Must see attractions in Tucson

  • Top Choice
    Saguaro National Park

    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…

  • Top Choice
    Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

    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 …

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    Top Choice
    Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

    Divided into the Enchanted Realm, Exploring the World and the History Gallery, this delightful museum of miniatures presents dioramas that are fantastical…

  • Mission San Xavier del Bac

    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…

  • 4th Avenue

    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…

  • Pima Air & Space Museum

    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…

  • Arizona State Museum

    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 Museum of Art

    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…

  • Old Tucson Studios

    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,…

  • Catalina State Park

    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…

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    Tucson Portrait Project

    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…

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    Coronado National Forest

    This 2781-sq-mile national forest includes the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains, north of Tucson.

  • Sabino Canyon

    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…

  • University of Arizona Museum of Art

    Founded in its current building in the 1950s, the university's impressive museum showcases 500 years of European and American creativity. The permanent…

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    Arizona History Museum

    For an engaging look at highlights from Arizona's past, spend an hour at this family-friendly museum near the University of Arizona. You can walk though a…

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    Reid Park Zoo

    At the compact Reid Park Zoo, a global menagerie – including grizzly bears, jaguars, giant anteaters and pygmy hippos – delights young and old. Cap a…

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    Barrio Histórico District

    This compact neighborhood was an important business district in the late 19th century. Today it's home to funky shops and galleries in brightly painted…

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    Richard F Caris Mirror Lab

    Astronomers can get their geek on during 90-minute tours of this laboratory – it's where the world's largest telescope mirrors are made. The entrance is…

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    Center for Creative Photography

    The CCP is known for its ever-changing, high-caliber exhibits. It also administers the archives of Ansel Adams – perhaps the best-regarded landscape…

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    Tucson Children's Museum

    Parents sing the praises of the Tucson Children’s Museum, which has plenty of engaging, hands-on exhibits – from the Discovery Garden to Pet Vet and…