Tucson is in Arizona state, Pima County. It is the second state in Arizona in terms of size after Phoenix. It has five hundred thousand inhabitants and is home to Arizona University. 

This city is on the north side of the US-Mexico border. So, the adjacent desert influences its terrain, flora and fauna, and weather. 

When visiting Tucson, there are leafy gardens, beautiful architecture, desert fauna and flora, traditional activities, and diverse Mexican-inspired beverages and food.

10 Best Things to Do in Tucson

Your Tuscon trip can include these visits. Check the list below to see which ones suit you.

1. Desert at Sonora Desert Museum :

Sonora desert museum
Image Source: tucson.com

This desert museum is spread over ninety-eight acres. It is also among the best things to do in Tucson today. Moreover, it features a botanical zoo, aquarium, art gallery, and a natural history museum. The museum has focused on visitor education. 

The curriculum mainly focuses on the diverse flora and fauna in the desert region. 

This region also houses over two hundred species of animals and more than one thousand plant types. This is the most visited destination in Arizona. Therefore, it attracts more than four hundred thousand travelers each year. 

It also has diverse exhibitions. All exhibitions portray contemporary and historical descriptions of plant life and wildlife. They include life on rocks, cat canyons, rivers, and the sea.

2. Sabino Canyon :

Sabino Canyon
Image Source: americansouthwest.net

The sabino canyon is found in the north of Tucson and is in the nest of the Coronado National Forest and Santa Catalina. It offers fun things to do in Tucson, like trails, trekking, hiking, and majestic views.  

The canyon is situated in a desert. However, there is an adjacent creek. It boasts majestic waterfalls. You can observe all of them while crossing the bridge. 

For those who love hiking, the canyon has a team with nine stops on the way.

3. Saguaro National Park :

Saguaro national park
Image Source: national-park.com

The saguaro national park is split into west and east locations. This park has sections of the Sonoran desert, the Tucson Mountains, and the Rincon Mountains. 

The park gets its name from the cactus available there. You will come across these cactuses everywhere. 

When you take the hiking route through the desert, you will see them too. Hiking also tests your stamina and endurance. However, park authorities say attempting long hikes during summer is risky. 

4. Be a Botanist at Tucson Botanical Garden :

Tucson botanical garden
Image Source: wedding-spot.com

If you want to stroll in natural surroundings, visit the botanical gardens. It has sixteen different gardens. Then, you won’t have to wonder while looking for things to do in Tucson this weekend. The complex has over five acres and provides a quiet respite in the frantic city. The garden has themes that promote Arizona flora to its visitors. 

The flora comprises the Zen, butterfly, and children’s gardens. There is also a gallery in the complex. Again, it offers several rotating installations and exhibitions on themes regarding botanical interests, including desert plants.

5. Wild Walk at Reid Park Zoo :

walk at Reid park zoo
Image Source: news.azpm.org

After its establishment in 1960, this park spans over twenty acres and hosts over five hundred animal species

It is split into four zones with animals like elephants, bears, and giant tortoises. Veterinarians have employment at this zoo. The zoo is also a visitors’ favorite. 

The city’s locals have been raising money to take care of animals. It will also help them provide the required care. You can see these animals, as well as indigenous species, while traveling.

6. Tohono Chul Park :

Tohono Chul Park
Image Source: eventup.com

The Tohono Chul translates to the dessert corner and originates its name from the Tohono O’odham indigenous people. This park has an onsite museum focusing on environmental education and stewardship of the desert region. 

The mountains of Santa Catalina rise in the background, and visitors can enjoy the riparian habitat, the botanical gardens, discovery trails, and the geology wall.

7. Pima Air and Space Museum :

space museum
Image Source: ourtravelingtribe.com

It is among the most significant air and space museums around the world. It has buffs of aerospace. 

Hence, you can see a spacecraft and three hundred aircraft with over eighty acres at the facility. This museum attracts plenty of private sponsorships. The museum also raises its funds through admissions and ticket sales. 

However, the museum had a humble beginning in the 1970s. There were only just forty-eight aircraft. If you are interested in USA history, you can take a historical tour through the edges. 

It is also among the best things to do in Tucson at night because there is a replica of the control tower at the venue.

8. Become Spiritual at the San Xavier Del Bac :

the San Xavier del Bac
Image Source: stupidvacations.com

Located in Tucson downtown, the San Xavier Del Bac is a Catholic mission with roots in Spain and sits at the Indian reservation of O’odham Sa Xavier.  

This mission gets its name from a mission, a co-founder of the Francis Xavier Jesuit Order. This site is very iconic, and visiting it is among the best free things to do in Tucson as it bears the finest Spanish colonial architecture. 

It is open to everybody and attracts over two hundred thousand visitors yearly who may consider this place a pilgrimage. The Franciscan Christian community members run it convincingly..

9. Raise sight at sentinel peak :

sight at sentinel peak
Image Source: tucsonbiketours.com

Sentinel park is nested in the Tucson mountains and lies in the southwest of Tucson. The peak has a wrong perception of resulting from a dominant volcano as the surrounding land is volcanic. The peak offers hiking and trekking opportunities for visitors but highlight views are the city of Tucson and the Tucson valley.

10. Movie at Old Tucson Studios :

old Tucson studios
Image Source: arizonaandpacificrr.com

For fans and buffs of movies, a trip to the old Tucson studios is among the things to do in Tucson. The studios are next to Tucson mountains and are specifically built for famous movies like the gunfight at the O.K Corral, and Arizona, and movies little house. Studios have undergone development to become theme parks for visitors to take tours with live-action performances and historical explanations.

Conclusion :

A visit to Arizona is something you will remember because the available destinations will make sure that you are having maximum fun. The listed above are among the best things to do in Tucson today while on the visit. You will keep returning to Tucson just to have a similar experience.

Sibashree Bhattacharya

Sibashree is the go-to person if Kafkaesque travel escapades are what you are all about! 10 years of experience in acting as the vessel for her readers to escape daily life, she has profound travel guides and exquisite beach and restaurant recommendations that make you want to pack your bags and hop on the next flight! Intrigued by the mystery of the mountains, she can also be seen dreaming about the blue water meeting the warm sand while she mentally jots down everything she cannot wait to share with her loyal readers!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related