With a surprising array of remarkable sights, one-of-a-kind attractions, and cool escapes, there’s no reason to stay home this summer. Visit Tucson for an exhilarating getaway, close to home.
Internationally acclaimed artist Ted DeGrazia captured the Southwest with a style all his own. Commemorate his 100th birthday, and view rarely seen works by the beloved Tucson artist.
Tucson hotels and resorts offer great discounts in the summer, and you can save even more with a summer surprise package. Book now for the best deals at the coolest locations.
See how Tucson surprised these visitors:
All winners
Joe - Scottsdale, AZ Brian - Gilbert, AZ Nicole - Tucson, AZ Elizabeth - Oro Valley, AZ Harriet - Cave Creek, AZ Tina - Mesa, AZGloria - Tucson, AZ Cheryl - Oro Valley, AZ John - Tucson, AZ Harriet - Phoenix, AZ Paul - Mescalero, NM
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
This all-inclusive package features homemade, early-morning picnic breakfast to go. Guests also receive two-for-one coupons at many Tucson attractions. Plus, stay six nights and receive the seventh night free. Alta Vista Bed and Breakfast Inn is located on the eastern edge of Tucson - a serene desert oasis with panoramic mountain and valley views. Our serene setting with many shade trees, a fountain and feeders encourage life birds to visit for your viewing pleasure. We are also located near other renowned birding areas such as Agua Caliente Park, Saguaro National Park East, Sabino Canyon, Sweetwater and close to a cool drive to Mt. Lemmon. We use organically grown ingredients from our gardens and orchard in the breakfast. Be sure to greet our famous resident pet roadrunner, Roadie. We are rated number one on Trip Advisor and you may see more images at altavistabedandbreakfast.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGFSiNjr0Go. Offer valid: 05/01/2009 to 10/01/2009
This package offers deluxe accommodations for up to four people, full breakfast buffet for up to four people, a $25 food and beverage credit to use in any of our three dining or lounge options or poolside. Of course the package also includes a surprise. Enjoy fajita Fridays in the Javelina Cantina, Saturday night dive-in movies, liquid Sunday pool parties, and Sunday brunch in the Cactus Rose or daily specials in the Javelina Cantina. Take advantage of on-site massage, local shopping, attractions, golf and Reid Park. Whatever you do, enjoy! There is no minimum night stay requirement.
Birdie Golf Package: $99 per person per night, based on double occupancy
Beautiful one-bedroom villa over looking a magnificent golf course, mountain or city views. Unlimited golf at either El Conquistador Country Club or Golf Club at Vistoso. Rate and courses subject to availability.
Eagle Golf Package: $139 per person per night, based on double occupancy
Beautiful one-bedroom villa over looking a magnificent golf course, mountain or city views. Unlimited golf at either Arizona National, Starr Pass or Ventana Canyon. Minimum of double occupancy. Rate and courses subject to availability.
Reservations: (520) 498-0098 or (888) 388-0098 toll free
Hacienda del Desierto Bed & Breakfast
Summer Surprise Package $139 double occupancy per night
Package includes breakfast for up to 3 guests in the Patio Suite, La Rosa, or the Galleria and a free Southern Arizona Attractions Passport which provides 2-for-1 entrance fees to many popular area attractions. The added value is a 3rd person free and a free Southern Arizona Attractions Passport. There is no minimum night stay requirement and children are welcome.
Lush-Ious Package: $99 per person, double occupancy*
For every night of your stay at Hacienda del Sol booked under this package, you will receive a $120.00 credit towards our award-winning dining room, THE GRILL. The choice is yours – cocktails, appetizers, wine, dinner – whatever you desire to apply the credit towards. Plus, a complimentary bottle of red or white wine that we have selected is also yours as part of this Lush-ious offer. The $120.00 credit will be applied to your room account, as will anything you choose to spend over the $120.00 credit amount (Credit amount may not be used towards tax or gratuity).
Spa-ahhh for Two Package: $99 per person, double occupancy*
For every night of your stay at Hacienda del Sol booked under this package, you will receive a $110.00 credit towards a couple’s massage in the luxurious Hacienda del Sol spa. Your services will be charged to your room account, and the credit will be applied. Credit amount can not be used towards tax and gratuity.
Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort
Funds for Fun Package: $150, plus tax with a $100 resort credit for every night you stay!
Wondering what to do this summer for a getaway? Stay at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador and YOU create your own package! Included with your deluxe guestroom is a resort credit of $100 to spend any way you want and additional coupons for discounts through-out the resort. Rates are per night and based upon single or double occupancy. Children under 18 stay free with adult).(Rates are per night and based upon single or double occupancy. Children under 18 stay free with adult. Advance Reservations required.
