Tucson is a great place to tune out the world by communing with nature on one of many scenic trails, or indulging the senses with a fine symphony, opera, dance or theater performance. The city's museumspreserve the area's rich cultural heritage, while many festivals throughout the year celebrate the festive soul of Tucson.

     There are a lot of activities for families to enjoy together in the area. Kitt Peak Observatory houses the world's largest collection of optical telescopes, available for stargazing day or night. Old Tucson Studios is a popular Western movie set and theme park that never shuts down, where visitors can see how a movie is made behind the scenes or thrill to a roller coaster ride. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a zoo devoted to Southwestern animals and plants, was rated one of America's top zoos in the country by Parade Magazine. Pima Air and Space Museum displays more than 250 modern and historical aircraft. The University of Arizona Flandrau Science Center offers unique science exhibits and programs for all ages, including hands-on displays, multimedia planetarium and laser light shows, a gem and mineral museum with more than 15,000 specimens, and a 16-inch telescope for nighttime stargazing. The Biosphere 2 Center is a $200 million facility on 250 acres built to help scientists discover what is needed to create a mini-eco system replica of Earth. Other popular family attractions in Tucson are the Reid Park Zoo, Tucson Children's Museum, and Funtasticks Family Fun Park.

Museums & Historic Sites

     One way to get in touch with Tucson's wild and wooly past and varied cultures is to tour the city's many museums. A few notables include the impressive Mission San Xavier del Bac, built in 1700 and the first Spanish mission established in the state. Arizona State Museum, the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest, houses some of the most significant collections in the world for the study of Southwestern peoples. The Arizona Historical Society Museum houses Arizona’s major historical documents and artifacts. The Titan Missile Museum, a Cold War-era nuclear missile silo, is an interesting attraction for contemporary history buffs.

Visual Arts

     The Tucson Museum of Art and the University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography have excellent exhibits. There are many art galleries pocketed around Tucson, most notably in the foothills along Skyline Drive, where galleries specialize in Western art, and El Cortijo Arts Annex, with several contemporary galleries. One of the best ways to take in the downtown Tucson art scene is on a docent-led Artwalk tour. The landmark DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun exhibits Ted DeGrazia's original art in a gallery designed by the artist.

Music & Performing Arts

     The arts are alive and well in Tucson, and there are an outstanding number of quality performing arts productions for a community its size. It is one of only 14 cities in the United States with a symphony as well as opera, theater, and ballet companies. Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the oldest continuously performing symphony in the Southwest, performs all year and gives summer performances under the stars in an outdoor amphitheater. The Arizona Opera is the state's premier opera company. The Ballet Arizona presents winter performances, including a very popular annual holiday rendition of The Nutcracker. The centerpiece of the Tucson theater scene is the Temple of Music and Art, a restored historic theater dating from 1927 and home of Arizona Theater Company productions. The University of Arizona Centennial stages performances by touring national musical acts, international companies, and Broadway shows.

     The Tucson Jazz Society books well-known jazz musicians into Tucson each year. The University of Arizona's College of Fine Arts gives classical music and opera performances from fall to spring. The Invisible Theatre, a tiny playhouse in a converted laundry building, has been home to Tucson's most experimental theater for more than 30 years. The Gaslight Theatre presents old-fashioned melodramas with villains, heroes, and defenseless heroines while the audience is encouraged to boo, hiss, cheer and sigh. Tucson is the mariachi capital of the United States, and the community enjoys listening to these strolling minstrels in restaurants and during community events.

Sports

     Tucson is the only city in the U.S. to host three Major League Baseball Spring Training teams: The Arizona Diamondbacks, The Colorado Rockies and The Chicago White Sox.

     Tucson is consistently rated one of the best golfing destinations in the West. During the winter months, the city is home to several horse shows including the All Arabian Charity, the Tucson Winter Classic, the Grand Canyon Classic Appaloosa Horse Show and the SAAHA Spring Jubilee. Tucson Raceway hosts NASCAR races, demolition derbies, motorcross, and monster truck events. El Tour de Tucson is an annual perimeter bicycle race. Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, an hour's drive from Tucson, offers winter downhill skiing from December to April.

