Need Tucson Must-see Places

[oscar1]

Heading to Tucson ina week for 2 weeks. Amy recommendations for Tucson Must-see places?

 

[Chuckanut]

Sabino Canyon if you like hiking in the desert.

 

[calmloki]

Colossal Cave tour is close to Tucson. Airplane boneyard - we haven't done the tour but caught glimpses of it from the main road. Impressive amount of spare parts!
https://www.airplaneboneyards.com/davis-monthan-afb-amarg-airplane-boneyard.htm

 

[Ronstar]

Pima air and space museum and the boneyard.
Karchner caverns
Take a ride to Tombstone

 

[RobbieB]

Old Tucson.

 

[ctbktb]

Agua Caliente park. Not sure it will be passable in 2-weeks, but the 7-Falls hike at Sabino Canyon is fantastic. A great drive would be Saguaro East NP. You can stop at various spots and hike too. Take a drive up to Mount Lemmon (as far as you want; not necessarily all the way to the top, you will encounter snow at some point), lots of hikes and overlooks.

 

[KM]

Take a tour at the Titan Missile Museum. It was fascinating. Both DH and I thought it was the #1 attraction in the area.

Tombstone is a little kitschy, but imo, worth the trip anyway.

 

[Aerides]

The trails around Marana/Tortolita (Wild burro, etc.) are lovely for half-day hikes, and some shorter/longer.

 

[FlaGator]

University of Arizona Wildcat here, early 80's. Been gone a while, but the scenery ages slower than I do

The drive to Summerhaven at the top of Mt. Lemmon. Go as far north as your vehicle allows and you can see the mining town of San Manuel in the valley below.

Sabino Canyon, yes. Also the driving tour through Saguaro Natl. Park-East. Both east and west units have their appeal. Can take in the West unit if you go to Old Tucson. Either side, with the mentioned side trips are one day each.

Consider Tombstone a long day trip, and one should go further south to Bisbee as well. It was an important mining town and part of AZ history. Probably still a mine tour available. To take in the geographic/scenic variety of Southern AZ, I'd go via AZ 83 south from Vail (off I-10 east SE of the city), then AZ 82 to Tombstone.

If you are up for a border town visit, I'd hit Nogales. Interesting geography on the drive down I-19, and you can stop at the Titan Missile museum. That's an amazing look at the Cold War and our mindset in that era. There were Titan sites ringing Tucson back in the day.

Also want to put in a plug for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum west of town. Well-done natural setting for the native animals. Can combine this with a driving tour of Saguaro NP West.

 

[audreyh1]

Sonora Desert Museum

 

[ImThinkin2019]

University of Arizona Wildcat here, early 80's. Been gone a while, but the scenery ages slower than I do

The drive to Summerhaven at the top of Mt. Lemmon. Go as far north as your vehicle allows and you can see the mining town of San Manuel in the valley below.

Sabino Canyon, yes. Also the driving tour through Saguaro Natl. Park-East. Both east and west units have their appeal. Can take in the West unit if you go to Old Tucson. Either side, with the mentioned side trips are one day each.

Consider Tombstone a long day trip, and one should go further south to Bisbee as well. It was an important mining town and part of AZ history. Probably still a mine tour available. To take in the geographic/scenic variety of Southern AZ, I'd go via AZ 83 south from Vail (off I-10 east SE of the city), then AZ 82 to Tombstone.

If you are up for a border town visit, I'd hit Nogales. Interesting geography on the drive down I-19, and you can stop at the Titan Missile museum. That's an amazing look at the Cold War and our mindset in that era. There were Titan sites ringing Tucson back in the day.

Also want to put in a plug for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum west of town. Well-done natural setting for the native animals. Can combine this with a driving tour of Saguaro NP West.

+1 on the above. Spent 10 years living in Tucson and like the outdoors plus history.

 

[Lewis Clark]

Take a tour at the Titan Missile Museum. It was fascinating. Both DH and I thought it was the #1 attraction in the area.

+1

https://titanmissilemuseum.org/

 

[Spock]

Sonoran Desert Museum. It's part zoo (native desert critters), and part botanical garden, and part geology exhibit.

Depending on timing in Feb, the Gem and Mineral show might be on as well as the Tucson Rodeo. The Gem show can wear out quick if you're not into it. We hit the one at the Kino Sports complex for better parking.



If you're into aircraft, the Pima Air and Space Museum, Air Force boneyard tour (AMARC), and Titan Missile Museum are must see.


Trail Dust Town isn't going to take a lot of time, but it's nice and you can get a short old west gunfight show for cheap admission.


If you drive to Tombstone, check out the Crystal Palace Saloon. The wood bar runs the full length of the building and is very impressive. Bisbee also has the Queen Mine Tour.


Another option is booking a 4x4/Jeep ride through the desert.


Kitt Peak National Observatory has tours.

Personally, I would avoid Old Tucson. The history in it was great before the big fire but the re-build after just made a tourist trap. It was closed under c*vid and just re-opened under new management. My understanding is the focus is shifting. If you want a real movie set/ghost town the Mescal Movie Set is probably more authentic but has less amenities (thus less touristy) https://www.mescalmovieset.com/

 

[folivier]

Drive just a few miles north of Tucson and tour the Biosphere.

