Comments on: What is there to do in Tucson?

Question: What is there to do in Tucson?

elsar — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:40:23 -0800

I'm going to be in Tucson over Christmas. Anything that is just not to be missed? Any resources besides Citysearch and The Tucson Weekly ?

By: i_cola

i_cola — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:47:10 -0800

Biosphere II!

By: Mid

Mid — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:05:36 -0800

Ventana Canyon hike is very nice.

Airplane boneyard is cool, if you like military planes.

By: padraigin

padraigin — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:05:47 -0800

If you're going to be there on New Year's Eve, catch the Zsa Zsas at Club Congress.

Tell Milos I sent you. He used to be a friend of mine.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:26:09 -0800

If you like Christmas lights, walk through Winterhaven, which is an entire neighborhood that decorates for the holiday and closes to cars in the evening so that people can stroll through and look.

By: ph00dz

ph00dz — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:42:14 -0800

My favorite place down there is the Desert Museum. The Titan Missile Museum is also super-cool. And, of course, you're only about 40 minutes from Nogales, so if you want that super-sketchy border town experience, you can get that, too.

By: omphale27

omphale27 — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:54:04 -0800

I second the Desert Museum, and Colossal Cave is definitely worth checking out.

By: amf

amf — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:59:24 -0800

Visit Kartchner Caverns (another link) about forty miles from Tucson. We visited on a trip two years ago and were impressed because it's a living cavern with dripstones that are still growing. (For comparison, we also visited Carlsbad Caverns during the same trip, and while they were much bigger, they were not as impressive.) Kartchner Caverns had only recently opened when we were there in 2002, and it was recommended to us by an acquaintance who lives in Tucson.

I also second the Desert Museum and the Titan Missile Museum. The Pima Air and Space Museum (to which the Titan Missile Museum belongs) is also worth seeing. I liked it even though I don't know much about airplanes.

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:19:32 -0800

the tucson weekly seems to be the main listing place for local events. you can pick it up free around the town.

By: pepcorn

pepcorn — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:21:11 -0800

Make it to the top of Mount Lemon if you have time. There was a community called summerhaven up there..I think there were fires this summer and wiped everything out, though. It maybe grim. Oh, the seven falls hike in sabino canyon is a perfect day hike...I think it's like 7 miles...you end up at a nice waterfall where everyone eats their pack lunch.

By: RockyChrysler

RockyChrysler — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:27:38 -0800

third the sonoran desert museum (the walk-in hummingbird exhibit is rad)... and i dig fourth avenue, too... depending on your point-of-origin and cultural inclinations i would recommend south tucson as a far more interesting locale to tourist than the hoity foothills; just mho. also (if culture's your thing and you don't mind driving just a bit) check out san xavier del bac. it's cool too.

By: Pressed Rat

Pressed Rat — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:31:46 -0800

If cholesterol isn't an issue, try the 32 oz steak at Lil Abners on Silverbell, and if you're into kitschy Western fair, the old movie set for many of Hollywood westerns (John Wayne, High Chapparal, etc. ) is nearby.

By: liam

liam — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:48:31 -0800

There's a good but long hike from the Sabino Canyon to a big swim hole called Hutch's Pool, and a short one in the Saguaro National Park West (on the way out to the Desert Museum and Old Tucson) that perches you nicely for a grand sunset view.

There's excellent cheap and filling Mexican food in South Tucson at El Guero Canelo.

For a fine dinner, there's the Cafe Poca Cosa who also do a fantastic breakfast at their Little Poca Cosa offshoot around the corner.

The Hotel Congress bars, lobby and cafe are congenial places to hang out.

By: Mid

Mid — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:07:56 -0800

The seven falls hike in Sabino is really great -- though I wonder how much water will be in the falls this time of year. (Aren't the falls from snow melt?)

By: climalene

climalene — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 17:05:21 -0800

I'll add the very original suggestion that you Hike! Sabino! Canyon! It's lovely; everyone here is correct.

Also, buy some books from Bookman's.

By: climalene

climalene — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 19:21:53 -0800

Also, if you're still checking this thread, there's the Gordon Hirabayashi Rec Area. F'ing amazing -- it's an old prison camp from WWII named for a Japanese-American guy who protested internment and was thus imprisoned there. Now it's a ruin, with some of the best educational signage I've ever seen. Some info here. Hard to describe -- the camp was a sustainable community of sorts.

It's a bit high -- when I was there in December a few years ago, it snowed. Hard. So dress warmly.