It’s a Bar-B-Q & $50 Bucks too Package: $234.00, plus tax, for two adults and two children.
Bring out your inner cowboy at a finger licking good bar-b-q dinner served at our Last Territory Western site complete with indoor and outdoor seating and a great western atmosphere. Your package includes, $50 resort credit, deluxe guestroom accommodations for Friday & Saturday night, bar-b-que dinner for 2 adults and 2 children and additional coupons for discounts. Activities every day. Additional charges apply for additional guests. Package is based upon availability. Advance reservations required.
Reservations: (520) 544-5000 or (800) Hiltons
Hotel Tucson City Center
Summer Surprise Package: $69.00 per night
Package includes full breakfast buffet and social hour. Plus you’ll get 15% off PJ’s Café for lunch & dinner. Upgrade to an Executive Jacuzzi Suite for $20.00. On the 4th of July our property has front row seat to Tucson’s Best Firework Display!
Rates start at $69 per night for either Traditional or totally new Resort guest rooms, including complimentary continental breakfast. Use Promo Code LOTD69.
Marriott University Park/The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Play Where the Pros Play Golf Package: $229-$269 per night
Package includes Lodging for two at the Marriott University Park Hotel, plus two 18-hole rounds of golf at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. Home of the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship, the course integrates solid strategy, variety and fair shot values into each hole. After a great day on the course, retreat to the elegant comfort of the Marriott University Park. Enjoy the fabulous accommodations located in the heart of Tucson's most vibrant neighborhood and Main Gate Square. Valid Thursday through Sunday through 11/30/09.
Package includes resort credit equal to the room rate, valid for golf, spa, and dining (example: If the room rate is $129, you get a $129 resort credit to be used on property) ** Credit must be consumed during guest stay, no refunds will be provided if full credit is not used, this rate does not include room tax or resort fee
Summer Surprise Package: Starting at $69.95 per night
The Riverpark Inn is a full service, AAA 3 Diamond hotel with easy access to the I-10 and I-19 Freeways. Our downtown location is convenient to all of Tucson’s dining, shopping & sightseeing attractions. Our Summer Surprise Package includes deluxe accommodations for single/double occupancy (kids under 16 are free), complimentary Full American Breakfast Buffet, free parking, free local calls, free high speed internet access and a “Summer Surprise Welcome Basket.” Package price is subject to availability and may not be available during major holidays or special events. Valid – 6/1/09 to 9/30/09
Reservations: (520) 239-2300 or (800) 551-1466 Ask for the “Tucson Summer Surprise Package”
Tanque Verde Ranch
Summer Special: rate of $395 for two, $125 per person over two.
This is all-inclusive rate covers all horseback riding, lessons, three gourmet meals, mountain biking, hiking, nature programs, tennis, evening programs, and all other regularly scheduled activities. When you add it all up, the room is essentially free.
Experience an exceptional getaway at one of Southern Arizona's best courses. Package includes luxurious accommodations, unlimited golf on 27-hole championship course, lunch at La Cantina, and 15% off spa and salon services. Rate above is for 1 golfer. To add another golfer, cost is an additional $40 weekday and $50 weekend. Lunch includes either hamburger or hot dog, chips & soda at La Cantina only. To upgrade to our Hacienda Suite, add an additional $30. Unlimited golf play is per night booked
Couples Spa Getaway: $199 per night
Step into a place that not only takes you back, but brings you back. Enjoy luxurious accommodations and relaxing surroundings, all only 35 minutes South of Tucson. Package includes one night in our luxurious Hacienda Suite complete with Jacuzzi Tub and two 25-minute spa treatments.
Summer Surprise Package: $85 per person based in double occupancy
Package includes 3-days 2-nights stay and one personal pizza from our Famous Joey Pizza. Minimum Stay: 2 Nights. Extra Night: $35.00 per person. Extra Person: $20.00 per night. Maximum Number of people per suite 4
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa invites you to experience renewal this summer with rates starting at $119 per night. Book your stay from May 21 through September 12, 2009 to enjoy this exclusive summer rate. To make a reservation call 1-866-716-8137 and ask for rate plan SUMMER.