Recreation & Parks

     There is no such thing as living in Tucson and staying indoors. Eternal blue skies, sunshine and picturesque settings beckon. Hiking, jogging, swimming, cycling, horseback riding, tennis, and bird-watching are daily activities in town. Catalina State Park is a great spot to hike, camp and enjoy nature. Saguaro National Park is divided into one area on the west side of town and the other on the east side, both with spectacular views, hiking trails and mammoth saguaro cacti. Sabino Canyon is a scenic hiking and biking area in town with lush desert flora and fauna following Sabino Creek. Tucson Botanical Gardens features 15 specialty gardens, including Nuestro Jardin (Mexican-American Garden) and Herb Gardens. Tohono Chul Park is a peaceful setting for walking in the pristine desert or having lunch in the tea room.

     Nearby Organ Pipe National Monument is the nation's largest preserve for the rare organ-pipe cactus. Throughout the region there are endless opportunities for hiking, biking, camping and bird-watching. The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve is renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty and the diversity of its plant and animal life, including up to 14 species of hummingbirds. Colossal Cave, open for tours and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, showcases an awesome crystal cave located on the historic La Posta Quemada Ranch. Kartchner Caverns is a stunning limestone cave that has been protected since its discovery in 1974; it is also open for tours

Festivals & Events

     Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Fiesta de San Augustín, Día De San Juan, Norteño Music Festival, Oktoberfest, Tucson Meet Yourself Festival and Fiesta de Guadalupe are just a few of the many annual celebrations Tucsonans enjoy. Native American culture is celebrated at the Indian America competition, powwow and crafts market in January. The Yaqui Easter Lent Ceremony, the Wa:k Powwow in March, the Tohono O'odham Arts Festival and Waila Festival in April, and other Native American powwows, markets, and arts shows are held throughout the year.

     The Tucson International Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Show, the largest of its kind in the world, is held in several locations all over the city every February. Many museums and universities, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Sorbonne, have displayed materials at the show. Other annual events include The Pima County Fair, the Fourth Avenue Artisans Street Fair, The Fiesta De Los Vaqueros Rodeo and Celebration, Spring Fling at the University of Arizona, Independence Day celebrations, Family Arts Festival, Bicycle Tour of the Tucson Mountains, Winterhaven Festival of Lights, Tucson Greek Festival and the Fiesta de los Chiles.

Resorts & Shopping

     Tucson's natural beauty makes it an ideal location for world-class resorts and spas, and although much of Tucson's shopping is focused around five malls, there are many boutiques and small shops with Southwest character and unique wares on open plazas. The historic 4th Avenue neighborhood near the University of Arizona is fertile ground for unusual and artsy items, good little restaurants, and local art. El Presidio Historic District around the Tucson Museum of Art and Old Town Artisans is the city's center for local and regional crafts. The city's Lost Barrio section is a good place to look for Mexican imports and Southwestern-style home furnishings, as well as stores selling African and New Guinea imports and antiques from around the world. A great concentration of antique shops can be found along Grant Road in the center of town, and all kinds of furniture can be found along the Ft. Lowell Road Furniture District. Trail Dust Town is a replica 19th-century Western street with wooden sidewalks, small shops, galleries, and a central plaza with a gazebo. The Downtown Arts District has an eclectic mix of sidewalk cafes, vintage theaters, unusual shops, and art galleries.

Nightlife

     Although Tucson doesn't have the huge selection of bars and clubs other major cities have, there's something in town to suit nearly every taste. Most of the major resorts have late spots for drinks or dancing. There are numerous nightclubs with live bands and groovy dancing, notably Club Congress, Rialto Theater, The Rock and Cactus Moon. Laff's Comedy Club is Tucson's live comedy showcase. Two Native American tribes operate casinos on their reservations at the edge of town.

Location

     Tucson sits in the heart of southern Arizona's Sonoran Desert valley at an elevation of 2,389 feet above sea level, surrounded by the world's largest concentration of Saguaro cactus and protected by a ring of mountain ranges - the Santa Catalinas to the north, the Rincons to the east, the Tucson Mountains in the west, the Tortolitas in the northwest and the Santa Ritas in the south. Located along the now dry bed of the Santa Cruz River and Interstate 10, Tucson is approximately 115 miles south of Phoenix and 63 miles north of the Mexican border.

