Old home Arizona

Arizona is where my family and I lived for five years until the summer of 07. We moved here from the east coast to take a job and here we are. Arizona is a nice state and there is much to do and plenty of time to do it due to the weather. The number of blue sky, sunny days is extremely high and rain and inclement weather is a rarity. In addition to Tucson, there are many local mountain ranges to check out, including the Catalina Range just north of Tucson, where you will find Mt. Lemmon and Ski Valley. To the south of Tucson is the Santa Rita range and then going farther south is the city of Nogales and to the east is the Patagonia Mountains. Nogales can be a tour day in itself, so be prepared.

So if you come to Arizona, be ready to do things, be outdoors, experience the local Hispanic and Indian culture and bring your sunscreen. And remember...it's a dry heat!

Quick Tips:

As I mentioned, bring your sunscreen. The sun is fairly intense and you can get burned up quickly if your not slathered with sunblock.

Another tip is to make sure that you drink plenty of water. Tucson is hot and very dry, so you probably won't notice that you're losing lots of fluids due to evaporation, but you're losing it and you need to put it back or you'll be laid up in your hotel room instead of enjoying your trip.

Also worth nothing is to stay away from some of the touristy Mexican restaurants where the food is not nearly as good as that which you'll find in the mom and pop's restaurants. I'll begin to put up some reviews on worthwhile restaurants in the near future. This also includes buying Mexican trinkets and souvenirs. Stay away from shoppes that charging what you think is too much for these items. If you think they are, they probably are. If you really want to get things like this, you can always go down to Nogales, Sonora and buy the real deal and you can do the who bargain and haggle thing with the merchant. They are famous for that and Nogales, Sonora is a fairly American friendly, English speaking area as they want the tourism dollars. That being said, steer away from areas like Tubac, Arizona which will sell you the same stuff that you can get in Mexico and charge you four times the price and not be ashamed about it in the least.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around in Tucson and surrounding areas is to rent a car. There is far too much area out here and in between places to do the taxi or bus thing and there is no mass transit system in Tucson itself. So, plan on spending a bit of time driving also. But that can also be a good thing because you will be in the Sonoran desert which is a rare and unique ecosystem in itself and I'm sure you will find plenty of views to snap photos of.

The Agave Restaurant is located inside the Desert Diamond Casino off of Interstate 19. I am specifically recommending the Sunday Champagne Brunch in this review. The brunch is on Sundays from 10am to 2pm. The price is $12.95 per person, including beverage, and the food is great. The brunch menu includes everything from prime rib to crab legs to shrimp to regular breakfast foods. There is also a chef working the counter who will make to order different dishes, including made to order omelets and eggs. The prime rib is the best though. Nice cut and it is just as juicy as any that you would get in a fine dining environment. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the food. In addition, there is a dessert counter and they also offer champagne obviously as well as Mimosas. The service is good, especially considering that they are very busy and the atmosphere is wide-open and large enough that even with a crowd, you do not feel infringed upon. Overall, I believe that the restaurant does provide a very good value for the price. As far as recommending it, I would definitely do so and in fact, we regularly go there when we have guests in town that are present on a Sunday.

Unfortunately, I cannot provide pictures as it is located in a casino and they do not allow cameras, but I'm not sure the camera can do the food justice anyway.

The Tucson Reid Park Zoo is a nice zoo for the size. It is a little small, but you can see the whole thing in matter of two hours as opposed to leaving after seeing only half of it like some big zoos.

It has a fair number of animals with good sized habitats and it is broken up into regions. The zoo itself is very easy to get around in and also to self-tour. They do however offer guided tours that are more in depth and will take you behind the scenes. The best part about the Tucson Zoo is that the majority of it can be navigated and you can remain in the shade as there are lots of trees. The giraffe paddock is very spacey and they have three giraffes inside that you can feed, which is neat. They also have two elephants, an Asian and an African as well as two lions and tigers and various other animals. There is also a polar bear area with two bears. That is very interesting to see, a bear in the desert. Overall, it is a very nice experience.

The prices are very reasonable with adult tickets at $6, kids $2, and seniors $4. Concessions are a little pricey, but that is kind of the norm at most zoos that I have seen before. They also have a secondary concession stand in the back that is a good stop during the walk.

It is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it to anyone in Tucson who wants a refreshing afternoon, but be aware, the zoo closes at 4pm. Parking is not usually an issue and if you head back north when you leave the zoo, there is a mall, Target and several eating establishments in close proximity.

Triple A baseball at its finest! The Sidewinders are the AAA farm team for the Arizona Diamondbacks and they play at the beautiful Tucson Electric Park in south Tucson. The stadium holds approximately 10,000 and tickets start as low as $6 with reserved box seats as low as $9. The stadium is as nice as they get also. With a grass seating section around the outfield and also along the left field line that provides great seating for families with little ones, there is something for everyone at TEP for a night with the Sidewinders.

