For those who venture off the beaten path, Tucson is proud to be a little out there; a natural oasis from the unoriginal and pretentious that inspires the free spirit in us all. Geography
Located in the heart of southern in elevation (2791 m) it is the tallest Arizona, in the diverse ecosystem peak in southern Arizona. Compared of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is with the Tucson valley, summer about 110 miles (177 km) south of temperatures among the mountain's the Arizona state capital Phoenix lush aspen groves and Ponderosa and 70 miles (112 km) north of the pine forests are 20 to 30 degrees US-Mexico border. At an elevation cooler year-round. of 2,389 feet (728 m) above sea level, metropolitan Tucson covers nearly 500 square miles (46.45 m2).
Surrounded on all sides by five TUCSON'S FIVE picturesque mountain ranges and MOUNTAIN RANGES nestled between both branches Santa Catalina of Saguaro National Park (East & West), Tucson is a place that Rincon beckons you to explore without boundaries. Santa Rita
Sitting atop the Santa Catalina Tucson Mountains is the alpine summit of Mount Lemmon, which at 9,157 ft Tortolita Weather
Tucson’s dry, fresh air and average annual 350 days of sunshine make it the perfect place for outdoor activities. And though summer does get hot, low humidity and easy access to cool escapes nearby mean you can enjoy the region's diverse surroundings all year long.
Temperatures and rainfall in the Sonoran Desert vary widely depending on the season and elevation. Hats, sunglasses and plenty of drinking water are essential items no matter the season.
Fahrenheit Celsius Max Min Max Min
JANUARY 65 37 18 4 January–April In early spring, dress in layers, as sunny days give way to chilly nights. Snowmelt FEBRUARY 69 40 20 5 from higher elevations brings the desert to life, making this a great time to enjoy outdoor activities, witness colorful wildflower displays, MARCH 74 43 23 7 and view wildlife. APRIL 82 50 27 10
MAY 90 57 32 14
May–September Temperatures rise during this JUNE 100 67 38 20 time of year. Be vigilant about sun protection and staying hydrated. Late summer monsoon JULY 101 74 37 23 rainstorms spawn spectacular sunsets and lightning shows, so have your camera and rain AUGUST 98 72 36 22 gear ready.
SEPTEMBER 95 67 34 20
OCTOBER 86 55 29 14 October–December Warm days and comfortably cool evenings make fall the perfect NOVEMBER 74 44 23 8 season for outdoor sporting events, concerts, hiking, cycling, al fresco dining and much more. DECEMBER 66 38 18 4 Time zone
Arizona is in the Mountain Standard Time Zone and does not make the seasonal adjustment for daylight savings time.
getting here
There are many ways to get to Tucson, including daily direct flights into Tucson International Airport (TUS), from US cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, just to name a few. For international visitors, multiple carriers feature flights to Phoenix, including British Airways which has a daily flight from London.
Getting from Phoenix to Tucson takes less than two hours via the I-10 freeway. Both the I-10 and I-8 are also great for visitors looking to experience southern Arizona by way of California, providing drivers with a direct route to Tucson from both Los Angeles and San Diego. accommodations
Tucson’s diverse accommodations are attractions in their own right. Soothe your mind and body at a desert oasis like Miraval Resort & Spa or Canyon Ranch, two of the world’s top destination spas. Saddle up for an authentic Western adventure at one of our cozy guest ranches. Or relax and flourish at a variety of luxurious resorts where pro-caliber golf and tennis, inspired cuisine, sparkling pools, and spectacular hiking trails can be found just steps away from your room. SEDONA & GRAND 17 CANYON
SCOTTSDALE 10 202 PHOENIX MESA LOS ANGELES 60 60
10
202 60 QUEEN CREEK
347
77 177 77
FLORENCE
347 10
CASA GRANDE 84 84 8 SAN DIEGO LEGEND
PICACHO AL Coronado ational orest 77 TA S TA S AL R ature ar s Reserves 79 Picacho Peak State Park Attraction Landmar SAN MANUEL Biosphere 2 T RT L TA TA S Pinal CATALINA Airpark 10 SA TA CATAL A Ironwood Forest NEW MEXICO N Nat’l Monument 77 TA S ORO Mt Lemmon VALLEY C ST R Saguaro Nat’l LAS CRUCES Park West TA S
TA ST CS Arizona-Sonora Sabino Canyon WILLCOX Desert Museum TUCSON 10
TA S
Old Tucson R C Saguaro Nat’l Park East 10 10 186 86 Mission San Xavier Pima Air & Del Bac Space Museum 191 Colossal Cave Salt Lake City AJO Mountain Park VAIL 86 Kitt Peak 19 Chiricahua National DRA Nat’l Monument ADA Observatory Denver TA S TA 90 Titan Missile ST. DAVID PEARCE Las CO O ADO 286 Museum Kartchner Vegas Caverns 181 State Park CA I O IA 80 GRAND CANYON 83 TST C R CA A Flagsta TA S TA S PA Los Angeles
CIFICOCEAN Albuquerque SA TA R TA 82 MEXICO 82 TOMBSTONE ARI ONA Buenos Aires TA S San Diego Nat’l Wildlife SONOITA ELFRIDA Refuge Phoenix TUBAC M ICO ELGIN 90 San Pedro 191 Riparian National TUCSON Tumacacori Conservation Area Rocky National 82 90 Point Historic Park FORT NEW MEXICO HUACHUCA
S 19 80 80 EAO T ACAC R RIO RICO TA S BISBEE FCORTEZ T AS SASABE, SONORA 92 Hermosillo AC CA MEXICO San Rafael Ranch State Park TA S DOUGLAS M ICO NOGALES, AZ NOGALES, AGUA PRIETA, SONORA SONORA MEXICO MEXICO *Maps not to scale SEDONA & GRAND CITY MI KM CITY MI KM 17 CANYON Albuquerque 451 726 Oro Valley 14 23
SCOTTSDALE Bisbee 90 144 Phoenix 115 184 10 202 PHOENIX MESA Denver 892 1436 San Diego 410 660 LOS ANGELES 60 60
10 Flagstaff 257 411 Sedona 230 367
