This 2781-sq-mile national forest includes the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains, north of Tucson.
Coronado National Forest
Tucson
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
24.67 MILES
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 …
Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures
14.68 MILES
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
27.04 MILES
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
18.42 MILES
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
23.08 MILES
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
17.88 MILES
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
18.89 MILES
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
24.35 MILES
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,…
Nearby Tucson attractions
1. Catalina State Park
5.83 MILES
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…
2. Biosphere 2
7.23 MILES
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,…
3. Sabino Canyon
11.38 MILES
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…
4. Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures
14.68 MILES
Divided into the Enchanted Realm, Exploring the World and the History Gallery, this delightful museum of miniatures presents dioramas that are fantastical…
5. University of Arizona Museum of Art
17.68 MILES
Founded in its current building in the 1950s, the university's impressive museum showcases 500 years of European and American creativity. The permanent…
6. Center for Creative Photography
17.68 MILES
The CCP is known for its ever-changing, high-caliber exhibits. It also administers the archives of Ansel Adams – perhaps the best-regarded landscape…
7. Arizona History Museum
17.86 MILES
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…
8. Arizona State Museum
17.88 MILES
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…