Weekend in Tucson

Best things to do with children:
Sonora Desert Museum
Tucson Zoo

We had a great time in Tucson, we found things to do both during the day (mostly indoors) and during the night (the Desert Museum is open in the evenings during summer!) The Tucson and Elcon Malls are easy to get to and a great way to avoid the desert heat, and have tons of popular stores. Our most memorable "moment" was when we ordered sushi from Sakura's and ate it at Reid Park, in front of the zoo. We sat next to the little stream and relaxed, watching the sun set.

Quick Tips:

Tucson is a great city to enjoy the night life... but bring a hat and sunscreen if you plan doing anything during the day! A great spot to relax is the park right outside the Reid Park Zoo. We picnicked there, by the little stream. Check out Bookmans, a used/new book store. They always have a very active bulletin board, with all sorts of local events. The day we were checked it out, a free swing dancing class was being held.

Best Way To Get Around:

Drive your own car, or rent one if you have to - walking is not an option and taxis are expensive!

Great service, delicious sushi, and decent prices. I especially liked their California Rolls and Shrimp Tempura Rolls (ask them to make the tempura roll spicy--it's even better). We tried their Miso soup and several sushi rolls, and split a plate of some chicken/vegetable stuff (may have been teriyaki?). Everything was excellent.

The Sonoran Desert Museum was my favorite part of our family trip to Tucson. This is my favorite place to go! The Desert Museum features many local animals and plants that are found only in the Sonoran Desert region, but doesn't stop there. You will also find a desert garden, a cave and minerals section, and tons of other neat stuff. This is not your typical "zoo", and the critters are running free, or in barricades. You are not looking through glass or wires most of the time, and their environments look completely natural. (In most cases, they are!) There is a paved path that takes you through most of the exhibits, and through a "real" cave. Kids love to climb through the cave (and hey - so did I!) Also along this path are several booths attended by Desert Museum volunteers. They have neat little exhibits set up, be sure to stop and look at these, I didn't notice them the first time I went, but every time since I have made a point to see them. One was the rocks found in this area, another was a collection of birds nests, and there are a ton more. I found that there are plenty of water stations and benches that are great to relax and take in the view. Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera! We decided to have lunch at the cafe half way through the park. It was pretty much exactly what I had expected, nothing spectacular, but cold drinks were just the pick me up we needed. My children's favorite parts were the cave, the meerkats, and the archeology exhibit (where they can "find" dinosaur bones). My favorite part was the Butterfly Garden, local flowering plants and trees, with a little pond (with fish in it!) to sit by. There is also a pretty little gazebo to sit under, and it seemed that is where most of the butterflies were. All in all, this was a great trip, and I cannot wait to take my family back. We had a wonderful time, and every one of us learned something new. If you didn't have lunch at the cafe, or you plan to picnic, stop off at the Saguaro National Park. It's easy to find, any of the museum people can tell you how to get there. We all enjoyed the views, and couldn't have found a better place to enjoy our snack!

The Reid Park Zoo is a great place to take the kids to unwind, and possibly learn something new. First off, they have stroller rentals, an extensive gift shop, and 2 snack bars. Past the main entrance, you can follow several paths for a self guided tour. Roaming these paths you will see peacocks, squirrels, ducks, squirrels, and all the other little critters. Kids loved this, it gave them an up close and personal view of the animals. There were several stations set up along the paths, with zoo helpers and exhibits. Several of them were "touch" exhibits, hands on things for children to do. Also, you can purchase a "key" to unlock special information at the animal exhibits. Before you start on your journey, make sure you have a map, sunscreen, and take note of where the restrooms are (they are spread fairly far apart). Overall, I would plan to spend about 2 hours if you are not having lunch, 3-4 if you want an in depth experience or plan to have lunch. Oh, and as a nice way to start (or relaxing way to end) your visit, be sure to take the train ride. It's on Lakeshore Dr., right next to the zoo. It was $2 per person, but it was a fun ride for the kids, and gave us a good look at the park.

The Pima Air and Space Museum is more than just a bunch of airplanes.

My husband works in aviation, and can’t get enough of all things aviation. I however couldn’t care less, and thought I’d be bored to death at the air museum. It took me a while to get ‘into’ it, but we ended up spending over 2 hours checking out their displays and aircrafts.

Basically there are five hangars, all filled with different displays, plus outside exhibits. And,, besides having a bunch o military planes (what I expected)they also have a cool exhibits on the mars rover, a replica of the Apollo, and a few world record holding planes.

