I have been going to Tucson every June for 34 years to go to Canyon Ranch, the world famous health and fitness resort. Many people go to Tucson to either go to Canyon Ranch, to Miraval or to stay at one of the well-known golf resorts and never venture out of the resort. I think there are some wonderful things to do in and around Tucson that are well-worth the time to see while you are in town! Downtown has really come back with great restaurants, hotels, art galleries and wonderful museums. There is more and more happening every year. So my advice is to get out and explore!
Not to be missed are:
Mission San Xavier del Bac: At 1950 W. San Xavier del Bac, it is called “The White Dove of the Desert” and is a wonderful white-colored mission church that was built by the Franciscans in the 1700’s. It is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish mission architecture in the US. It is a few miles southwest of the airport and has wonderful painted ceilings and altars. I was amazed as to the beauty of this white church sitting in the desert and of the quality of its restoration. I highly recommend this!!!!
Sabino Canyon: This is always one of my favorite places in Tucson. Sabino Canyon is located at the north end of Sabino Canyon Road and is a great place to walk, hike or bike. There is a tram that will take you to the top and back. You can also ride up and walk down. The desert terrain is wonderful particularly in the Spring when the flowers are in bloom.
The Lost Barrio: Located at Park just south of Broadway this is a unique row of stores that carry antiques, furniture, home furnishings and accessories mainly from Mexico, South America and Asia. The quality is really quite good. My favorites are Colonial Frontiers at 244 S. Park and Rústica with wonderful Mexican and Peruvian furniture and accessories at 200 South Park.
Fourth Avenue: Explore 4th Avenue between Congress and University. There are more than 100 restaurants and shops offering vintage and boutique clothing, artwork, antiques, handicrafts and imported goods and a food co-op. There is the Sun Link Streetcar that runs the length of the neighborhood.
Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court: Located across from the Tucson Art Museum, you will find a large amount of handicrafts by local, regional and Latin American artists and artisans. I really liked some of the pottery and ceramics that I saw. It has a large landscaped courtyard and a restaurant.
Downtown Tucson: I was really impressed by the restored old buildings and homes, new apartments and new restaurants in this small downtown area. If you are in town check out Second Saturdays Downtown for monthly arts, food trucks and entertainment events held the second Saturday of every month beginning in May.
I recommend that you check out a music concert at the Century Room at the Hotel Congress at 311 E. Congress St. I went on a Saturday night and enjoyed hearing a jazz concert. The room was the hotel’s ball room and event space in the past.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: A highly recommended world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place, that has a mission of helping you understand the Sonoran Desert. I recently went for the first time and enjoyed the experience. 2021 N. Kinney Rd.
They have a humming bird avery, an aquarium, a monarch butterfly sanctuary plus a store, art museum and two dining options. I enjoyed my first visit.
Saguaro National Park: This National Park is a great place to visit, and be in the middle of the amazing saguaros. It is divided into two separate districts, Saguaro National Park West/Tucson Mountain District and Saguaro National Park East/Rincon Mountain District. In 2023 I really enjoyed visiting Saguaro National Park East.
Make sure if you have a National Park pass to bring it with you on your trip. Stop at the visitors center and get a map of the 8-mile scenic loop that winds through the park. If you drive you can stop at several scenic overlooks or stop at one of two picnic areas. You can hike several of the hiking trails into the remote backcountry. You can also bike through the park.
In June 2024 I visited Saguaro National Park West. It has shorter, easier hiking trails, a dirt scenic drive and the only petroglyphs in the park. 2700 North Kinney Road, 20 minutes from downtown.
Nearby Saguaro National Park West is Gates Pass which is located in Tucson Mountain Park. It is 3,172-ft. mountain pass and popular scenic drive with overlooks for vistas and sunset watching. I stopped at one of the overlooks on the way to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. I loved the views.
Pima Air and Space Museum: Close to the Tucson Airport, at 6000 Valencia, is the largest non-government funded aviation museum. You’ll see more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft. There are historic World War II and 1950s era aircraft along with several Air Force Ones. You can also visit the Kit Peak National Solar Observatory and famed Biosphere 2 where you can visit several ecosystems under glass.
Other things to do include attending performances at the Gaslight Theatre, The Invisible Theatre, the Tucson Jazz Society and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. I also heard from local friends that you should attend performances of the Arizona Opera and Broadway in Tucson.
The Neon Pueblo: I also loved driving along South 6th, North 6th, Miracle Mile and Drachman St. to see the original, restored and reinstalled neon signs for a number of old motels, businesses and restaurants from the 1950s.
As a big fan of old neon signs, on my last trip I went to the Ignite Sign Art Museum at 331 S Olsen Ave. east of downtown. The goal of this small museum is to preserve, restore and display a collection of historic signs from Tucson, the Southwest and around the country. It is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm. I enjoyed seeing the displays in the store front vignettes and walking through the group of signs in the outdoor Argon Alley.
For photography tours, food tours, birding trips and hiking trips, make sure to check out the offerings by Southwest Discoveries. I was impressed when I met their team a few years ago at a lecture at Canyon Ranch.
If you want to hike during the hotter months, head to Mt. Lemmon. With a summit elevation of 9,159 feet, it is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It can be 30 degrees cooler than the temps in Tucson in the summer.
On a recent trip I went to the Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón, an historic presidio located in downtown Tucson. The original fortress was built by Spanish soldiers during the 18th century and was the founding structure of what became the city of Tucson. I enjoyed visiting the museum where a docent gave me a tour of this historic structures and a great history lesson.
There is also the Tucson Botanical Garden to explore and Tohono Chul where you can view gardens and nature trails, see exhibitions by local artists and dine in their Garden Bistro. I went to Tohono Chul for the first time in 2023, and enjoyed walking the beautiful grounds, seeing the art and sculptures and having a great lunch in the Garden Bistro.
Each February is the Tucson Rodeo or the Fiesta de los Vaqueros with performances and a parade.
I love murals and street art. On my most recent trip I explored some of the Tucson Murals Project. Joe Pagac is a local artist, and the son of a friend who has created some wonderful pieces in town.
I recently went to see some of Joe’s latest murals near the swimming pool at Himmel Park, an urban park located at 1000 N Tucson Blvd.
Trail Dust Town: This fun group of western buildings, bars restaurants in an outdoor shopping center. It is a perfect spot to visit with children when in town. The site include a merry-go-round from 1954. There is Pinnacle Peak, the original Cowboy Steakhouse in Tucson that opened in 1962 and Millie’s Pancake Haus that is a fun place for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Pinnacle Peak also has The Silver Dollar Saloon
On my last trip I stayed in the Armory Park Neighborhood. This is a neighborhood from 1873 that is a National Register Historic District. The borders are East 12th St. to 19th St., and Stone Ave. to 2nd Ave. You will find many Victorian, Queen Ann, and even Greek Revival homes hidden throughout this lovely community.
I recently went to Tucson’s historic Iron Horse neighborhood to visit. The Buffet Bar, a popular dive bar from 1934. This area has a number of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.
