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. Your first stop on your self guided tour of the Old Pueblo should be St. Augustine Cathedral with its magnificent sandstone facade, just around the corner from the Visitors Center. Inspired by the architecture of Mexican churches, St. Augustine is a good introduction to the must-see Barrio Historico a few blocks south. This historic Spanish-Mexican- American district has been nicely restored to its original Hispanic appeal. From there, turn back north on Granada Avenue, past the Tucson Convention Center and the historic Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House. Cross Congress Street and head towards the Tucson Museum of Art, home to the city’s main exhibition of art including collections of Pre-Columbian, Hispanic and contemporary works. As you’re now close to Old Town Artisans on North Meyer Avenue, you might as well walk over there, stroll around in that old saguaro ribbed adobe building turned artisans’ market and explore its numerous galleries and craft shops. After getting your souvenir shopping done, turn east past the decorated facade and tiled Moorish dome of the Pima County Courthouse, and stop at the site of the original Spanish fortress at El Presidio Park. You might now be ready for a lunch break. Continue east on Alameda Street, then turn south on Sixth Avenue to reach one of the various (and affordable) eateries on Congress Street that are currently considered hip, such as the Cup Cafe.

Walking around downtown, you may have noticed that the underlying theme here is art, thanks to the continuing efforts of the Tucson Arts District to revive this once-decaying part of town. In case you want to explore the many galleries and studios here more systematically, join the docent-led ArtWalk on Thursday nights, and meet the artists in person. And if you enjoy organized tours anyway, you’ll easily find plenty of tour operators to serve your needs, such as Old Pueblo Tours, an operator that will take you by van to downtown Tucson and beyond.

Go South…Exploring The History of Tucson

No stay in Tucson would be complete without a visit to Mission San Xavier del Bac, the “White Dove of the Desert” acclaimed as the finest example of Spanish mission architecture in the United States. The church has recently undergone major restoration, some of it by experts who restored the Sistine Chapel in Rome. A working Catholic parish located about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson on the Tohono O’odham reservation, its graceful Baroque structure can be seen from afar. Just seeing the intricately painted interior will be worth the trip.

Driving 30 miles further south on I-19 will take you to Tubac, Arizona’s oldest town from the European era, with the remnants of the old Spanish fort still visible. Today, it has evolved into an artists’ colony featuring more than 100 galleries, restaurants and craft shops. Just a few miles south, you’ll find Tumacacori National Historic Park containing the ruins of an 18th-century Franciscan mission with displays detailing the life of the natives under the priests’ supervision in colonial times.

Go North, East, South and West…Exploring the Sonoran Desert

The best introduction to the desert and mountains surrounding Tucson is actually a walk in Tohono Chul Park on the northwest side. A real piece of desert inside the city, here you can take a close look the plant and bird life of the Sonoran Desert in a comfortable setting (there are drinking fountains scattered all over the park, even a cafe serving tea and scones). Next, a tram ride up and down Sabino Canyon is recommended to experience the scenic beauty of the Catalina Mountains with a knowledgeable tour guide. If you’re more adventurous, a trip to Catalina State Park including a hike or horseback ride into the rugged canyons and cliffs of the Catalinas will certainly provide the great outdoors experience you might be looking for.

Now that you’ve acquired a taste of the desert, take the scenic drive past Gates Pass into Sahuaro National Park west of the city, and don’t forget to stop and visit the world-famous Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to see the wildlife of the region at close hand. This trip will probably take the entire day, and you should plan accordingly. The museum opens at 7:30 a.m. in the summer, while it’s still nice and cool outside. Bring a hat, water and wear sunscreen.

Another great way to escape from the blazing summer heat would be a visit to underground attractions such as Colossal Cave or Kartchner Caverns State Park, a living cave that has only recently been opened to the public.

Finally, to get a sense of the scientific advances happening in and around Tucson, drive a little further west on Highway 86 to the top of Quinlan Mountain. Here you can visit the world’s largest collection of astronomical telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory, the place that helped Tucson to become the “Astronomy Capital of the World.” And, speaking about science places of world renown: you don’t want to miss a tour of Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 north of the city where scientists are investigating enclosed ecosystems that may help us live on Mars-some day