Tucson: Cactus and Salsa

For the nature lover, Tucson is a dream destination for exploring southwestern flora and fauna. The two locations of the Saguaro National Park east and west of Tucson have the largest concentration of the giant saguaro cactus. For golf lovers, leading resorts have spectacular courses to play on. Nearby Mt. Lemmon is the southernmost ski area in the continental U.S. and so you can do wintersports here at the right time of year. Ranch lifestyle can still be experienced at any of the several excellent guest ranches still operating in the area, here you can work on your riding skills, take part in mini-rodeos or just explore the desert trails on horseback outings. In fact, history and culture lovers have a great choice: everything from Mission San Xavier del Bac to Old Tucson Studios to the Sonoran Desert Museum to numerous crafts shops around the city selling Native American and country western gear.

Quick Tips:

The weather is typically somewhat milder in Tucson than the central part of the state, but you're probably going to be outdoors a good deal of your visit--even if it's just walking from one point of interest to another within the city itself--so come prepared even in the milder winter months. The sun's rays are intense: I advise SPF 30 sunblock year-round, and probably a cap. Mornings and evenings can get very cool in winter also, so on the other hand you might need a sweater or windbreaker.

Best Way To Get Around:

Like many people, I drive down from Phoenix so I have never sampled the local car rentals but having wheels of some kind is pretty much essential. If your hotel is close to any points of interest within the city, start your day early if you're going to walk so you can avoid the the noonday heat as much as possible.

White Stallion started out as an actual cattle ranch, and the original turn of the century Mission-style adobe building, with its big semicircular archway centered in the smooth-plastered wall, now serves as the indoor dining area. During the 1940’s, units were added to the guesthouses, and in 1965 Denver oilman Allen True and his family took over.

Over the years, guests have come to White Stallion from over 50 other countries (with British slightly outnumbering Canadians) and all 50 states. And like the other surviving guest ranches in this part of the state, White Stallion is located within minutes from Tucson, where there are plentiful golf courses and even winter skiing on nearby Mt. Lemon Then again, a stayover at any guest ranch is an ideal counterbalance to the pressures of communication, and the design here takes note of the fact.

Accommodations at White Stallion consist of 33 elegantly rustic guest cabins, each with spacious, high-ceilinged wood beamed interiors and decorated with a contemporary mix of Native American, Mexican and Southwestern handicrafts and furniture. There are no phones or television to interrupt the silence of the surrounding desert here, and only the singing of the birds outside your casita window may break the peace now and then. Many of the rooms feature authentic fireplaces, whirlpool baths and sumptuous king-sized beds. Between the rows of guest cottages, an intricate design of high and low desert cacti and flowers create an oasis-like feeling, with giant saguaro, bunny-eared cacti, cholla, prickly pear, paloverde trees and creosote bushes.

After a morning or afternoon ride, there''s still time to take a few laps in the heated swimming pool, soak off in the indoor redwood hot tub, or have a massage from the resort masseuse. Other onsite activities include clay tennis courts, horseshoes, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, and of course plenty of opportunity for hikes out in the surrounding gorgeous desert hinterland. At White Stallion the younger generation are also welcome to take part in most the rides (children have to be at least five to ride their own horse, although those under five can join on trail rides with a parent). An on-ranch feature both kids and adults enjoy here is the owners’ extensive petting zoo, which has deer, miniature horses, llamas, potbellied pigs, and pygmy goats. Evening activities include moonlight bonfires with cowboy entertainment.

Of course, you may wonder about the menu at a present-day guest ranch like this. Is it all fattening? Not in the least, if you do have any particular dietary requirements, you can discuss them beforehand with the chef or resort director. In fact, most major foods used are either grown fresh (such as citrus fruit) or bought locally whole and unprocessed. The mesquite chicken, barbecued over an outdoor brick oven, is a dish not to be missed during any stay here, and for those who will allow themselves beef, barbecued ribs and Texas-sized Angus steaks broiled to order round out the dining experience in great western style and taste.