Reservations: (866) 716-8137
Westward Look Resort
Sizzling Summer Staycation: $89* per night
Package includes breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children in GOLD for each night of your stay, plus buy 1 adult entrée get 1 kids menu entrée free in the Lookout Bar & Grille. Spend your days enjoying three newly-renovated sparkling pools, suite-sized rooms, on-site hiking & biking, an expanded fitness center and contemporary American cuisine at our recently unveiled GOLD restaurant. *Package rate valid May 26-September 8, 2009. Other restrictions may apply.
Sizzling Summer Savings: 10% off food June 1-14, 5-7pm
We are kicking off summer with a new, lighter menu that's packed with local freshness at greatly reduced prices. Try our new menu June 1st through June 14th between 5pm and 7pm and take an additional 10% off (food only).
Father’s Day Special: $45
reservations strongly recommended
Address: 4340 N. Campbell Ave. 85718 Contact: (520) 232-0101 or www.acaciatucson.com
Bluefin Seafood Bistro
Seasonal Menu
Summer is in the air at Bluefin, where the seasonally-changing menu brings light new tastes with the freshest seafood in town. Enjoy new light fare such as: Green Corn Soup with tomatillos and roasted chilies ($6); Roasted Beet and Warm Goat Cheese Salad in tarragon vinaigrette ($8.5); Pan Seared Sea Scallops, wild-mushroom tomato coulis, basil oil, parmesan polenta cake, served with sautéed spinach ($23); and Pan Fried Chicken Breast, buttermilk soaked, fresh herb gravy, horseradish mashed potatoes ($16). Some tasty favorites from our lunch/bar menu will be served for dinner as well including: Maine Lobster Roll, with scallion, red pepper, celery, caper mayonnaise, coleslaw, fries. ($14); and crispy Fish and Chips, beer batter, coleslaw, fries, house-made tartar ($12).
Address: 7053 N. Oracle Road (In Casas Adobes Plaza) Contact: (520) 531-8500, www.bluefintucson.com
Hacienda del Sol
Happy Hour Specials: $5 wines and half price well drinks and Hacienda Margaritas.
The Grill at Hacienda del Sol is a culinary-award winner, receiving the acclaimed Award of Ultimate Distinction from Wine Enthusiast. Happy Hour on Monday through Friday begins on Friday, May 1, 2009. The specials feature $5 wines and half price well drinks and Hacienda Margaritas.
Third Wednesday Wine Dinners: $30 per person
Enjoy 3 small plate course pairings with 4 wines for just $30.00 per person. Each month features a new and enticing theme. Reservations required, 520-299-1501 May 20, 2009 – Zinfandel June 17, 2009 – “Ciao Bella”, Tour of Italy July 15, 2009 – “Viva el Vino”, Spanish varietals August 19, 2009 – Tour de France September 16, 2009 – Pacific varietals from Washington & Oregon
Wine Tasting & 50% off select bottles of wine
Every Tuesday features free wine tastings in the newly refurbished Joesler Room. Take 50% off bottles from tasting for retail purchase and or to enjoy with dinner.
Address: 5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Contact: (520) 299-1501 or (800) 728-6514, www.haciendadelsol.com
JaxKitchen
Three-course dinner for $20 per person (June 2 – Aug. 30)
Working with all of the other Tucson Original restaurants, we will offer a 3-course dinner for $20.09 per person. We are really excited for this special, and paired with a pitcher of sangria...this could be the perfect meal!
Address: 7286 N. Oracle Rd. Contact: (520) 219-1235 , www.jaxkitchen.com
Miguel’s at La Posada
Four-course, prix-fixe menu at just $20.00 per person
Miguel’s at La Posada is offering unique Latin American cuisine at an unbelievably low fare! Start the evening with a robust Tortilla Soup, with tomatoes, avocado, Chihuahua cheese cilantro and crisp tortillas, followed by a Sonora Salad of organic field greens, olives, roasted tomatoes, cucumber, onion and glazed pecans tossed in a scarlet pomegranate vinaigrette. Entrées include a choice of: Chicken Asado in a roasted tomatillo and garlic sauce; The “Gregorio” Enchilada stuffed with chicken and mild mushrooms and baked with salsa colorada, sour cream and three cheeses; and Pistachio Tilapia coated in crushed pistachios and sweet coconut sauce. Dessert features Tres Leches or Capirotada de Lujo.
Address: 5900 N. Oracle Road (South of Rudasill Rd.) Contact: (520) 887-3777, www.miguelstucson.com
Pastiche
Philanthropy With Phlavor: 5% donation to charity
For the entire month of June, we will donate 5% of your check to the charity of your choice.
Summer Feature: $20.09
We are combining our signature dishes to create our summer feature! Baby Greens and Bourbon Salmon, both for only $20.09!
