Sights & Sounds of Tucson Itinerary

Suggested 3-Day Schedule

Day 1

Begin your day with a tour at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a 100-acre outdoor attraction. Which tells the unique story of the Sonoran Desert region. More than 300 species of live animals and 1,400 species of plants indigenous to the Sonoran Desert are exhibited in naturalistic habitats.
Requires 2 hours

Saguaro National Park West, gives you breathtaking views of our saguaro forest and you can explore ancient petroglyphs during a short hike into the park.
Requires 90 minutes

Mission San Xavier del Bac, the oldest intact European structure in Arizona and one of the finest examples of Spanish mission architecture in the United States. Founded in 1692 by a Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, the mission was created to serve, as it still does, the Tohono O’odham (“Desert People”) of the village of Wa:k.

Visitors can learn about the history, architecture, culture, and surroundings of the mission — known as, “The White Dove of the Desert”.
Requires approximately 45 minutes, Docent led tours

Mission San Xavier at Sunset

Day 2

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, a true desert oasis, provides a narrated ground-tram ride that is 45-minutes in duration. This is pristine canyon territory that showcases the plant and animal life of the region. Tram operates on the hour.

Head west to DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, a unique adobe compound which offers a glimpse of our Native American culture through art works by Ted DeGrazia.
Requires 1 hour

La Encantada a luxury outdoor shopping experience. A number of locally owned restaurants are available for your lunch options.   

Drive south to the Pima Air & Space Museum, where more than 300 aircraft are on display, representative of America’s aviation history. This impressive aircraft collection ranges from the first (a replica of the Wright flyer) to the ultimate flying machine, the famous SR-71A Blackbird.
Requires 3 hours

Tucson, The Foodie City
Dine at any one of the many unique locally-owned restaurants in Downtown Tucson, named by UNESCO in 2015 as International City of Gastronomy, the first in America!

The Sabino Canyon Crawler, Sabino Canyons tram system, guiding visitors through the park

Day 3

Experience year-round tours, community events, classes, and art exhibits, as well as the creative, seasonal menu of Café Botanica. With decades of celebrating living beauty, The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a unique gem not to be missed.

Become familiar with Tucson’s past, present, and future on a city tour including historic sites in the downtown area. We suggest the walking tour of the El Presidio Turquoise trail which is a 2 ½ mile long loop trail through downtown. The trail highlights sites of historic interest and is marked by a turquoise stripe on the sidewalk.

Shopping at Old Town Artisans, located in downtown Tucson’s El Presidio Historic District, houses, shops and galleries, contemporary and traditional art and fine crafts from a variety of local artists.

Don't leave town before sampling America's Best Mexican Food in these Tucson-style comfort restaurants - El Charro Café or Penca.
Requires 3 hours, Local tour providers available

Butterfly Gardens at the Tucson Botanical Gardens