Tucson
Saguaros (sah-wah-ros) are icons of the American Southwest, and an entire cactus army of these majestic, ribbed sentinels is protected in this desert…
Must-see attractions in Southern Arizona
Tucson
Home to cacti, coyotes and palm-sized hummingbirds, this 98-acre ode to the Sonoran Desert is one part zoo, one part botanical garden and one part museum …
Southern Arizona
Named for the Chiricahua Apaches whose land this is, this wild and evocative landscape is one of Arizona's most stunning. Improbably baroque 'sculptures'…
Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Southern Arizona
Somewhere between the abandoned stagecoach stop and the sun-bleached cemetery, it hits you: this hike is a little spooky. Why? Because the 1.5-mile trail…
Southern Arizona
This wonderland of spires, shields, pipes, columns, soda straws and other ethereal formations has been five million years in the making, but miraculously…
Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures
Tucson
Divided into the Enchanted Realm, Exploring the World and the History Gallery, this delightful museum of miniatures presents dioramas that are fantastical…
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Southern Arizona
Anyone seeking solitude beneath big, blue, open skies will love the crowdless scenery of this stunning national park. Home to 28 species of cacti and a…
Tucson
The dazzling white towers of this mission rise from the dusty desert floor 8 miles south of Tucson – a mesmerizing structure that brings an otherworldly…
Tucson
Linking historic downtown and the university, lively 4th Ave is a rare breed: a rough-around-the-edges, alt-flavored strip with not a single chain store…
Tucson
An SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and a massive B-52 bomber are among the stars of this extraordinary private aircraft museum. Allow at least two hours to…
Tucson
To learn more about the history and culture of the region's American Indian tribes, visit the Arizona State Museum, the oldest and largest anthropology…
Tucson
For a small city, Tucson boasts an impressive art museum. There's a respectable collection of American, Latin American and modern art, and the permanent…
Tucson
Nicknamed 'Hollywood in the Desert,' this old movie set of Tucson in the 1860s was built in 1939 for the filming of Arizona. Hundreds of flicks followed,…
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Southern Arizona
Dark, clear desert skies are the raison d'être for the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the world's largest collection of optical telescopes. Two radio…
Tucson
With a day-use area, campgrounds and plenty of hiking, biking and horse trails, this state park in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson is one…
Southern Arizona
Built to be completely sealed off from Biosphere 1 (the earth), Biosphere 2 is 3 acres of glass domes and pyramids containing six ecosystems: ocean,…
Southern Arizona
At this original Titan II missile site, a crew stood ready 24/7 to launch a nuclear warhead within seconds of receiving a presidential order. The Titan II…
Southern Arizona
Up to 15 species of hummingbird flit over the igneous outcrops of this beautiful Nature Conservancy–owned preserve, with especially heavy sightings from…
Southern Arizona
The westernmost battle of the American Civil War was fought near this distinctive peak (3374ft) in 1862: a small band of Confederate Arizona Rangers…
Southern Arizona
Site of the famous gunfight on October 26, 1881, the OK Corral is the heart of both historic and touristic Tombstone. It has models of the gunfighters and…
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
Southern Arizona
A few gentle trails meander through this enchanting riparian willow forest, beloved by birders. Managed by the Nature Conservancy, it shelters seven…
Southern Arizona
A brilliant blue blip dolloped into the mountains, 2.5-mile-long Patagonia Lake was formed by the damming of Sonoita Creek. About 7 miles southwest of…
Southern Arizona
It's the silence that grabs you in Fairbank, 10 miles west of Tombstone. Established in 1881 to serve the New Mexico & Arizona Railroad, Fairbank was a…
Saguaro National Park
Also known as the Rincon Mountain District, the eastern section of the glorious Saguaro National Park has a visitor center 15 miles east of downtown…
Saguaro National Park
Also known as the Tucson Mountain District, the smaller, western section of the glorious Saguaro National Park is perhaps slightly ahead of its eastern…
Tucson
This wall-to-wall mosaic of about 7000 Tucsonian faces is a simple yet powerful testament to the diversity of the city's population. It's in the underpass…
Tucson
This 2781-sq-mile national forest includes the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains, north of Tucson.
Tucson
Sabino Canyon, a lush, pretty and shaded mini-gorge, is well worth a visit in fine weather. Narrated hop-on, hop-off tram tours along the Sabino Canyon…
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Southern Arizona
Built around AD 1350, Casa Grande (Big House) is the country's largest existing Hohokam structure, with 11 rooms across four floors and mud walls several…
University of Arizona Museum of Art
Tucson
Founded in its current building in the 1950s, the university's impressive museum showcases 500 years of European and American creativity. The permanent…
Tumacácori National Historical Park
Southern Arizona
Three miles south of Tubac, this pink-and-cream edifice shimmers in the desert like a missionary's dream. In 1691 Father Eusebio Kino and his cohorts…
Southern Arizona
In the 1880s the Bird Cage was a one-stop sin-o-rama. Besides holding onstage shows, it was a saloon, dance hall, gambling parlor and a home for …
Southern Arizona
For a list of the graves – and causes of death – of those buried here, buy the brochure at the entrance. The graves of Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank…
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum
Southern Arizona
The Presidio was the staging point for de Anza's expedition to California in the 1770s, and today marks the trailhead for a 4.5-mile section of the Juan…
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
Southern Arizona
Some 350 bird species (many endangered), more than 80 mammal species and more than 40 species of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded along the 40…
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
Southern Arizona
Tombstone's history isn't limited to the shoot-out at the OK Corral, and exhibits at this informative museum spotlight various aspects of the town's…
Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum
Southern Arizona
This two-story museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, and it shows. Located in the 1897 former headquarters of the Copper Queen…
Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
Southern Arizona
A celebration of the adaptability and variety of plant life, this much-loved arboretum contains thousands of arid-country trees and plants from around the…
Southern Arizona
The private, nonprofit Amerind Foundation exhibits American Indian artifacts, and history and culture from tribes from Alaska to Argentina, from the Ice…
Southern Arizona
To see the aftermath of open-pit mining, drive just south of Bisbee on Hwy 80 to the not-so-truthful 'Scenic View' sign. It's pointing toward the Lavender…