Special Summer Wine Tastings: $15 per person in advance ($20 at the door)
Held June 9, and June 15. Please see website for details.
Pastiche Summer Wine Menu: Reduced-price wines
Pastiche Summer Wine Menu Is in full effect and will run through Labor Day. All of our wines in the restaurant are specially priced (basically half off). And I do mean every wine! We are offering over 300 wines under $25.
Address: 3025 N Campbell Ave. Contact: (520) 325-3333 or www.pasticheme.com
Tucson Originals Restaurants
Summer Specials: $20.09
More than 30 independent, locally owned restaurants make up Tucson Originals. Visit the Tucson Originals website to find out what scrumptious dishes your favorite restaurants are offering in their $20.09 summer specials.
Visitors will be hard-pressed to find, anywhere in the country, a better photography museum than The University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography — and did we mention it’s free? Founded in 1975 by world-famous photographer Ansel Adams and former UA president John Schaefer, the CCP holds more archives and individual works by 20th-century North American photographers than any other museum in the nation.
Exhibitions change throughout the year, but the permanent collection includes more than 90,000 prints by 2,225 photographers. Archives include negatives, albums, manuscripts, correspondence and memorabilia — some 3.8 million items. CCP works have toured 39 cities in six countries. Admissions is free, though contributions are welcomed. For information, call (520) 621-1331 or visit www.creativephotography.org
Highlights for Photo Buffs
The Center offers anyone the chance to schedule a private session to carefully examine original prints — access to more than 60,000 works by nearly 2,000 photographers!
Having one of the country’s leading public universities in your backyard brings some definite benefits, not the least of which is free access to stunning and important works of art. The University of Arizona Museum of Art houses wide-ranging collections of 5,000+ paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, with an emphasis on European and American fine art from the Renaissance to the present. You don’t need to be an art expert to recognize some of the names represented in the Museum’s holdings: Rodin, Moore, Pollock, Picasso, Dali, Miró, Lichtenstein, Rembrandt, Goya, Delacroix, and many, many more.
Exhibits this summer highlight watercolors, paintings and drawings of animals, art of the Americas and the works of James McNeill Whistler and other master artists. The UA Museum of Art is open Sunday through Friday, and admission is free. For information, call (520) 621-7567 or visit www.artmuseum.arizona.edu.
The original Fox Theatre, designed as a dual vaudeville/movie house with a full stage, opened in 1930 and, in 1936, became the first Tucson business to offer that most extravagant of technologies, air conditioning!
Now, more than 70 years later, the Fox is still one of Tucson’s coolest attractions. Restored to its original Southwestern Art Deco splendor (the only known example of the style, originally described as “Spanish Modernistic”), the theatre itself is as much a visual treat as the shows it presents. 7:30pm showtimes. Adults $8, students, seniors and active members of the military $6. See more event information at www.foxtucsontheatre.org.
Date Night Highlight
Hearken back to an earlier era, snuggle up with someone special in loveseat-style balcony seating of an earlier era and enjoy classic movies all summer long: The African Queen, Sunset Boulevard, It Happened One Night and more.
Tucson’s Museum of Contemporary Art — MOCA — offers art exhibitions and educational events around the city. The Museum focuses on artists from circa 1970 to present, presenting a range of work from around the world and, of course, from talented Tucson artists! MOCA programming changes throughout the year. For the most current information, please call (520) 624-6873 or email info@moca-tucson.org. Summer hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 12 - 5pm. Admission is free to members, $5 for non-members.
As a child, did you dream of running away to join the circus? This summer, run away to Southern Arizona and live your childhood dream through Tucson Circus Arts.
Led by a handful of creative performers and artists with a collective century of experience astounding and delighting audiences, TCA offers classes (including evening and early morning classes and options for private instruction) in stilt-walking, Taiko drumming, fire twirling and juggling (fire poi), aerial silk acrobatics, mime performance and more. Whether it’s the main reason for your visit or just a way to add a truly unique dimension to your summer getaway, Tucson Circus Arts offers an experience you’ll never forget!
Hiss! Cheer! Eat! It’s melodrama at its best where evening entertainment meets eats. A longstanding draw for residents and visitors alike, the Gaslight Theatre puts on fast-moving, high-flying, fun family shows with plenty of audience participation.
Summer shows include Harlies Angels (or “Clues but No Cigar”), The Adventures of the Freedom League of America (or “Tights make Right”) and The Legend of Cronan the Barbarian or (“Take my Sword for It”). Settle in, order up some appetizers, dinner or dessert and prepare to laugh.