TEP also has great food and drinks for your enjoyment during the games. Whether you want to do the traditional dog, popcorn, and cracker jacks, Chicago style with a polish sausage, NY style with an Italian sausage, or try something new...Tucson style with burritos and kettle corn, they have all the refreshments that you need. Also on tap is a good selection of domestic, import, and microbrewed beers that will keep any connoisseur happy.

The atmosphere at TEP is electric, not to be facetious. With regular games and prize give aways, including shooting T-shirts from air cannons, your night can be an experience for everyone.

A night at TEP enjoying the Sidewinders is very enjoyable as far as comfort also. The games are usually in the evening after the heat of the desert day has passed and the seats are good sized for all game comfort.

So for a great minor league baseball experience, Tucson offers a lot in the Sidewinders and Tucson Electric Park. If you decide to go, you will not be disappointed.

To get to TEP, go take Interstate 19 south to the Ajo Road exit and go east. Continue east and go under the Interstate 10 overpass and TEP is on your right straight ahead.

Phone: (520) 434-1021

The International Wildlife Museum is a very interesting museum on the west side of Tucson in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains. Containing a very exhaustive collection of mounted animals, you will probably see a stuffed version of something that you've only seen on the Discovery Channel before you leave.

With everything from deer to water buffalo to polar bears to a elephant, if you can imagine an animal that you have seen before or wanted to see, in a not so alive fashion, this is the place for you.

Broken down into regions and different areas, the entire museum can be completely navigated in about two hours maximum. Entirely indoors, you do not need to be concerned with the heat or the occasional summer rainstorm, that lends itself to being a good middle of the day summer activity.

Adult admission is $7, and seniors/students/military can enter for $5.50. Children aged 4 and over are $2.50, and if they are 3 and under, they are free.

I really enjoy my time at the museum. In addition to the mounts they also have natural habitat displays and very informative explanations of all of their displays as well.

Although the mounted animals can be quite daunting to children, most that I have seen, including mine had no problems with being up close and personal with the stuffed and mounted animals with the exceptions of the bears and cats, which can be a little intimidating.

For a enjoyable afternoon away from the desert elements in Tucson, consider the International Wildlife Museum.

Mt. Lemmon is the peak of the Catalina Mountain range which forms the northern border of Tucson, Arizona. Mt. Lemmon is over 9,000 ft high and is a welcome respite from the heat and bustle of Tucson. Up in the mountains, you can enjoy a true fall season with changing leaves and snowfall in the winter. Ski Valley is also located atop the mountain and offers skiing and winter sports when snowfall allows.

Mt. Lemmon suffered severe fire damage in the Aspen fire in 2003, but has made incredible strides in recovery since then. This is partially due to the large numbers of people who have decided to include Mt. Lemmon and Ski Valley in their vacation and day trip plans and have contributed much in the way of tourism dollars to their reconstruction and renovation.

Despite the damage from the fire though, the natural beauty is shining through. From the bottom of the mountain and the majestic sahuaros that line the roads and hills to the aspen and pine forests at the top, Mt. Lemmon offers a widely changing landscape as you ascend to the top. The drive itself is incredibly beautiful and can be made in under an hour. There are many turnoff spots along the way where you can stop and take in the scenery and make photos as well. On the way to the top, you have several options as to how to spend your time. There are restaurants and shops from Summerhaven to Ski Valley where you can spend your time and money as well as numerous picnic spots off of the road on the way up. At the top at Ski Valley, the ski lift is in operation most of the year to take people up to observe southern Arizona from the Phoenix area all the way down towards Mexico. Also at Ski Valley is the Iron Door restaurant, which is supposed to be very good, although I have not tried it. Across from the restaurant is the ski lifts, another restaurant and a little shop that serves some of the best chocolates, fudge and confectioneries that you'll ever taste.

Mt. Lemmon is located about 35 miles up the mountain from Tucson. To get there, simply take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway and then go straight up until the top. Temperatures generally average about 25-35 degrees cooler than in Tucson, so be prepared. And there is no gas on the Mountain, so make sure you go up with enough to get back down with.

The Arizona Desert Museum is very unique in that it is a living museum. The majority of the exhibits are a collection of the wide variety of cacti and plants native to the local Sonoran Desert. In addition, there are live snakes, other reptiles, insects, and other animals that are native to this ecosystem and that are displayed on 100 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert. They are set through an outdoor walking course with descriptions alongside of them that clarify what each is. It is very informative and gives one a complete understanding of how complex this environment is.

