What to do on your Tucson Vacation
Tucson is a great place to spend time. It is a city that has managed to combine all the benefits of its big city status while still keeping the easy-going pace and feel of a small town. Definitely the best of both worlds. You can take in cultural events, go hiking, biking, horseback riding, check out a variety of museums and even find a host of activities the whole family can enjoy. Our Tucson bed and breakfasts are listed by general area in the city - Northeast, Southeast, Central, Northwest and Southwest, but all the the attractions listed on this page are easily accessible from any of our Tucson B&Bs. Also, while you're in the area, check out the attractions listed on the Southern Arizona sites page. They are all within a couple of hours drive and can make a fun addition to your stay.
Recreational Areas (hiking biking, picnicing, skiing, horseback riding, etc)
Mount Lemmon, to the north of Tucson, is a scenic 1 hour drive up the mountain to an elevation of 9000 ft. In the summertime it provides a cool retreat for hiking, picnicing, rock climbing, and just taking in the gorgeous vistas. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is open year round - in the summer the chair lifts take you to an overlook area where you can literally see for miles and of course in the winter there is skiing. Sabino Canyon recreation area, practically on the road to Mount Lemmon, is a popular hiking spot on the Northeast side of Tucson. If you're new to the desert it's also a great way to become familiar with the plants and wildlife of the area. There are two shuttle buses that take you along the floor of either Sabino or Bear canyon, while the drivers talk of the ecology and history of the area. You can disembark from the shuttle at any time for a picnic or a little hiking and reboard again later. There are 89 picnic sites along the route of the two buses! Catalina State Park has hiking, picnic areas and an equestrian center for off-loading horses. Oracle State Park on the northwest side is popular with hikers and birdwatchers. It is also known for its environmental education programs. Saguaro National Park is divided into two area, the Rincon Mountain District to the east and the Tucson Mountain District to the west. Both offer hiking, biking and picnicing. In the Tucson mopuntain district (west side) Bajada Loop Drive is gravel scenic route through the lower elevations. In the Ricon Mountain district (east side) there is the newly repaved Cactus Forest Trail, a beautiful winding drive through saguaro forests.
Spanish Trail Outfitters and Houston's Horseback Riding both offer trailrides through the Catlina mountain area. Pantano Riding Stables, Rocking K Ranch, also offer trailrides on the East Side of town. On the North side, near Catalina State Park, Pusch Ridge stables offers a variety of trailrides to suit the beginner to advanced rider.
Family Fun
There is no shortage of fun things to involve the entire family in Tucson. Old Tucson Studios, an active film set since 1939, features movie and film shoots throughout the year and daily wild west entertainment. Enjoy stunt shows, blazing gunfights and leg kicking dancehall numbers. Looking for some fun interactive dinner entertainment? Try the Gaslight Theatre. Cheer the hero, boo the villian, or sing along with the musical numbers as you enjoy good food and drink.
The Gene C. Reid Park is 160 acre urban park that includes lakes (with fishing) trails for hiking and biking, a rose garden with over 100 varieties of roses, the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center which hosts music, dance, and theater on an on-going schedule, and the Reid Park Zoo. The Reid Park Zoo, home to more than 400 animals from around the world, is a great way to spend a couple of hours exploring. The animals tend to be most active early in the morning or just before closing time, so plan your visit accordinly. Tohono Chul Park is a 49 acre desert preserve in Tucson featuring Art and cultural exhibits, nature walks, and educational programs. Tucson Botanical Gardens features 16 specialty gardens on a 5.5 acre preserve - a place of beauty, inpiration and education. garden types are Butterfly, Display Garden, Herb, Kitchen, Native Plant, Perennial, Sensory, Tropical, and Xeriscape. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden all rolled into one. It includes interpretive displays of living plants and animals in their native settings. International Wildlife museum, contains more than 400 kinds of mammal, insects and birds from around the world depicted in natural settings. There are self-guided and docent-guided, tours, a theater presenting wildlife educational shows, and numerous hands-on exhibits. Tucson Childrens Museum is designed with hands-on exhibits and activities to stimulate and engage a child in the fun of learning. Be sure to check out the Dinosaur canyon!
Auto Racing
If the racing bug has you, try the Southwest International Raceway for NHRA Drag Racing, or for the fun and excitement that is NASCAR try Tucson Raceway Park.
Cultural Activities
Looking for more cultural entertainment? Look no further. The Tucson Symphony Orchestra has a variety of performances to delight you. Or if you prefer opera, there's the Arizona Opera with performances in Tucson and Phoenix. The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic block consists of a modern Art museum with constantly changing exhibits and the 5 surrounding restored historical homes which hold the following collections: the Art of the Americas collection of pre-Columbian, Mexican folk art, and colonial works, Art of the American West collection, period furnishings from the American Arts and Crafts era, and the seasonal exhibition El Nacimiento. The University of Arizona has the Museum of Art which hosts a wide variety of exhibits year-round.
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is home to a variety of events throughout the year to exhibit and promote the legacy of Ted DeGrazia. These events present special exhibits of the artist's works not normally made available to the public. The litlle gallery house exhibits of local artists. A widely known local painter, Diana Madaras, owns her own gallery with two locations in town. The Madaras Gallery locations, open year round, also offer special exhibits. Every 2nd Thursday of the month the Skyline location has a "gallery row art walk" where you can enjoy a glass of wine while viewing all the new work.
Baseball
Are you crazy for baseball? Want to watch a live game instead of just watching the game on TV? Tucson Electric Park is home to the Sidewinders, the Triple-A affilate of the Arizona D'Backs. It is also the spring training home for both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox. Hi Corbett Field is the spring training home of the Colorado Rockies.
Golf
If you are looking for golf courses, you won't be disappointed. Tucson is littered with them! There are courses to suit your proficiency, your wallet, or your fondest dreams. Once you've picked the course you would like to play, go ahead and reserve your tee time.
Casinos
For shows or a little gambling action try Casino of the Sun or Casino del Sol right in Tucson. Just a little south of Tucson on I-19 there's two Desert Diamond Casino locations, which offer gambling and shows. They also provide a free shuttle that runs between their two locations.
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