Becoming a Wildcat

Best Things Nearby:
Golf, Sonora Dessert, and University of Arizona.

Best Things About the Resort:
Room design, views, golf, swimming.

Resort Experience:
Vacationing at Starr Pass Resort will be a memorable journey even if you are not sending your oldest child off to college. This large resort looks like a small community nestled between the Sonora Desert, the Starr Pass Golf Resort, and the Tucson Mountains. Breath taking views of Tucson city lights, Tucson Mountain Park, swimming pool, and the golf course await you at every turn as you navigate to your personal casita.

The architects of this community are to be commended! It appears that every unit has a fabulous view of something from their casita’s balcony. The individual casita is actually two units that can be rented in three possible ways. The smallest unit is the deluxe room, which is similar to a hotel room with a TV, two queen beds, microwave, refrigerator, kitchen sink, bathroom, and a balcony. The master suite unit is larger and consists of a full kitchen, small laundry closet, living room equipped with a queen sleeper-sofa, TV, gas fireplace, and countertop with 4 barstools, a master bedroom with a king-sized bed, TV, a huge bathroom, and a balcony. The full casita links the master suite and deluxe room unit with a locking door between the two units. The full casita sleeps a maximum of eight guests with adequate storage for your vacationing needs.

Rich southwest furnishing utilizing rod iron, stonework, and Mexican-handcrafted furniture enhance the casita’s character. The resort’s amenities include: an 18-hole PGA rated golf course, heated pool and Jacuzzi, tennis courts, and fitness room.

We have stayed here several times with friends who had a son attending University of Arizona. The university is only about a 10-minute drive. If you are an early riser, be sure to sip a cup of coffee on your balcony in the early morning and watch the natural animal life of the desert come to life. I fondly recall walking the streets of the resort and looking at the sparkling nightlights of Tucson in the valley below the resort.

Our first visit was in August (when the son began college) and our second stay was in the following January. The Sonora Desert has beautiful evenings almost year-round and the Starr Pass knows how to showcase the splendor of the desert.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

If you are staying at the Starr Pass, you might be interested in a frequently visited tortilla factory, which is a short drive from the resort. Beware: there is a vast contrast from the niceties of the Starr Pass Resort to this little hole in the wall Mexican tortilleria and diner. I recommend using the take-out service. The ambience of the restaurant does not exist; other than resembling old Mexico, several interesting newspaper articles line the walls and make for an interesting wait for your food.

I recommend ordering a breakfast burrito -- they offer several varieties. My favorite is chorizo (Mexican hot sausage), scrambled egg, and wrapped with potato in a delicate homemade flour tortilla. Purchase a dozen tortillas to take home with you as an added bonus. Tania’s also has a refrigerator full of prepared take-out specialties such as refried beans, Spanish rice, tamales, pozole (pork and hominy stew), red chili, salsa, you name it. Everything is reasonably priced. My local friends have told me that this little piece of Tucson has won many "Best of Tucson" awards. Simply put . . . this place is delicious (delicioso)!

Raised in Arizona, I had always wanted to visit Old Tucson, but had never made it until recently. I do not think I had missed anything in the long-anxious wait. We went with some friends and we had a good day but probably will never return to the old west amusement park. Maybe since I live in the west, I am just callous to the ways of the west.

Many movies have been filmed here. You can read them on a link from here. There is live entertainment all day at the movie studio. Stunt men fight and duel while call girls dance -- check the times and locations in your information bulletin. Or tour the park in a locomotive train, go through a mysterious maze, pan for gold, and participate in other old west activities. Food and souvenirs are available, but are overpriced.

Take a nice hike to University of Arizona’s beloved white-washed "A" where the Wildcats hide their covey. Opposing ASU students have often painted the A in their maroon and gold fighting colors prior to a big game with the blue and red Wildcats.

Seriously, this is a nice hike in the Sonora Desert with a bit of a slope to get your heart rate up. Take plenty of water and some snacks. Expect some magnificent views of Tucson and lots of trekkers if you attempt this on a weekend.

If you would like to educate yourself about the desert, this is my recommendation in the Tucson area. It is a nice walking adventure in the Sonora Desert with fantastic views. The walk-in aviary is my favorite exhibit, where you learn about the desert birds like the cactus wren, roadrunners, and quail. Other exhibits include the Cactus Garden, Desert Garden, Cat Canyon, Riparian Corridor, and others. It is a well-managed living museum that you can visit every year and expect different treats at different times of the year. Visit their website for more information.