There are several ways to experience the equestrian lifestyle around Tucson. You can stay at one of the local upscale guest ranches or you can visit an independent stables or on-site stables at one of the major resorts such as that located at Sheraton El Conquistador.

My own personal experience was at the White Stallion Ranch just north of the city proper. The varied riding program at White Stallion is tailored to accommodate all levels of horsemanship, from novice to seasoned rider. Select your horseback adventure the evening before from the next day’s menu of events: there are approximately four rides every day except Sunday, from slow scenic rides (at a walk) for beginners to fast rides (walk and canter) and mountain rides for the more advanced horseman (cantering), and both level of rides take place at least twice a day.

The wranglers are expert at matching a horse to a rider so that you can safely enjoy your outing. They can teach you to ride, or if you already ride, teach you to ride better. In between the daily schedule, different excursions are offered over the week, from half-day pack trips on horseback, to all-day rides and hayrides. Saturdays also feature a "breakfast ride" to a remote spot where a breakfast of blueberry and buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs and hash browns, all cooked on a brick stove, is served together with steaming coffee. Even while you are back at the ranch, there is frequent equestrian activity to keep you occupied, with weekend mini-rodeos and team penning events in the ranch’s large arena areas, in which dudes, dudettes and guests alike get to show off their roping skills in the saddle.

Situated 14 miles west of Tucson, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is more of a zoo experience than the traditional indoor museum inanimate institution. Actually, it creatively combines elements of a zoo, museum and botanical garden, so there is something for everyone who enjoys the outdoors and wants to get a close-up panorama about what this part of the American outdoors is all about.

The majority of the exhibitry includes the Life Underground, which is about nocturnal desert dwellers of the region from foxes to tarantulas. The Riparian Habitat is about river life, from beaver to river otter and the desert fish in the region's streams. The Desert Grassland exhibit recreates the action of a black-tailed prairie dog colony. The Museum's gardens are a colorful display of cactus and succulents, and there's a walk-through cave that leads you to one of the finest collection of rare regional gems and minerals. When you're ready to relax and revive, there are two restaurants, a coffee bar and casual refreshment ramads on the grounds. All you have to bring is the sunscreen, a hat and comfortable walking shoes: the time goes quickly here.

A sophisticated city of 700,000 that still feels more like a quiet desert town, Tucson has plenty to offer outdoor lovers, history buffs, urban cowboys and culture vultures alike. Spread out over a 500 square mile valley and surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson surprises you nestled in this natural geographic highway as you drive in on I-10 from sprawling Phoenix: there are low-lying buildings aplenty as soon as you enter the city limits, but these are hardly the suburbs--you're already well into Tucson, a compact, well-ordered and livable place, not lacking in fresh air or a strong sense of itself.

With its strong Spanish, Mexican and Native American heritage, Tucson is more than just a pretty space, however. The Mission San Xavier del Back still serves the same Tohono O'Odoham Indian community it was originally established for. Parts of the original Spanish presidio (fortress) flank downtown's mosaic-tiled courthouse, and celebrations like the annual International Mariachi Festival downtown indicate the continued influence from south of the border. Signs of the West are equally plentiful, though: guest ranches, country and western dance bars and shops brimming with cowboy gear and lifestyle attest to that. Old Tucson Studios, where some of the West's most memorable legends were captured for the movies, offers simulated show-down's, while large-scale annual rodeos feature some of the most skilled steer-roping you can watch anywhere.

The list of outdoor wonders to take in surrounding the city is extensive: one of the most unusual, however, has to be at the large Chiricahua National Monument, dubbed the "Land of the Standing-Up Rocks" by the Apache who lived hereabouts for centuries. The vast outcroppings of volcanic rock worn by erosion into strange pinnacles and spires reside in a forest which enjoys autumn and spring at the same time thanks to an unusual balance of rain and sun.