Bike through a cactus garden, hike to a mountain peak, wander through prehistoric petroglyph sites, stargaze from a mountain top, explore an old stone house, hang out with hummingbirds, visit a boneyard, search for vintage treasures, wake up early to bird with experts, pull up a chair and find a good book, or savour a bite of the – no word of a lie – best ever tacos. Whatever your pleasure, there are plenty of fun things to do in Tucson today.
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What to Do in Tucson, Arizona?
When we heard that friends were coming down to Tucson and they wanted a few ideas on things to do, we quickly jotted down a list. It grew and grew and continued to grow as we thought of more places “they have to see” and things “they have to do.” It seems only fair to share this list with anyone interested in finding things to do in Tucson.
Outdoor Adventures
Tucson has some pretty sweet mountain biking areas. Three of my favourites are the trails in Tucson Mountain Park, Honeybee trails near Catalina State Park, and the Sweetwater trails west of I-10.
We spent a lot of time exploring the Tucson Mountain Park trails near Gilbert Ray Campground – Ironwood, Caliche and Prickly Poppy are favourites. All three have fun and flowy options with very little – if any – technical difficulty. They also roll through the sweetest cactus gardens.
Another longer bike or hike loop is Starr Pass. We made a long loop past the historic stone remnants of Arizona Daily Star news editor Sherry Bowen’s home. Built in the 1930s, the skeletal remains are still a beautiful sight. I could be inspired to write realms looking out one of these windows.
When it comes to hiking, the Tucson area in late winter, early spring is prime. Favourite mountain peak summits include Wasson Peak, Golden Gate and Mt. Wrightson. While Wasson and Mt. Wrightson are established trails, Golden Gate includes a little more scramble and careful route finding – but the 360-degree views are worth the short and steep climb. The Sarasota trailhead in Tucson Mountain Park accesses Yetman trail and makes for an easy and beautiful walk around Little Cat Mountain.
Unique Things to Do in Tucson and Area
One of the coolest things to do in the Tucson area – literally – is to spend an evening stargazing from a mountain top. We chose to drive to Kitt Peak for a guided tour. The visitor centre has informative displays and a film. Outside, the peaks multitude of observatories, make one wonder why we haven’t discovered life outside of earth yet! Our tour included a light dinner, a sunset walk, time exploring the heavens with binoculars and gazing into deep space through a telescope. Insider tip: dress warm!
Early birds get the… uh… sightings. I promise you that waking up early on a Wednesday morning to bird with Audubon experts at the Sweetwater Wetlands is worth it.
Love birding – or want to start? Check out our Simple Snowbird Guide to Birding | Arizona post!
Beginners and proficient birders all benefit from the camaraderie and shared knowledge – plus the eagle eyes of those who know where to look and what they are likely to see.
We saw well over 25 different species the morning I went – and regulars kept commenting how quiet it was that day. From ruddy ducks to orange-crowned warblers, Anna’s hummingbirds to peregrine falcons, ladder-backed woodpeckers to gadwalls – it was a perfect couple of hours in the company of fine-feathered friends.
Magical Museums
Museums can be a bit stuffy, but these two are airy and full of flight. The first is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson Mountain Park. This, mostly outdoor, museum highlights the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. The hummingbird enclosure and the mountain lion viewing area are two of my favourite places to pull up a bench.
While I could spend hours wandering through the cactus gardens or watching the birds at the Desert Museum, Brad spent most of the day at the PIMA Air and Space Museum. He started with the Boneyard tour. It is super popular and requires booking and security clearance weeks ahead. After looking at thousands of military planes waiting for refurbishment or use for parts, he was enthralled by the variety of different fighter jets and the unique helicopters inside the museum spaces.
Literary & Vintage Shopping Sojourns
There were two independent bookstore discoveries that have to be shared if you’re searching for unique things to do in Tucson. The first is Bookmans. One word for any entertainment junkie: Nirvana. I say entertainment and not just books because Bookmans is more than just a bookstore. Over 40 years ago, Bob Oldfather started a vintage store buying, selling and trading anything from comic books and collectable toys to instruments and records.
And yes, there are books. Stacks and stacks of books. We checked out the flagship store off Speedway and Wilmot and were immediately enveloped in a sense of comfort and community. Grabbing a selection of books off shelves, we sank into easy chairs and began perusing. And another cool thing about this store – dogs are welcome. Pet-owners can bring Fido on their quest to find the best in vintage books and more.
My other favourite discovery was Antigone. While this cornerstone in the eclectic Fourth Avenue shopping district is chock full of great reads, it’s the backstory that makes it pop for me. Antigone – pronounced “an-tig’-uh-nee” – is named after the devoted daughter of Oedipus, king of Thebes in Greek legend. In 1973, three women opened the stored and named it after the mythical character who stood her ground against male authority figures. Today, the store continues to promote the strength of women.
Finding Flavour at the End of the Day
I don’t write a lot of food-related posts – or even snippets of posts – but occasionally we come across something that is just too good not to share. After spending an afternoon wandering Fourth Ave, we stumbled into BOCA Tacos y Tequila. As we would discover later, this unassuming-looking restaurant has been featured on the Food Network, New York Times, the Travel Channel and won “Best of Tucson – Best Tacos” in 2019.
No word of a lie – these were the best tacos we’ve ever had. Pair them with a massive bag of warm tortilla chips and three, lip-smacking, homemade salsas and wash it all down with a local craft beer and you’ll be raving about BOCA Tacos, too!
Whatever you are looking to do in Tucson today – whether it’s mountain biking, hiking, historical sites, vintage shopping opportunities or an unforgettable meal – this southern Arizona city won’t let you down!
Exploring Arizona?
Check out our other posts related to outdoor travel, adventure and history in the Grand Canyon State near Tucson:
- Arizona’s Empire Ranch
- Pichaco Peak & Petroglyphs
- Saguaro National Park: East Versus West
- Exploring Ironwood Forest National Monument
Hey Megan,
Great timing!! We’re in Gilbert Ray right now. Did Wasson Peak yesterday and it was awesome! Explored Tucson a little today. Went downtown to the new Visitors Centre and was impressed by the presentation of their city. We did comment to the staff that the Tucson website needs work. You should share your blog with them. They need some help.
We’re going to do part of the Loop tomorrow and then on Friday go to the Desert Museum.
We only 4 days here but now are going to come back for a longer visit next trip. On our way back to the Phoenix area on Saturday we’re going to attempt Picacho. Looking forward to it.
Cheers and see you soon,
Rande and Melanie
Come to Tucson. My wife and I were born and raised there and there’s no other place quite like Tucson. If you like sunsets, then gates pass is it but don’t leave after the sun goes down,you’ll miss the best part. For some of the best Mexican food there’s La Parilla Suisa. Enjoy!
Have to agree Martin, “no other place quite like Tucson!”