Tucson: Our Adopted Hometown

What draws us to Tucson is hiking, birding, and nature. The Santa Catalina mountains on the north end of town are spectacular. A sunset from the top of Mt. Lemmon is unforgettable. Sabino Canyon is a must-see; if you don't want to hike it, take their tram to the top and back! Our favorite place is The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. I spent my 40th birthday there on Christmas Eve which was very special. There you can experience all the desert has to offer. Even see a mountain lion and prairie dogs. We caught a raptor demonstration where we learned about Harris's Hawk behavior and got to see one up close. The Hummingbird House has many species in one place, a rarity for these territorial birds.

Tucson has many world-class golf courses - enough to satisfy beginners to experts. Saguaro National Parks (East and West) are both worth seeing. You can't believe how many beautiful saguaros there are. Both parks have plenty of hiking and driving trails. Mission San Xavier del Bac "The White Dove of the Desert" is a quick and worthwhile drive south of town.

Quick Tips:

Contact the Tucson Convention and Visitor's Bureau (1-800-638-8350 or www.visitTucson.org) to get a Visitor's Guide. Plan far in advance if you're going during late Jan./early Feb. because of the big Gem Show which will fill up area hotels. We haven't experienced the summer heat, but the winter sunshine and warm temps feel great. It does get cold at night however, so don't forget to pack a coat. When we were there the week before Christmas, it was in the high 60's and low 70's during the day and 40's at night.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is some construction work right now at the Tucson airport to enlarge the rental car parking lot, but you will be amazed at how UN-stressful it is to fly into there. The roads are another story. Many of the main routes are quite busy through the day and it can take 45 minutes to get from one end of town to another. But hey, it's a big town! It won't take long to figure out the quickest routes.

We stayed here for one night only...Christmas Eve. I must say I would love to make that an annual tradition! There was a complimentary social hour before dinner which was so elegant. The owner, whose grandmother''s family originally built the hotel in 1930, was there mingling with the guests. She was also right there on Christmas morning making sure things were running smoothly. The grounds are unique and gorgeous. Our room was spacious and filled with original furnishings and beautiful Audubon prints on the walls. The service is A++. The only bad part was our stay was too short. It is a special place to celebrate a special occasion.

Buddy's is a casual and comfortable place with a varied menu selection and very good service. You can tell the management and large staff of servers take pride in their restaurant. The menu has a little bit of everything. The price range can be under $10 for a sandwich, or around $12-14 for entrees depending of course on what you order. It's not a franchise place, but I would compare it to The Cooker. We'll definately go back on our next trip!

The mission is nicknamed The White Dove of the Desert. One visit and you'll be captivated by its beauty and history. It is still a Catholic parish serving the Tohono O'odham community for whom it was established in the late 1600's. Admission is free and it's open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We were there on Christmas Eve afternoon and were able to go inside where a service was just about to start. The inside is so elaborate, it's hard to take it all in. They have a visitor's center and bookstore on the east end of the building, and Indian wares are sold nearby.

Sabino Canyon is gorgeous in the daylight OR the dark! There are hiking trails all over the area for all levels of hikers. We hiked the moderate Phoneline Trail which has breathtaking scenery. Next we bought tickets for the tram. (Might want to call ahead, some of the stops were off limits because of road repair from flooding.) The hills are studded with stately saguaros and other cacti. If there is snowmelt on the mountains, water abounds in the canyon. Picturesque huge boulders, fallen from the mountains, rest in the creeks. This area is in the top five destinations for visitors and it's no surprise why.