ABOUT THE CITY
Tucson lies in the borderland, a region that blends the cultures of the United States and Mexico, and has a long history of settlement by ancient Native American peoples, Spanish explorers, and Anglo frontiersmen. Tucson boasts the best of both worlds…the progress and innovation of a metropolitan community and the friendly, caring atmosphere of a small town.
The city’s geography is a postcard image of cactus forests, rolling hills, and craggy mountains. National and State Parks and Forests ring the city. The Sonoran Desert is a fragile ecosystem teeming with a variety of plant and animal species that depend on each other for survival; and law protects many of them.
You will enjoy the relaxed approach to dress, casual clothing is acceptable for most occasions. Summer wear includes wide-brim hats, sunglasses and lightweight fabrics. And don’t forget, use plenty of sunscreen year round!
Overview
Tucson is a growing metropolis of 900,000 that keeps getting better and better. The metropolitan area adds about 2,000 new residents each month. The city’s geography is a postcard image of cactus forests, rolling hills, and craggy mountains. In 2004 Tucson ranked as the 32nd largest city, and 55th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the largest city in southern Arizona, and the second largest in the state after Phoenix.
Neighborhoods
Westside
West essentially means that big chunk of Tucson stretching from Oracle Road, the main north-south artery, and I-19 westward to the base of the Tucson Mountains and the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation. Bordered on the northwest by the ever-expanding residential and recreational retreat of Oro Valley (more golf courses here), this part of the city offers few visual attractions other than Tohono Chul Park, a very civilized, pleasant desert garden with an artsy touch.
History
In 1698, Jesuit Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, on his way north from what is now Mexico to explore possible sites for building new missions, came across an Indian village called Shuk Shon. During the 70 years of Spanish colonial acquisition that followed his visit into the territory later known as Arizona, the place was renamed San Agustin del Tucson, with the hard “c” in the middle still pronounced. Both the saint’s name and the hard “c” were later dropped by Anglo-Americans, with St. Augustine Cathedral downtown now the only surviving memory of the Spanish name.
Where To Stay
Tucson offers a good variety of accommodations for any budget. Whether you’re an executive in need of state-of-the-art business facilities, a vacationer seeking to be pampered in a luxury spa, or a backpacker looking for an affordable room, you’ll find it here.
Fast Facts
Zip Codes: 85701-85750
Population: 760,472
County: Pima
Sales Tax: 7.60%
Median Age: 33.9
Home Median Value: $141,191
Home Appreciation Rate: 9.23%
Home Owned: 56.08%
Cost of Living: 104.3%
Median Income: $38,023
Unemployment Rate: 4%
License & Registration
Arizona Department of Transportation (520) 629-9808
Motor Vehicle Division
As a new resident to the State of Arizona, you are required to obtain an Arizona driver license and to register your vehicles in this State.
Obtaining a License
Arizona state law requires that all applicants for an original driver license…
Public Transportation
Inter-City Transportation
Amtrak
(800) 872-7245 (USA-RAIL)
America’s national passenger railroad system. Tickets may be purchased in person at any Amtrak station.
Greyhound Bus
(800) 231-2222
Service from City to numerous locations throughout the United States.
Air Transportation
Tucson International Airport (520) 573-8100
7250 South Tucson Blvd.
Tucson, Arizona 85706
Directions
From Downtown and U of A: Take Campbell Ave., which turns into Kino Parkway south of Broadway. Follow road signs to Benson Highway, which leads to Tucson Blvd. and the airport entrance. From East Side: Take Kolb Rd. south to Valencia. Travel west on Valencia to Tucson Blvd., turn south to airport entrance.
Television
| KVOA | CH 4 | NBC | |
| KUAT | CH 6 | PBS (U of A) | |
| KGUN | CH 9 | ABC | |
| KMSB | CH 11 | FOX | |
| KOLD | CH 13 | CBS | |
| KTTU | CH 18 | MyTV | |
| KFTU | CH 34 | Telefutura | |
| KUVE | CH 38 | Univision | |
| KWBA | CH 58 | CW |
Radio
| AM Radio | |||
| 580 | KSAZ | standards | |
| 690 | KVOI | talk | |
| 790 | KNST | news/talk | |
| 830 | KFLT | religious | |
| 940 | KGMS | religious | |
| 990 | KTKT | sports-español | |
| 1030 | KEVT | regional Mexican | |
| 1080 | KGVY | standards | |
| 1210 | KQTL | news/talk-español | |
| 1290 | KCUB | news/talk/sports | |
| 1330 | KJLL | news/talk | |
| 1400 | KTUC | standards | |
| 1450 | KWFM | oldies | |
| 1490 | KFFN | sports | |
| 1550 | KUAZ | NPR | |
| 1600 | KXEW | tejano | |
| FM Radio | |||
| 88.1 | KLTU | contemporary Christian | |
| 88.5 | KFLT | religious | |
| 88.9 | KAIC | news | |
| 89.1 | KUAZ | public/jazz | |
| 90.5 | KUAT | NPR | |
| 91.3 | KXCI | community | |
| 92.1 | KFMA | modern rock | |
| 92.9 | KWMT | adult alternative | |
| 93.7 | KRQQ | CHR-pop | |
| 94.9 | KMXZ | ac | |
| 96.1 | KLPX | classic rock | |
| 97.1 | KTZR | oldies-español | |
| 97.5 | KSZR | adult hits | |
| 98.3 | KOHT | urban | |
| 98.5 | KRDX | classic hits | |
| 99.5 | KIIM | country | |
| 102.1 | KCMT | regional Mexican | |
| 104.1 | KZPT | hot ac | |
| 106.3 | KGMG | rhythmic oldies | |
| 107.5 | KHYT | classic rock |
Dining & Nightlife
With restaurants operating today that have existed since the 1920s, Tucson’s cuisine can’t help but be inextricably intertwined with its history and culture.
