Local Area
Like many cities in the Sunbelt, Tucson has experienced tremendous growth, especially over the past 20 years. What was once a mid-size Western town has grown into a metropolitan area of more than 800,000 people and counting. But despite its growth, Tucson still has plenty of small-town charm, historical treasures, and natural beauty waiting for those who visit.
Downtown
Downtown Tucson is the most diverse area of the city, a space century-old adobe homes cluster near Victorian mansions, where slick government buildings tower over affordable restaurants. Downtown Tucson is the favorite destination for artists and art lovers, with numerous studios and galleries situated in the Old Town Artisans marketplace, just a block north of the Tucson Museum of Art.
Downtown is also the site of the city's major performing arts events, with the Tucson Convention Center and the Temple of Music and Art providing the main venues for opera, symphony and dance performances.
Take a moment to stop by the Barrio Historico, where old Spanish-style homes have been largely restored to their original beauty. Leave your car in one of the parking garages downtown and explore this area on foot, giving yourself a chance to smell the aloe and mesquite in the air.
South Tucson
The small area of South Tucson houses Tucson’s vibrant Hispanic community. For many out-of-town visitors, its main attractions are the Mexican restaurants, which specialize in a unique style of Mexican cooking. Heavily influenced by the light, fresh Sonoran-style nearer to Southern California, with the spicy, smoky flavor of New Mexican cuisine, South Tucson Mexican food is a journey unto itself. The quality at places like Michas and Mi Nidito is hard to match.
Moving further into Tucson’s southwest, the Hispanic influence deepens as it intermingles with the Native American people living in and around the Tohono O'odham Reservation. While many visitors only get at least a glimpse of this area going to and from Tucson International Airport, or when visiting the Desert Diamond Casino, it would be a shame to miss this area. One area in particular deserves a visit: the Mission San Xavier del Bac, a national landmark and the most beautiful site in South Tucson.
North and the Foothills
In Tucson, "north" generally means "north of Broadway," with Broadway Boulevard acting as the southern border of North Tucson, with the Santa Catalina Mountains and Coronado National Forest framing the northern border. This area of town includes the University of Arizona campus with its many venues for science and art, as well as the city's main business and shopping areas. If shopping is what you’re looking for, the Tucson Mall and the Foothills Mall are considered by many to be the biggest and the best of in all of Arizona.
Further to the north, the land slowly slopes upwards to the tony Foothills residential district. This area features beautiful homes with a view, surrounded by stately saguaro cacti and mesquite trees, just outside the city limits. There are also several nature trails you can take which give an unsurpassed picture of the desert mountains’ beauty.
Northwest
The big chunk of Tucson stretching from Oracle Road and I-19 to the base of the Tucson Mountains is known as Northwest Tucson. While suburban sprawl and golf courses make up much of the Oro Valley, there are visual attractions to be seen. Try the Tohono Chul Park, a very pleasant desert garden with a cultivated touch. Once you're past I-10, the road starts snaking into the grandeur of Saguaro National Park West, covered by entire forests of the giant cacti that gave the park its name, and the site of several ancient Indian petroglyphs. Don't miss the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on the far side of the Tucson Mountains, and consider stopping at Old Tucson Studios for the sake of the kids.
Northeast
Encircled on the west by Wilmot Road, the Rincon and Catalina Mountains on the east and north, and Interstate 10 on the south, expansion of this district is largely limited by state and federal lands. Worth a visit is certainly Sabino Canyon, the most accessible part of the Catalinas, which teems with tourists, trams, hikers and joggers on weekends, while still retaining a serene beauty. If you are an outdoors person, you will also appreciate hiking through the vast expanses of Saguaro National Park. Beware of rattlesnakes!
Attractions
Arts & Culture
- Pima Air and Space Museum 17.7 km/11.0 miles
Community
- University of Phoenix 0.1 km/0.0 miles
- Tucson Medical Center 0.1 km/0.1 miles
- Universitiy of Arizona 8.1 km/5.0 miles
Corporate Offices
- Raytheon Corporation 19.3 km/12.0 miles
Entertainment
- Tucson Electric Park 24.1 km/15.0 miles
Golf
- Raven Golf Club at Sabino Springs 11.3 km/7.0 miles
- The Golf Club at Vistoso 33.8 km/21.0 miles
Government Offices
- Davis Monthan Airforce Base 8.1 km/5.0 miles
Local Attractions
- Sabino Canyon 9.7 km/6.0 miles
- Historic 4th Avenue District 12.9 km/8.0 miles
- Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum 22.5 km/14.0 miles
- Colossal Cave 24.1 km/15.0 miles
- San Xavier Del Bac Mission 37.0 km/23.0 miles
- Kartchner Caverns 78.9 km/49.0 miles
Nearby Destinations
- Old Tucson 29.0 km/18.0 miles
Shopping
- Gift Shop 0.0 km/0.0 miles
- Crossroads Festival Shopping 1.6 km/1.0 miles
- Park Place Mall 4.8 km/3.0 miles
- Old Town Artisans Shopping and Dining 11.3 km/7.0 miles