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 Tucson
- Top ChoiceSaguaro National Park
- Top ChoiceArizona-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 …
- MTop ChoiceMini 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…
- TTucson 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…
- CCoronado 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…
- AArizona 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…
- RReid 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…
- BBarrio 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…
- RRichard 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…
- CCenter 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…
- TTucson 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…