El Charro, opened in 1922, is the oldest continually family-run Mexican restaurant in the United States, and a must-dine when visiting the Tucson area. This local landmark, in the historic El Presidio District, is now run by Carlotta Flores, grand-niece of founder and trailblazer Monica Flin.
Performing Arts
Thanks to continuous cultural sponsorship, Tucson has managed to support both an opera and a symphony orchestra for several decades now without without interruption. Both the Arizona Opera and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra usually perform at the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, the main venue for high culture downtown.
If you are culturally more in tune with the progressive camp, check out the Borderlands Theatre or the Invisible Theatre for avant garde political productions and light comedy.
Live Music
The variety of Tucson nightlife defies stereotypes about the kind of entertainment a Western town has to offer. In fact, most clubs offer alternative rock instead of country and western music. The blues is very much alive in Tucson, with local acts taking turns at the Boondocks Lounge, Berky’s Bar, Margarita Bay and various other clubs. Check weekly listings in the papers for details. Venues for live jazz are rarer; try the Cafe Sweetwater on 4th Avenue on Friday and Saturday nights, or the Cascade Lounge at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort for light dinner jazz on Thursday to Sunday afternoons.
Museums
Tucson’s art scene is very much alive and thriving, particularly on the gallery and studio level. There are plenty of museums and galleries displaying the entire range of artistic styles from realistic paintings of Southwestern scenes to multimedia installations. Although it is still a mainstay of traditional Western art, visitors should be aware that Tucson is slowly becoming a driving force in cutting-edge international contemporary practice, with progressives such as the Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery and Elizabeth Cherry Contemporary Art spearheading the movement.
Sports
As a place offering consistently dry and sunny weather throughout the year, Tucson is popular with golfers around the world. Green fees vary from course to course and from season to season, with municipal courses like the Fred Enke Municipal Golf Course offering lower rates than resorts such as the Ventana Canyon Golf Courses in the foothills.
The horse racing season at the recently expanded Rillito Park Racetrack lasts from early February into March, with more races scheduled at the Pima County Fair in April, along with horse shows,
Family Fun
Tucson offers a variety of diversions for kids. Proposing to take them to the zoo is usually a sure bet, and while Reid Park Zoo offers a good variety of assorted international animals, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is more unique in presenting creatures of the desert in their natural habitats, with spectacular desert views. Another sure winner is a visit to Old Tucson Studios, a Western theme park and movie location surrounded by giant sahuaro cacti, not too far from the Desert Museum west of the city. Cowboy stunts and gunfights are also available in Trail Dust Town, especially during Trail Dust Days; and you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy it.
Recommended Tours
Downtown Walking Tour
Downtown is about the only district in Tucson that can be explored on foot because most attractions here are within easy walking distance. The rest of the city sprawls across the valley covering distances too vast to overcome without wheels.
A good place to start your walk is the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau where you can pick up some maps and brochures to guide your exploration.
Education
Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.
The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.
Pima Community College (520) 206-4500
4905 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85709-1010
Pima provides courses, degrees and certificates that will help you reach your academic goals with its convenient, affordable educational opportunities.
Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.
Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes- and financial aid is equally available-while the cost to the institution can be much less.
There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.
Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.
Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.
Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.
The University of Arizona (520) 621-2211
Tucson AZ 85721
The University of Arizona is a premier, student-centered research institution. UA has over 37,000 students enrolled. The UA embraces its three-fold mission of excellence in teaching, research and public service. Now in its second century of service to the state, the UA has become one of the nation’s top 20 public research institutions. It is a member in the Association of American Universities, an organization that recognizes universities with exceptionally strong research and academic programs. UA offers 334 fields of study at the bachelor’s, masters, and doctoral level. A richly diverse opportunity awaits students in areas including astronomy, plant science, biomedical science, business, law, music and dance.
Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.
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