Tickets before sales tax are $17.95 for adults, $15.95 for students, military and seniors (60+), and $7.95 for children 12 and under.
Mornings in June, parents can drop off kids for Gaslight Youth Theatre. Campers learn the ins and outs of acting, singing, dancing and stage make-up application.
Nostalgic Nosh
The folks at Gaslight also operates the adjoining Little Anthony's Diner, a flashback to the 50s with red leatherette booths, black and white tile, great pizza, burgers, fries and authentic malts and shakes.
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
Renowned artist Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia captured the Southwest with a style unlike any other painter before him. Join us to commemorate his 100th birthday. This summer, visit his home and chapel in the Catalina Foothills for a special exhibition, DeGrazia: 100 Years, 100 Works, featuring rarely seen works.
Summer Highlights for Art Lovers
DeGrazia Centennial Festival. See the exhibit DeGrazia: 100 Years, 100 Works after hours and enjoy music by Ted DeGrazia’s son Domingo DeGrazia and his Spanish-guitar band. The award-winning Ellington Big Band will share the stage, playing compositions Ted DeGrazia wrote in the 1930s and 1940s when he was a student at the University of Arizona studying music and art. Films produced by DeGrazia will round out the multi-media celebration of this illustrious artist. Saturday, June 13, 2009, 6 - 9pm.
DeGrazia: A Modernist Perspective. This Tucson Museum of Art exhibit features approximately twenty lesser-known works on paper, canvas, and ceramics that reveal different stylistic approaches than the quintessential images most associate with DeGrazia. This rare glimpse will reveal influences from impressionist, fauvist, regionalist, and modernist perspectives. June 12 - October 25.
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
Once one of the United State’s top secret places, the Titan Missile Museum now welcomes visitors to explore the depths of the country’s cold war history. This is the only place on earth you can see the largest missile ever made by the United States.
Summer Highlights for Families
Science Saturdays. Children can learn how to build and fly seltzer and balloon rockets that they take home with them on special Science Saturdays: May 30, June 27, July 25, and August 29. Reservations required.
Moonlight Madness Tours. Beat the heat and tour the Titan Missile Museum by the light of the full moon! Special activities for kids include launching seltzer rockets, sampling space food and taking the astronaut test. Dates: May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, and September 12. Reservations required.
Let your child — or inner child — play all day in the Tucson Children’s Museum in Tucson’s historic Carnegie Library building downtown. Combining education and fun, the Museum offers hands-on exhibits ranging from the Electri-City Gallery to the Enchanted Rain Forest.
Animal lovers will delight in the fossils and life-sized animated giant reptiles of Dinosaur World and the tide pools and coral reef of Ocean Discovery Center. Budding artists will feel right at home (and on stage) in the Art Studio, Light Writer and the Musica de Las Americas exhibit.
Mind Your Own Body rounds out the education mix (right next the Mouse House) but before you go, be sure to pick up some tools in the Build It room, find your way into and back out of the Rope Maze and check out the Young Explorer computer stations throughout the museum!
TCM also offers arts and crafts activities and special presenters all summer long, and the Museum Store doubles as a satellite shop of one of Tucson’s most beloved businesses, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s Toys!
Regular admission is $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and children ages 2 - 18.
Evening Adventures
Venture down to TCM for Monsoon Monday Nights through Labor Day, when the Museum offers special activities and presentations plus regular exhibits from 5 - 8pm. All admissions just $1!
The AMERICAN BICYCLE ASSOCIATION invites you to attend the ABA Southwest Nationals of Bicycle Motocross (BMX), to be held at the Tucson Convention Center, August 7-8, 2009. Best of all, admission is always FREE to the Public!
Watch top BMX racers from around the U.S. and Canada compete on a dirt course featuring jumps of all shapes and sizes. The massive track will be built inside the Tucson Convention Center Arena, so you can enjoy the action in air-conditioned comfort. Come see Tucson's own national-level rider Corbin Sharrah along with close to 2,000 riders of all ages.
FRIDAY Practice from 12-6:00pm. Pre-race at 6:00pm
SATURDAY is the first day of the ABA Southwest Nationals of BMX. Racing begins at 11:00am and will conclude at approximately 7:00pm.
SUNDAY caps off the weekend's festivities with day 2 of the ABA Southwest Nationals of BMX. Racing begins at 8:00am sharp and will conclude around 5:00pm.
