Things To Do
Hiking Trails
Tucson is known for its hiking trails, many of which are accessible to the novice hiker! Sabino Canyon is a great place to start as you can get a ride up or down the canyon in one of their shuttles ($10), and walk as much or as little as you'd like. There are both paved and rocky options for walking. Saguaro National Park spreads across both sides of Tucson, and the west side offers incredible views at Gates Pass Trailhead. Gold Mine Loop is also on the west side and offers a glimpse of some of the old mines.
Mount Lemmon
A trip to Tucson is really not complete without a drive up Mount Lemmon. It will take you about 45 minutes to ascend 6,000 feet. You'll experience a 30-40 degree temperature drop and you may spot some snow at the top! There's a small skiing village on the mountain that's also worth a visit.
Museums and Galleries
One of our favorite places in Tucson is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It's a beautiful drive to the outdoor museum where you'll encounter local wildlife and wonderful views of the desert. For more outdoor adventuring, we recommend the Tucson Botanical Garden or Tohono Chul. Both offer beautiful gardens, art installations, and nice restaurants on-property. One of Lauren's personal favorites is the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, which is exactly what it sounds like: a museum full of tiny things! They also have rotating exhibits featuring artists who specialize in miniatures. More great art can be found at the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun and the Tucson Desert Art museum.
Other Sites
While in Tucson, we highly recommend a visit to the San Xavier del Bac Mission. It's a short drive south and easily explored within an hour. The mission sits on the San Xavier Indian Reservation, and you can enjoy some great views around the property. Another favorite destination of ours is Old Tucson Studios, located near the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Since 1939, numerous westerns have been filmed on the property including El Dorado, Three Amigos, and Tombstone. You can typically visit during the day to see some of the film props and explore the area. During Halloween, Old Tucson Studios turns into Nightfall, a haunted attraction! Join us on Saturday for a trip to Nightfall or catch one of their other events while you're in town.
Day Trips
If you're looking for a great day trip out of Tucson, we recommend the small towns of Bisbee or Tubac. Bisbee is an old mining town full of eclectic shops and restaurants and even more eclectic residents! Tubac is a quaint little enclave south of Tucson, known for its galleries, restaurants, and shops for unique treasures, from fine art and antiques to pottery, jewelry, and clothing. Tubac is about 45 minute outside Tucson. For those of you looking for a wine adventure, there are some wonderful wineries in Sonoita-Elgin wine country, which is about 45 minutes south of Tucson. Some of our favorites include Dos Cabezas, Callaghan Vineyards, Willhelm Family Vineyards, and Charron Vineyards.
Restaurants
Tucson is full of wonderful food! While the region is known for its Sonoran-style Mexican food, there's plenty of cuisines to try. Here are some of our favorite Tucson restaurants! BREAKFAST Prep & Pastry Nico's Tacos (for breakfast burritos) Bobo's Baja Cafe Millie's Pancake House Coronet Cafe CASUAL LUNCH/DINNER Bison Witches Little Anthony's Seis Kitchen Lindy's On 4th Eclectic Cafe Amelia's Kitchen National UPSCALE DINNER Bata Casa Madre Vivace Wildflower Coronet Cafe DRINKS Owls Club Sky Bar The Boxyard Sidecar Moonstone