The best part (as far as my husband was concerned) were the historical displays of wars and conflicts, and the aircraft that were used back then. These displays had information on aviation technology, as well as displays of old uniforms, badges and pictures. The best display was the one for the Vietnam conflict, we spent quite a while just reading, looking at and discussing everything in it. Three WWII bombers are on display, and there’s one you can walk into.

My favorite part was the space exhibit. It had a replica of the Mars rover, andof Apollo. It got me thinking how far our space technology has come since then. Also, check out the early computers that are on display... It’s hard to believe what advances have been made!! Also interesting was the information on astronauts, to include special info in female and black astronauts.

Oh, and a one of the world record planes on display? The smallest aircraft, as seen on Octopussy (James Bond!) I would be scared to death to ride in that thing!!!

Outside there are more aircraft exhibits, but I was so tired that we had to leave before we saw them all. (We had been there over 2 hours and it was all walking, our 3rd stop of the day!)

It gets pretty warm out during May, so I’d plan to be there as soon as the museum opens, otherwise it’s too hot. Also, most people seem to start on the inside of the museum and work their way out, but I’d start on the outside when we come here again. I think it’d be refreshing to walk in cooler air after being out in the desert sun.

While you’re here, don’t miss JFK’s presidential plane. It’s the plane he flew in just before assassination. Compare it to what our current presidential airplanes look like. WOW.

Anyhow, plan on at least 2 hours, even if you don’t think you’ll be interested... I thought we’d be in and out in half an hour! We easily could have spent longer, so if you’re a history or aviation buff, defiantly plan longer. Don’t forget you water and sun screen, and enjoy your trip!

After several trips to Tucson, I started to get bored with the usual. The zoo, been there. Desert Museum, done that. So, I started finding new things to do.

My first stop, and the first place you ALWAYS look for social/cultural events? BOOKMANS! (3 Locations-- Grant, Ina and Speedway) Check out their community board, there are always a ton of free cultural events, concerts, and gatherings. Once we happened to get there in time for a free swing dance lesson (hosted by a local group, not the store it self).

SHOPPING!! Sure, there are the malls. The Elcon Mall, Tucson Mall, Park Place Mall, Foothills Mall...but, you know once you've been to one, you've seen all the stores in the rest of 'em! So... If you're into VINTAGE clothing check out "How Sweet it Once Was" (419 N 4th Ave). They have a great selection of vintage clothes...you won't find any mall trade offs here!

Like malls, but want something a little different? Check out The Main Gate Square. It's located just west of the U of A campus, and is the best plaza to shop! It has a ton of restaurants, and often has live music/ shows being performed. It's a great place to eat, shop or just relax and people watch. If you're into healthier eating, check out the Pita Pit, you'll love it! While you're here you can go to one of the many salons, get a haircut, manicure, or even a massage (shopping is hard work you know!). They also have a farmers market every month.

Looking for something with a little more local flavor?? I found St. Philips Plaza (4380 Cambell) by accident, but WOW. It got my curiosity, I had to know what it was.... All I knew for sure is it had a COBBLESTONE driveway and Santa Fe style stores. It's beautiful, colorful, and full of southwestern stores. It has everything from fine art pieces, to clothing, to bistros and jewelry.

Tired of the zoo and desert museum? I fell in love with the Tohono Chul Park, located at the end of Paseo Del Norte. This is a beautiful place to stroll, and take in local scenery. Be sure to check out the petroglyphs, the sundial plaza and the hummingbird gardens. If you like, they also have guided tours, but my family opted to explore on our own. If you have children, this is the best children's program I have seen at a museum/park/zoo, be sure to check out what's will be happening while you are there.

Want to find the best arcade in town? Golf 'n' Stuff is the place! It's on Tanque Verde Rd... plan to spend hours here! They had over 30 miniature golf holes, THE BEST LASER TAG, go karts, bumper and the BEST arcade! They have 2 or 3 times as many games as your typical mall arcade. Oh, and in case that's not enough, try the rock climbing!! We had a blast, get the all park pass, and some sunscreen, it's worth it!!

Wine tasting-- if you don't mind an hour drive, you have got to check out Elgin. Elgin is a small city with 5 or 6 major wineries. Each of them offer tastings, $1 to $3. Our favorite was Dos Cabezas Vineyards, it's a little hole-in-the-wall spot, cozy, and the wine was excellent, very fruity, dark and velvety. Dos Cabezas Pinor Gris 2000 was served at the White House in 2002!

The best way to spend a relaxing evening? Get a hotel room with a balcony, sit outside, sip some wine, and watch the sky. Stars here look soooo much closer, brighter, and many more are visible.