Tucson Must-Sees

520-733-5153

Bordering Tucson on the east and west, where the saguaro cactus reigns supreme, sometimes towering to heights of 50 feet. The park has something to offer year-round, but late February and March, the wildflowers are in bloom creating a colorful desert show.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Reid Park Zoo, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

The word “museum” might give you the wrong impression of what’s contained in the 98 acres of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It’s a zoo, an aquarium, a botanical garden and an art gallery all in one. With 230 animal species displayed in their natural habitat surrounded by 1,200 types of plants, if you want to understand the living, vibrant Sonoran desert, here’s where to start.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul Park

This Catholic mission built in 1783 about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson is generally considered the best example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States, but that description only scratches the surface of the beauty and history of this place. The interior and exterior are both breathtaking and the story of the church is a fascinating insight into the history of this region.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, Tumacacori National Historic Park, Amerind Museum

One of the world’s largest aerospace museums, Pima Air and Space Museum started with just a few planes in 1976 and has grown to a collection of over 300 aircraft from throughout the history of flight – even better, many of the docents worked on or flew the aircraft they’re discussing.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Biosphere 2, Titan Missile Museum

5900 N. Sabino Canyon Rd.; 520-749-2861

520-318-8000

Tucson has laws and regulations in place to keep its night skies as dark as possible and places like Kitt Peak are the reason why (although we all get to benefit from a sky full of stars most nights). 55 miles from Tucson and 6,880 feet above sea level, Kitt Peak’s 26 telescopes are used to discover the secrets of space but can be toured by everyday citizens daily. There’s also a nighttime program where visitors can watch the sunset from an amazing viewpoint, plus take in the stars with the help of the site’s scientists.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium

Ettore (“Ted”) DeGrazia is called the world’s most reproduced artist for his iconic and colorful images of Native American children and other Western scenes and the Gallery in the Sun was another manifestation of how he saw the American Southwest. A series of adobe buildings that were once DeGrazia’s home is now a museum celebrating his work and a beautiful celebration of the natural beauty of the area.

IF YOU LIKE THIS: Arizona State Museum, Etherton Gallery, Madaras Gallery

311 E. Congress St., 520-622-8848