There are also restaurants called the Ironwood Terrace, the Ocotillo Cafe, Phoebe's Coffee Bar, and The Cottonwood Snack Bar, to satisfy your hunger and thirst. I've tryed all but the Ironwood Terrace and found that they are very good. Check out some of the items that are for sale in the gift shop as well. There are some very unique books, minerals, and other knick-knacks that will help you to remember your visit.

Directions from Tucson are as follows: From I-10, take the Speedway Blvd. Exit and head west. Turn right onto Kinney Road. In about 2.5 miles, the Desert Museum will be on your left.

Prices are reasonable also. Here are the fees along with the seasons that apply. June-Aug; $9 Adults, $2 Kids 6-12. Sept-May
$12 Adults, $4 Kids 6-12, Children 5 and under are free!

Living in Tucson, we are just under two hours from Phoenix. This is good for many reasons, one of which is that Phoenix has an awesome zoo. The Phoenix Zoo is the largest non-profit zoo in the United States, at 125 acres of land. There are 2.5 miles of walking paths in the zoo as well and over 1,200 animals on display.

The zoo is broken into four distinct areas that have trail systems in them. The Africa Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Tropics Trail, and the Children's/Discovery Trail. All of the trails are very easily navigated and interesting for the whole family.

The zoo is fairly large, so it will take approximately two or three hours to see the entire thing. This is something to remember, especially in the summer when it gets very hot in Phoenix. Luckily, there are a few stands around that sell snacks and beverages.

Admission to the zoo is reasonable as well. Adult tickets start at $14 and kids at $6. You can also get discounts if you have a membership at certain other zoos.

The Phoenix Zoo is a very fun day for adults and kids alike. The zoo is extremely kid-friendly and has lots of activities for them to take part in. I highly recommend it as a part of a visit to Phoenix.

Tombstone is the Town Too Tough to Die. Home of the infamous Fight at the OK Corral, and former home to Wyatt Earp and the Earp Brothers, as well as a plethora of other well-known old west icons such as Doc Holliday, Johnny Ringo, and Ed and Bat Masterson.

Tombstone is located southeast of Tucson, Arizona, on a relatively flat plain between the Dragoon, Whetstone, and Huachuca Mountain ranges, and is quite a pleasant drive. As you enter the city limits from the north, you will encounter the Boot Hill Cemetary. If you've never seen it, it is worth a look as some of the tombstones are quite interesting. From there, let you travels take you to the Main strip of Allen Street and you should find all that you desire there within walking distance.

The OK Carrol is worth a look and they have several shows per day as do many of the other sites within town, including Helldorado Town which features Old West shows on a regular basis. There will be plenty of period-dress cowboys walking around and it gives a truly authentic feel to the town.

Make a stop at Big Nose Kate's or the Crystal Palace if you need to have a drink or two as they always offer a genuine experience for your drinking pleasure. Food is also in full supply with quite a few restaurants within walking distance of the main streets. I have eaten at Nellie Cashman's as well as The Longhorn Restaurant and The OK Cafe. All of the food was very good, but Nellie Cashman's offered the best sitdown-type food that is not burgers.

For an additional treat though, try the Old Hall where it has been turned into a museum, or Spanenberg's Gun Shop which sells much more than just firearms. There are many very interesting exhibits inside from the heyday of the town in the early 1880s. That, along with many of the other shoppes, exhibits, and things to do will keep you busy for a day.

I highly recommend Tombstone as a day trip if you're in the the Tucson area for a few days, even with kids as there is a lot for them as well.

The Pima Air and Space Museum is a very unique and interesting place to visit. With over 160 planes, 100,000 square feet of hangar space, and home to years of our Nation's aerospace history, it is a must-see if in the Tucson area. Some of the specialties at the museum are three B-52 bombers, JFK's old Air Force One and an SR-71 Blackbird, still the fastest jet in the world.

They offer tram tours or walking tours and, with both, you get to see all of the planes on the facility. With five hangars offering displays in addition to the vast numbers of aircraft, you will need to allot at least three hours to tour the entire facility, but it is well worth it. The tram tour makes things a little easier and it adds an additional $5 to the admission charge. Admission fees are as follows: June-October; Adults (ages 13 and up) $11.75, Children ages 7-12 $8.00, Seniors, AAA, Military $9.75. November-May; Adults (ages 13 and up) $13.50, Seniors, AAA, Military $10.75, Children ages 7-12 $9.00. Children 6 and under are always free. There are additional price breaks for large tour groups.

From the F-4 Phantom to the F-105 Thunderchief and the B-52 to the SR-71, the museum is a fantastic example of the jets that fought and kept our nation free as well as a few examples of those they fought against.

This museum is one of a kind and I would suggest it to adults and children alike for an eye-opening, different look at our history. There is plenty for the kids to do as well.

One word of caution: if you go, try to do so early as it does get hot and remember to drink lots of water. There is an excellent gift shop as well as a snack bar/cafe called Thunderbird's Cafe that has good food.