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
Tucson is becoming a renowned food destination. The city is home to dozens of original dining establishments, with everything from the elegance of contemporary continental dining to casual gourmet temptations
One of Tucson’s newest dining spots, jaxKitchen, has already become a local favorite. Its signature dishes are American comfort food with European flair. The intimate setting has an urban elegance that makes it an ideal spot for romantic dinners and girlfriend get-togethers.
Enjoy “new” Southwestern cuisine from one of its creators, Chef Janos Wilder at Janos. Taking full advantage of native ingredients like cactus paddles and saguaro blossoms, Wilder creates new dishes with old flavors that thrill locals and visitors alike.
For 25 years, Native Seeds/SEARCH (Southwestern Endangered Aridland Resource Clearing House) has championed the cultural significance and genetic potential of diverse traditional crops of the Southwest.
Their seed bank — with more than 1,800 varieties of aridland-adapted crops, many of them endangered — is a treasure for gardeners and agricultural scientists, but it’s the Native Seeds/SEARCH store that’s a draw for Tucsonans and visitors alike.
Beyond baskets, more than masks and not just jewelry, the store offers foodies an unmatched selection of traditional and hard-to-find seeds and plants transformed into baking mixes, chile pastes and grains and flours plus native beans and seeds, spices, herbs, teas, soup mixes and more. Buy supplies to take home, then visit the organization’s website to find recipes for blue cornmeal ravioli dough, chiltepin salsa and a handful of other delectable dishes.
Join Native Seeds/SEARCH on June 20, El Dia de San Juan, at their conservation farm near Patagonia south of Tucson. Tour the farm, pitch in on a project and join in the annual potluck lunch!
Calling all foodies—it's not just a place to go, it's 40 places to go! Tucson Originals is a network of local restaurants, independently owned and operated, that set the high standard of Tucson cuisine. Restaurants vary from quick and casual to fine dining but always feature fresh ingredients, local flavors and flare and an eye for presentation. In summer months, select restaurants feature recurring specials: ½-price bottles of wine, late-night dining, cooking classes, evening jazz on the patio and other events.
Eat Out for a Great Cause
Through September, Tucson Originals restaurants join with the Primavera Foundation to raise money for poverty, homelessness and social injustice through "Primavera Cooks," a series of special dining events at some of Tucson's best-loved restaurants.
Celebrate 2009 for just $20.09
Through Labor Day, Tucson Originals are also offering $20.09 Summer Dining Specials: specially selected menu combinations ranging from dessert and wine flights to lunches for two, traditional strip steak or lobster dinners and original creations for more adventuresome tastes (think three-cheese and roasted-pistachio stuffed onion or grilled ribeye topped with Tiger shrimp and veggies in a white wine sauce!).
Kids, parents, and grandparents will enjoy the passionate strumming and energetic rhythms of mariachi musicians at many Mexican restaurants, including La Fuente. Other popular places to see Spanish-speaking troubadours with guitarróns, violins and trumpets are At El Mezon de Cobre and Guadalajara Grill.
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
Tucked in Texas Canyon in the Little Dragoon Mountains, just an hour east of Tucson, the Amerind Foundation offers visitors one of the finest private collections of Native American art and artifacts in the country. Duck out of the heat and into the past, exploring Amerind’s permanent collection of artists’ depictions of people and animals in works of clay, stone, wood, ivory, metal, beads, fiber and leather, representing cultures stretching from the Arctic down into South America.
Elsewhere in the museum, stroll through a timeline of artifacts dating back to the Paleo-Indians through the early farming cultures of the Hohokam, Mogollon, and Ancestral Pueblos. From fragile 1,600 year old baskets and sandals to a bow made and signed by Geronimo to contemporary pottery, the archeological treasures of Amerind will busy your imagination for hours in air conditioned comfort.
Adult admission is $5, with kids under 12 admitted free and discounts for seniors, college students with ID and children ages 12 - 18. Call (520) 586-4679 or visit www.Amerind.org for information.
Arizona State Museum
Southern Arizona has a rich cultural heritage that spans the centuries, from ancient times to present. Artifacts from the region’s earliest inhabitants are housed at the Arizona State Museum on the University of Arizona campus. The museum also holds the largest collection of whole-vessel Southwest Indian pottery in the world. Other cool facts: it’s the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest, and it is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
Highlights for History Buffs
Our Fathers, Our Grandfathers, Our Heroes...The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II From July 17 to August 16, see this tribute to the famed United States Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers. A pilot group of twenty-nine volunteers developed and tested the original code, based on the Navajo language, in 1942. The ingenuity of the Navajo code, and the bravery of the Navajo Marines, greatly helped in the effort to win the war in the Pacific. This traveling exhibition is produced and circulated by the Circle of Light Navajo Educational Project, Gallup, New Mexico.