202 60 Globe 106 170 Scottsdale 117 188 QUEEN CREEK Grand Canyon 338 541 Sonoita 47 75
347 Lake Havasu 317 507 Tombstone 70 112 77 177 77 Las Vegas 413 665 Tubac 44 70 FLORENCE Yuma 240 384 347 10 Los Angeles 488 785
CASA GRANDE Nogales, Mex. 70 112 84 84 8 SAN DIEGO LEGEND
PICACHO AL Coronado ational orest 77 TA S TA S AL R ature ar s Reserves 79 Picacho Peak State Park Attraction Landmar SAN MANUEL Biosphere 2 T RT L TA TA S Pinal CATALINA Airpark 10 SA TA CATAL A Ironwood Forest NEW MEXICO N Nat’l Monument 77 TA S ORO Mt Lemmon VALLEY C ST R Saguaro Nat’l LAS CRUCES Park West TA S
TA ST CS Arizona-Sonora Sabino Canyon WILLCOX Desert Museum TUCSON 10
TA S
Old Tucson R C Saguaro Nat’l Park East 10 10 186 86 Mission San Xavier Pima Air & Del Bac Space Museum 191 Colossal Cave AJO Mountain Park VAIL 86 Kitt Peak 19 Chiricahua National DRA Nat’l Monument Observatory TA S 90 Titan Missile ST. DAVID PEARCE 286 Museum Kartchner Caverns 181 State Park 80 83 TST C R CA A TA S TA S
SA TA R TA 82 MEXICO 82 TOMBSTONE Buenos Aires TA S Nat’l Wildlife SONOITA ELFRIDA Refuge TUBAC ELGIN 90 San Pedro 191 Riparian National Tumacacori Conservation Area National 82 90 Historic Park FORT NEW MEXICO HUACHUCA 19 80 80 T ACAC R RIO RICO SASABE, TA S BISBEE SONORA 92 AC CA MEXICO San Rafael Ranch State Park TA S NOGALES, AZ DOUGLAS NOGALES, AGUA PRIETA, SONORA SONORA MEXICO MEXICO ITINERARIES
Day 1 Begin your day with a tour at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 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. #1 attraction requires 2 hours.
Old Tucson, the famous movie location and theme park. The wild west comes alive as you step back in time. Mock gunfights and can-can revues. Great location for lunch. Requires 2 hours. Saguaro National Park West, part of the U.S. National Park Service gives you breathtaking views of our saguaro forest. Requires 1 hour. Day 2 Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, a true desert oasis, provides a narrated ground-tram ride that is 45-minutes in duration. This is a pristine riparian canyon territory that showcases the plant and animal life of the region. Tram operates on the hour. Requires approximately 1.5 hours. Head west to DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, a unique adobe compound which offers a glimpse of our Native American culture through art. 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. ITINERARIES
Tucson the foodie city: Named by UNESCO in 2015 as City of Gastronomy, the first in America! Dine at any one of the many unique locally owned restaurants in Downtown Tucson. Day 3 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. Visit museums, shops, and galleries with contemporary and traditional art and fine crafts from a variety of local artists. Requires 3 hours. Local tour providers available. 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”, during docent-led tours. Approximately 45 minutes. 23 Miles of Mexican Food Enjoy dinner at one of Tucson’s many award- winning Mexican restaurants like El Charro or Café Poca Cosa. arts
Tucson rivals many bigger cities when it comes to visual and performing arts. With the renowned Tucson Symphony Orchestra, a professional ballet, opera and theater companies as well as dozens of arts festivals, galleries and studios scattered throughout the city’s 11 districts, it's no wonder Tucson has been acclaimed as a trend-setting artistic community for decades. Visiting artists will find inspiration around every corner with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and let their creativity run free. Music-lovers can also get into the groove at any of the city's countless live music venues including the historic Rialto and Fox Tucson theaters, both of which host eclectic lineups, regularly featuring some of the hottest acts from around the globe.
day trips
Tucson is also a jumping-off point for many exciting southern Arizona day trips. Within easy driving distance are the Old West mining towns of Tombstone, Bisbee, Douglas and Ajo; southern Arizona’s wine country near Willcox, Elgin and Sonoita; shops, galleries and art festivals in Tubac and Patagonia; spectacular rock formations in Chiricahua National Monument; and a taste of Mexico in Nogales, Sonora, just 70 miles south. cuisine
Tucson earned the United States’ first UNESCO City of Gastronomy title in December 2015, joining cities in Brazil, Sweden and Chengdu. Tucson’s casual settings, fresh ingredients and unapologetic passion for food gives it a flavor of its own – with a rich culinary heritage influenced by Mexican and Native American traditions in food and drink. Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of Tucson’s agricultural legacy, and local chefs and mixologists provide a sense of place by using regional ingredients like cholla buds, prickly pear syrup and mesquite flour to creatively flavor their dishes. The city’s 100-plus local restaurants include those that make up the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food.
main attractions
• Arizona-Sonora • Kartchner Caverns Desert Museum • Sabino Canyon • Pima Air & Space • Saguaro National Museum Park East & West • Mission San Xavier • Mt. Lemmon Del Bac Sky Center • Old Tucson • Kitt Peak National • Biosphere 2 Observatory For more information about travel to Tucson including group tours and professional meetings, go to VisitTucson.org
800.638.8350 | 100 S. Church Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701