the Quad Cities, downtown Prescott is probably where you'll find yourself on a Friday night or a slow Saturday morning. It's the place people love to show off when friends come to visit. Here's the short answer: downtown centers on Courthouse Plaza, the square around the Yavapai County Courthouse. Right beside it is Whiskey Row, the historic stretch of saloons along Montezuma Street, with live music on weekend nights. A short walk away you'll find shows at the historic Elks Theatre on Gurley Street and the Sharlot Hall Museum, two blocks west of the plaza.

Let's walk through the highlights and a few tips for making a day of it.

Courthouse Plaza is the heart of downtown. It's where people meet up, sit in the shade, and gather for community events through the year, from car shows to holiday celebrations. On any given weekend there's a good chance something is happening on the square, and on a quiet day it's simply a lovely place to walk.

Because events change from season to season, the easiest way to know what's on is to check a current calendar before you go. We share a weekly one, and we'll tell you more about it at the end of this post.

Whiskey Row is downtown's famous stretch of saloons along Montezuma Street. Its roots go back to the 1800s, and today it's a lively mix of bars, restaurants, and live music. Matt's Saloon, for example, describes live country music, a 1,200-square-foot oak dance floor, and a bar that's been pouring on Whiskey Row since 1934, with bands on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Row also has one of Prescott's best stories, about a fire, a heavy wooden bar, and some very determined patrons. We told it in what happened on Prescott's Whiskey Row.

A short walk along Gurley Street takes you to the Elks Theatre at 117 E. Gurley St. It has two spaces, the Historic Theatre, which began as the town's opera house, and the Performing Arts Center upstairs. The calendar runs from concerts and tribute shows to stage musicals, holiday performances, and movie screenings, so it's worth a look whatever you enjoy.

Lineups change week to week, so check the theatre's own calendar for what's coming up.

The Sharlot Hall Museum sits at 415 West Gurley Street, two blocks west of Courthouse Plaza, on a four-acre campus with 11 exhibit buildings. It's an easy add to a downtown day, and the museum hosts seasonal events through the year, so check its calendar when you plan your visit. For a full walk-through, see what you can see at the Sharlot Hall Museum.

Event times and lineups change, so it helps to check each venue's own calendar before you head out.

Downtown is easy to explore on foot once you're parked. The City of Prescott has a parking garage on Granite Street, and there's street parking nearby. On busy event days, it helps to come a little early.

Whether you'd live in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, or Dewey-Humboldt, downtown Prescott is a shared gathering place for the whole area. For a lot of people starting their next chapter here, having a walkable downtown with music, history, and community events nearby is part of the draw. When you're comparing towns, it's worth thinking about how often you'd like to be downtown and how far you'd like to drive to get there. Here's our comparison of Prescott and Prescott Valley.

If a move is on your horizon, you don't have to sort it all out at once. We'll help you build a timeline that fits your life, from your first visits to the day you get the keys, so it never feels overwhelming.

Is downtown Prescott walkable?
Yes. Courthouse Plaza, Whiskey Row on Montezuma Street, the Elks Theatre on Gurley Street, and the Sharlot Hall Museum two blocks west of the plaza are all within an easy walk of one another.

Where do you park in downtown Prescott?
The City of Prescott has a parking garage on Granite Street, and there's street parking nearby. On big event days, plan to arrive early.

Is there live music on Whiskey Row?
Yes. Several Whiskey Row saloons book live bands, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Lineups change weekly, so check each venue's calendar.

How do I find out what's happening in downtown Prescott this weekend?
Check a current events calendar before you go, since plaza events and venue lineups change through the year. Our free weekly email, The Weekender, rounds up the best events across the Quad Cities.

What are the biggest events in the Quad Cities?
We gathered the area's signature events in the best local events in the Quad Cities.

Want to know what's on before the weekend arrives? The Weekender is our free email with the best events in the Quad Cities, every Thursday, downtown Prescott included. It's an easy way to stay connected, whether you live here now or you're getting to know the area.