The oldest surviving mission in Southern Arizona, Mission San José de Tumacácori, stands a short drive south of Tucson on the protected lands of the Tumacácori National Historical Park. Established in 1691 by Jesuit priest Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, Tumacácori shares the NHP grounds with two other mission ruins, Guevavi and Calabazas. The visitor center houses a museum and bookstore, including a 15-minute video detailing the history and significant features of the missions. Admission to the park and visitor center is free.
Highlights for Kids (of All Ages!)
Tumacácori National Historical Park offers a special activity for the young and young at heart: the Junior Ranger Photo Hunt. Under adult direction, rangers tour and learn about the Park while seeking out items pictures in a collection of Photo Hunt images.
Highlights for History Buffs
The NHP offers an online database of the missions’s logs of births and deaths, marriages, baptisms, troop inspections, sentencings and more dating back to 1698, with many entries including stunning scans of original documents. Check out the Mission 2000 project at http://home.nps.gov/applications/tuma/search.cfm.
Nine miles south of Tucson, the Mission San Xavier del Bac rises above the floor of the Santa Cruz Valley as what many call the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. Dating back to 1783, the structure seamlessly blends Moorish, Byzantine and Mexican Renaissance architectures in a stately assemblage of towers, parapets and spires flanking a graceful dome.
Yet as striking as it is from outside, it’s the Mission’s interior that garnered international attention when Paul Schwartzbaum — conservator of the Guggenheim Museum and a member of the commission that oversaw the conservation of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel — led a team of scientists and artists to restore the paintings, gilt and sculptural art that grace nearly every inch of the mission’s walls, domes and pillars.
The Mission stands on the Tohono O’odham reservation, where the word “bac” means “the place where water appears.” The region was named for the Santa Cruz River which, hundreds of years ago, resurfaced there after running underground from the north. Today, the sublime art that fills San Xavier del Bac is the true oasis, an unexpected, unique cultural treasure arising out of nowhere in the heart of the Southwest.
The San Xavier del Bac Mission is open for self-guided tours seven days a week and offers early morning mass Sunday through Friday. Admission is always free.
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
Through September, Tucson’s world-renowned Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum extends its Saturday hours into our beautiful summer nights. While some exhibits close at night so that the animals can rest, mountain lions, beavers, bats and other nocturnal desert dwellers are especially active at night.
Throughout the night, along the Museum’s nearly two miles of paths, docents offer entertaining information on night-sky wonders, fluorescent minerals, night pollinators and insects, animal eye shine and more. The Museum’s snack bar, coffee shop, gift shops and two restaurants all stay open until 9pm or later for these very special desert nights! Summer Saturday Evenings admissions are just $6 after 4pm for adults and kids ages 6 - 12 and free to kids under 5.
Highlights for kids
Special Saturday night events include a chance to make your own erupting volcano, bug night, bat night, family astronomy night, storytelling sessions and more.
Just east of Tucson, Colossal Cave Mountain Park provides another opportunity to escape the summer sun. Inside the cave, the temperature is a refreshing 70 degrees, and unlike Kartchner Cavern, this cave is dry. Take a tour to see stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, boxwork, and helictites. Learn about the cave inhabitants, regional geology, and hear tales of a Wild West treasure still said to be hidden in the cave.
Highlights for Thrill Seekers
If you’re feeling really strong, you can make reservations for a Wild Cave Tour. You and your guides will follow the footsteps of early explorers through unlit, unmarked, and rarely seen passageways that extend a quarter mile into the depths of the earth. Hard hats and lights are provided; participants must be 18 or older, physically fit, agile, and able to scale obstacles. Reservations required. Call 647-3450 or 647-7121. Learn more.
Southern Arizona is home to spectacular Kartchner Caverns. The brilliantly colored formations in this rare living cave are some of the best in the world, and even in summer the average temperature inside the cave is a cool 68 degrees.
Highlights for Adventurers of All Ages
Everyday from June 1 to September 4 you can save big during the Amazing Summer Cave Tour Discount. Adult Cave Tour Tickets are only $12 (save $6.95). Youth Cave Tour Tickets are only $5 (save $4.95). Promotion cannot be combined with other discounts or coupons. To get tickets call (520) 586-2283. Tickets are expected to sell fast, so call early to reserve your preferred date. It's an amazing deal on an amazing adventure.
Almost 7,000 feet above sea level — and 15 to 20 degrees cooler than downtown Tucson — stands the world’s largest group of optical telescopes (24 in all, and two radio telescopes to boot) at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and National Solar Observatory.