Climate

     Known for its mild winters, dry desert air, low annual rainfall and abundant brilliance - about 360 days of sunshine a year, more than any other U.S. city - Tucson is a popular health destination, winter resort, and retirement community. The metropolitan area's population swells from November through February as thousands of part-time "snowbirds" flee colder regions to enjoy Tucson's warmth in the winter when temperatures hover around 68 degrees during the day. Tucsonans admit the summers sizzle when the mercury tops 104 degrees. But they insist, "It's a dry heat." About 12 inches of rain falls mostly from July to September, when Monsoon seasons spills torrents of rain and display spectacular lightning dances across night skies.

Demographics

     Nearly 860,000 people live in metropolitan Tucson, including thousands of part-time seasonal winter residents and students attending the University of Arizona. Tucson is the county seat of Pima County, the second largest city in Arizona, and the third fastest growing city in the U.S. Metropolitan Tucson's land mass, totaling more than 600 square miles, has plenty of elbow room and space for growth. The median age is 32 years, with a diverse population of several ancestry groups, primarily Mexican, German, Irish, English, Italian, American and French.

     Tucson is ranked Seventh Best City for Hispanics (a higher rating than Los Angeles or New York) in Hispanic Magazine's list of Top 10 Cities for Hispanics. The criteria are based on the percentage of Hispanic political representation, the vibrancy of the Latin cultural scene, job opportunities and cultural growth. Native American inhabitants in the area include the Tohono O'odham living in the city, on the nearby San Xavier reservation and Tohono O'odham Nation land, as well as 6,800 Yaqui living in the city, on the nearby Pascua Yaqui reservation, and in the Yoem Pueblo in the town of Marana.

Lifestyles

     American Heritage magazine recently named Tucson the "Great American Place." The metropolitan area has much to offer, and is known for nurturing the body, mind and soul. A sun-lovers' climate and the lush Sonoran Desert hemmed by mountains, canyons, wildlife and desert trails promote active lifestyles. Intellectual and cultural liveliness are enhanced by the oldest university in the state, and by a high percentage of creative artists, musicians and writers who call Tucson their home. Colorful public art, supported by a strong community arts council, adorns more than 100 Tucson buildings. Unsurpassed medical centers rub shoulders with leading edge natural clinics, and offer such holistic thinkers as Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona. Tucson has earned a top ten honor from the U.S. Department of Energy for its Clean Cities Coalition, recognizing significant long-term contributions in advancing the use of alternative fuels in motor vehicles.

     The city has been named one of "America's 100 Best Retirement Towns" and Money Magazine ranks Tucson in the Top Six places to retire in the country. MSN.com recently chose Tucson as the fifth best place in America to live, rating 331 cities on cost of living, crime rate, education, home prices and weather. One of only 14 cities in the United States with a full complement of the arts, Tucsonans enjoy a flourishing cultural life. Cycling is both a leisure activity and an alternative mode of transportation with 600 miles of bicycle routes in the city. The League of American Bicyclists has honored Tucson with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community designation, and Bicycling Magazine recognizes Tucson as the Third Best Cycling City in the U.S.

     The spas are world-class (a 2001 Zagat Survey ranks Tucson the Number One city for spas and resorts), the shopping is eclectic, and great dining is a tradition in many four-star restaurants. It's the only city in the country with three major-league spring training teams, and the golf is par none. Not to mention sunsets too glorious for words.

The Famous

     Tucson has attracted well-known names for decades, and many call "The Old Pueblo" their home, including Andrew Weil, the doctor best known for promoting alternative medicine; Michael Bates, athlete; Bart Bok, astronomer; Tedy Bruschi; professional football player; Brooke Burke; model and TV host; Richard Carmona, U.S. Surgeon General; Ted DeGrazia, painter; John Denver; musician; Sean Elliott, professional basketball player; John Fina, professional football player; Barbara Kingsolver, novelist; Lee Marvin, actor; Paul McCartney, musician (The Beatles); Lute Olson, college basketball coach; Linda Ronstadt, musician; Garry Shandling, comic; and Kerri Strug, gymnast.

     Filmmakers like the look of Tucson and have been using the city and its surrounding area as a backdrop for more than 78 years. A few films shot on location include "Revenge of the Nerds," "Groom Lake," "Oklahoma," "Bonanza," "Lilies of the Field," "The Outlaw Josie Wales," "Three Amigos!" "The Quick and the Dead," "Traffic," "Tin Cup," "Magnificent Seven," "Wild Wild West," and "Spin."