 

[Trailwalker]

Consider Tombstone a long day trip, and one should go further south to Bisbee as well. It was an important mining town and part of AZ history. Probably still a mine tour available. To take in the geographic/scenic variety of Southern AZ, I'd go via AZ 83 south from Vail (off I-10 east SE of the city), then AZ 82 to Tombstone.

The mine tour in Bisbee is still operating. DW went on the tour last year. The Bisbee Brewery has an outstanding deck to hang out for those with interests in a different direction.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Li'l Abners

LI'l Abner's Steakhouse

 

[stepford]

Biking around the short (8 mile) Cactus Forest Drive loop in Saguaro East was a highlight of our last trip through Tucson. A bit steep in spots, but lovely desert scenery.

 

[Beldar]

Don't forget a Sonoran Hotdog.

 

[Mark1]

Sabino Canyon if you like hiking in the desert.

+1.
fyi, your National Park Pass will work for entry and there are paved roads with no public vehicles if you don't want to leave the pavement.

If you want a nice steakhouse while in town, we really enjoyed Fleming's during our recent visit.

 

[Chuckanut]

Sonora Desert Museum

+1

They call it a museum but to me it’s a natural type zoo carved out of the desert. Call it what uphill will, it’s a very interesting experience.

 

[SecondAttempt]

40+ year Tucson resident here. Lot's of good suggestions so far. Mine would be:

Arizona Sonora Desert Musem
Pima Air Museum
Davis Monthan Boneyard (will need to get tickets well ahead these days for security reasons)
Titan Missle Museum in Green Valley
San Xavier Del Bac Mission
Tumacacori Mission NHP
Collosal cave I would put in tier II but it is ok
Saguaro National Park
Degrazia Gallery
Mission Garden
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Mt. Lemmon
Catalina State Park
Madera Canyon near Green Valley
Best Mexican food in the world!

Feel free to PM me if you have specific interests or need directions, etc.

 

[SecondAttempt]

University of Arizona Wildcat here, early 80's. Been gone a while, but the scenery ages slower than I do

The drive to Summerhaven at the top of Mt. Lemmon. Go as far north as your vehicle allows and you can see the mining town of San Manuel in the valley below.

Sabino Canyon, yes. Also the driving tour through Saguaro Natl. Park-East. Both east and west units have their appeal. Can take in the West unit if you go to Old Tucson. Either side, with the mentioned side trips are one day each.

Consider Tombstone a long day trip, and one should go further south to Bisbee as well. It was an important mining town and part of AZ history. Probably still a mine tour available. To take in the geographic/scenic variety of Southern AZ, I'd go via AZ 83 south from Vail (off I-10 east SE of the city), then AZ 82 to Tombstone.

If you are up for a border town visit, I'd hit Nogales. Interesting geography on the drive down I-19, and you can stop at the Titan Missile museum. That's an amazing look at the Cold War and our mindset in that era. There were Titan sites ringing Tucson back in the day.

Also want to put in a plug for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum west of town. Well-done natural setting for the native animals. Can combine this with a driving tour of Saguaro NP West.

Also a fellow wildcat here, also 80s but later. Agree with everything you said.
And I was a UA employee for decades after that. The UA has much to see and recommend but much is hard to find and research. There is a mineral museum. planetarium, Arizona State Museum (archeology/anthropology), Arizona Historical Society, Center for Creative Photography, and much more.

I grew up in Bisbee and had many friends in Tombstone. Both are authentic western frontier towns that cater to tourists these days so they try too hard. I say Tombstone is still worth a visit but maybe not so much Bisbee unless you want an underground mine tour. (Or as someone who went to high school there, want some wild experiences exploring some crazy areas at night!)

Just a note about the Titan II sites. There were 18 sites around Tucson, !8 around Witchita Kansas, and 18 around Little Rock Arkansas. In the 1960s this was the main US deterrent/response to nuclear war. The idea being that if attacked, by having our missiles separated geographically far from decapitation strike and other strategic targets, we'd have a chance of launching a counter strike.

Growing up in southern Arizona it was never any secret that we were high on the list of targets because of the Titan II missiles, the boneyard, and Ft. Huachuca housing both the intelligence school and signal brigade that were the source of most of our signals intelligence regarding the USSR.

I last toured the Titan Missile Museum in the mid 80s. It was very interesting at the time especially because of the lengths we went through to prevent an accidental launch, or a crazy missileer from doing the unthinkable. Each Titan II silo was designed to absorb a direct strike from a Soviet multimegaton blast and be able to open the silo to retaliate. Of course this was never tested but it is very interesting to see.

In my explorations I have found about 14 of the 18 silos but little is left of most. Usually it is just a few tell-tales like the 2 fueling pads and a distant column with a mirror where star sights would be taken to calibrate the missiles navigation system.

I worked with one of the final commanders of the 390th missile wing that ran all 18 silos. He had some amazing stories!

 

[audreyh1]

+1

They call it a museum but to me it’s a natural type zoo carved out of the desert. Call it what uphill will, it’s a very interesting experience.

It’s also beautiful driving out there.

 

[euro]

Sonora Desert Museum

I'll second that - we thought it was a really nice place to visit. Suitably hot weather, the day we visited.....

 

[audreyh1]

I'll second that - we thought it was a really nice place to visit. Suitably hot weather, the day we visited.....

You need to stay well hydrated for sure.