Here on a mountain summit, part of the Tohono O’Odham reservation, scientists conduct nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and daytime study of the sun. But visitors can get in on the action, too! The Kitt Peak Visitor Center leads three guided tours a day at just $4 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 6-12. A picnic area just below the summit provides cool climes for family outings year-round, and the visitor center gift shop offers a wide selection of authentic Tohono O’Odham baskets and crafts as well as a large assortment of astronomical items, books, images and souvenirs. Learn more about Kitt Peak
Explore the Skies by Night
Every night through July and resuming September 2, Kitt Peak offers small-group viewings of planets and distant galaxies through three of the Observatory’s telescopes. Adult tickets $46 with discounts for active military, seniors and students from grade school through college. Reservations recommended 2 - 4 weeks in advance at (520) 318-8726.
Note that the Observatory also offers a rare opportunity to learn form and observe the skies alongside some of the world's leading space scientists through day and evening astronomy camps. This year are already full up, so you may want to plan ahead for next year! More info at www.astronomycamp.org.
Mt. Lemmon
Take advantage of Tucson’s close proximity to higher elevations, and enjoy the great outdoors all summer long. Outdoor enthusiasts can easily escape for a day of hiking or mountain biking through aspen groves or simply relaxing in the pine-scented mountain breeze. It’s 30 miles from Tucson and up to 30 degrees cooler. Call (520) 576-1321 for information.
High atop the tallest peak in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, beyond the ski valley, more than 6,000 feet above sea level, The University of Arizona’s Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter brings astronomy and ecology expertise to an ideal setting to give visitors a look at nature unlike any they’ve had before.
Via the SkyNights program UA astronomers teach kids and adults of all ages about star charts and atmospheric phenomena before sunset. After dark, participants enter the SkyCenter observatory to view distant galaxies, clusters of young stars, comets, meteors, moons, rings and other cosmic wonders through a high-quality 24-inch telescope.
Weekends on the cool, pine-forest sky island, the DiscoveryDays program reveals the natural wonders of the Catalina Mountains as visitors learn about tree-ring science, hummingbirds, asteroid strikes and more through hands-on activities alongside UA scientists. The $48 SkyNights admission price includes a light dinner. The $40 DiscoveryDays admission price includes a light lunch. For information, call (520) 626-8122 or visit http://skycenter.arizona.edu/index.html.
Hiking a trail, strolling paved paths or seated in a comfortable tram, folks at any fitness level can enjoy the oasis escape of Tucson's Sabino Canyon in the Coronado Forest. Cacti and trees intermingle between streambeds and stately rock outcroppings, home to javelina, white-tail deer and a host of smaller desert dwellers: darting roadrunners, gentle tarantulas, playful squirrels and more.
Highlights for Summer Visitors
Now through June, visitors can experience Sabino Canyon by night with tram tours by light of a full moon: June 3 - 5, 9pm. Night rides resume September - November. $9 for adults, $4 for children 3-12. Call (520) 749-2327 for reservations.
Also during summer and winter rainy seasons, beat the heat with natural waterfalls, streams and pools throughout the canyon!
Reader's Digest named Tucson Botanical Gardens, founded in 1964, America's Best Secret Garden. Relax as you saunter through 16 specialty gardens on more than five acres of calm and quiet in the heart of Tucson. Begin or end your visit with a delicious lunch (with fresh herbs, of course!) or home baked pastries at the Gardens Café, featuring food by the progressive non-profit gourmets at Café 54.
Throughout summer, the Gardens also offers indoor classes for adults and kids on cooking, wildlife, paper arts, dance and more. General admission $7, children 4-12 $3. For information, call (520) 326-9686, ext. 10, visit www.tucsonbotanical.org.
Highlights for Evening and Morning Enjoyment
June through August, enjoy Tucson Botanical Gardens after hours for Twilight Thursdays — 13 evenings of food, live music, storytelling, educational activities and family fun, 5 - 9pm. Events are on, rain or shine!
Also through August, enjoy your walk in the cool, early morning air! Tuesdays the Gardens open at 7 a.m. And if you brought Fido for the family vacation, bring him along! Dog-walkers are admitted until 8:30 a.m. (the only time dogs are allowed). Regular rates apply, and for dog-walkers, $3 per pup.
Come explore the rich, delicious world of Tucson dining. We have hundreds of
original restaurants including many run by some of the finest chefs in the
world.
Keyword:
myTucson is our free, interactive vacation-planning tool that makes planning
your Tucson getaway fun and easy.
