Halee & Mark
Things To Do
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Although it's called a museum, this facility – about 15 miles west of downtown Tucson – is more of a zoo. In fact, 85 percent of what you'll experience is outdoors (so dress accordingly). The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's 98 acres host 230 animal species – including prairie dogs, coyotes and a mountain lion – and 1,200 local plant species (totaling 56,000 individual plants). Walking through the museum's trails, visitors get acquainted with desert life.
Biosphere 2
The Under the Glass Tour experience perfect for visitors who truly want to explore this amazing facility and current scientific research. With your expert guide, you will enjoy the beautiful trail system as you wander through the Rainforest, walk across the Ocean overlook, explore the Coastal Fog Desert, and travel through the underground technosphere, descending into one of the amazing ‘lungs’ – an engineering marvel - that helped moderate air pressure in the sealed B2 environment. The Under the Glass Tour last a little over an hour and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. SEE ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
Discovered in the 19th Century, Colossal Cave Mountain Park is made up of not just one cave but a entire cave complex that includes over 5 kilometers of passageways inside the caves. For visitors who want to brave the caves trails, temperatures of which are at a stable 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round, they can roam the dwellings previously used by Apache Indians in days gone by, but for visitors who prefer to stay above ground there are many other choices on offer at Colossal Cave Mountain Park. These include two museums, iconic statues, picnic areas, horseback riding, and a campsite.
Kitt Peak National Observatory
For those visitors who want to get closer to the stars, Kitt Peak National Observatory offers the perfect views of the night sky. An astronomical observatory sits atop Kitt Peak in the Quinlan Mountains and boasts the largest and most diverse astronomical equipment in the world that includes 24 telescopes. Depending on visitors interest levels in all things astronomical there is a choice of day or night tours, one featuring the history of the observatory and the invention of the telescope, and the other that commences at sunset and allows visitors to observe the cosmos through telescopes above the Arizona Desert.
Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway
Location:About 15 miles northeast of Tucson in the Catalina Mountains Setting: Mountainous Surface:Paved Length:28 miles oneway Time: 1 to 2 hours Season:Drivable year round, but winter storms cause restrictions Regarded as one of the most scenic drives in southeast Arizona, the Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway takes travelers to the upper reaches of Mount Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range. Aside from the arresting canyon and mountain views, the nearly 60-mile round-trip byway offers visitors the biological equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada (the road begins in the lower Sonoran vegetative life zone and ascends to the high forests in the Canadian zone).
Old Tucson
For movie buffs and fans of old school Westerns, a trip to Old Tucson Studios is not to be missed. The studios stand next to the Tucson Mountains and were built specifically as the location for the famous movies Little House on the Prairie, Gunfight at the O.K Corral, and Arizona. The studios have now also been developed into a theme park where visitors can take a tour complete with historical explanations and live action performances that include gunfights and stuntmen and women.
Reid Park Zoo
Home to a variety of exotic animals, ranging from elephants and jaguars to flamingos and roaches, the Reid Park Zoo in central Tucson is a favorite place for families to spend a few hours. When you're not observing the animals from afar, several activities allow you to interact with them, such as the giraffe feedings. According to the zoo, animals tend to be the most active and crowds tend to be smallest early in the morning and just before closing. You'll find the zoo about 2 miles south of downtown Tucson. The Reid Park Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10.50 for adults ages 15 to 61, $8.50 for seniors 62 and older, and $6.50 for kids between the ages of 2 and 14. Parking is free. Outside food isn't permitted inside the zoo (it offers its own cafe), but you can pack your own meal and enjoy it at any of the picnic areas located just outside the zoo in Reid Park.
Sabino Canyon and Tram Tour
Located just north of Tucson, the Sabino Canyon is nestled in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest. The canyon offers magnificent trails, majestic views, and hiking and trekking opportunities. Surprisingly, considering that the canyon is located in the desert, there is also Sabino Creek nearby which features waterfalls that can be admired and crossed by bridge. For visitors who prefer not to hike, there is a tram through the canyon that has nine stops along the way.
Saguaro National Park
Many recent visitors recommend the Tucson Mountain District over the Rincon Mountain area for its spectacular sunsets. Not in the mood to hike? The Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive is a paved road that features several trailheads, scenic vistas and pullouts. You can purchase a guide to the natural and cultural history of the Cactus Forest Loop Drive for $2 at the visitor center. Saguaro National Park is open every day from 7 a.m. to sunset, and both visitor centers are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can walk or bike into the park 24 hours a day. A $15 entrance fee, which is valid for a week and includes both the Tucson Mountain District and the Rincon Mountain District, is required for each car. Those who enter on foot or by bike pay $5. Teens and children 15 and younger enter for free. You can learn more about this park's trails and safety tips for visiting at the National Park Service website.
Topgolf (Mark and Halee’s 2nd Date)
At Topgolf, there's no pressure to be good. Take a swing, score some points, share a laugh or an app, or just throw an epic party. Any way you play, it's a great time for all. Fun and competitive golf games for all ages, climate-controlled playing bays for year-round comfort, an impressive food and drink menu.
Chef Alisah's Restaurant
You can decide for yourself how seriously to take online review sites, but Chef Alisah’s, a Bosnian restaurant (yes, seriously) tucked into a weird business complex off Oracle, is frequently among the best-reviewed restaurants in Tucson. Here’s what we know about Bosnian food: if you’re a meat-eater, you’ll love it, as sausages and cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef are among the highlights on Chef Alisah’s menu. Want to try something new on the culinary map? Chef Alisah will provide a delicious adventure.
Eegee's
Eegee’s is a Tucson staple. A casual food chain serving frozen fruit drinks, subs, fries and salads.
Harvest Restaurant
There’s something comforting about the atmosphere at Harvest - which also has a second location at River and Craycroft, if you happen to be further east. It feels like the perfect neighborhood restaurant, a place - and pardon the cliche - where everyone might know your name. Harvest combines a relaxed, charming atmosphere with an attention to detail and a passion for local, fresh ingredients (everything is made from scratch, from the bread to the juices poured in their cocktails) to provide an all-around excellent dining experience.
Harvest Restaurant
There’s something comforting about the atmosphere at Harvest - which also has a second location at River and Craycroft, if you happen to be further east. It feels like the perfect neighborhood restaurant, a place - and pardon the cliche - where everyone might know your name. Harvest combines a relaxed, charming atmosphere with an attention to detail and a passion for local, fresh ingredients (everything is made from scratch, from the bread to the juices poured in their cocktails) to provide an all-around excellent dining experience.
Ikkyu
Located in the same shopping center as Tucson’s best international market (who knew there were so many types of soy sauce?), Ikkyu manages to be both an incredible bargain and a place where you can get superbly-delicious sushi, noodle dishes and more. It’s not fancy at Ikkyu and there aren’t all that many seats, but if you like the authentic flavors of Japan, Ikkyu won’t disappoint.
Vero Amore - Dove Mountain
Vero Amore’s 800-degree wood-burning stone oven does make for a quickly cooked pizza, that’s not really what this restaurant (with two Tucson locations) is about. Here, the mozzarella is freshly made and the tomatoes are brought in from Italy. Sure, you could also go for the pasta or salads also on the menu, but if you’d like a pizza crafted with care for a sophisticated palate, Vero Amore is definitely your place.