Tucson Things to Do Tips by Yaqui Top 5 Page for this destination

St. Augustine Cathedral 1896 St. Augustine Cathedral Review

Dating back to 1896, the building has an impressive sandstone façade with carvings of saguaro, yucca, and horned-toad lizards. Above the entry is a bronze statue of St. Augustine, the patron saint of Tucson.

Address: 192 S. Stone Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701

Directions: Downtown Tuscon, next to a parking garage

Phone: (520) 623-6351

Website: http://www.staugustinecathedral.com

Piece of history Downtown Tucson Review

While exploring and once you pass the Leonardo Romero home is this small section of adobe wall with a plaque on it and it reads:

About 400 people, including 100 soldiers, lived inside the fort. When not performing their military duties, the soldiers grew crops in the Santa Cruz River floodplain and tended livestock herds in the surrounding area. Many of the soldiers were married. Women cared for the children, washed clothing, tended gardens and baked bread in outdoor ovens. Children also worked tending fields and watching the cattle and sheep herds. Near the fort were O'odham and Apache Manso settlements.

The Plaza de las Armas was a center of actitivity within the presidio. In this view, looking to the south towards the mountains, two mounted light cavalry soldiers are returing from traveling a mule train traveling from the Presidio of Altar. Nearby an Apache Indian leads a carreta(cart) loaded with mesquite logs to be used in the construction of roof vigas (rafters). Other presidio residents are engaged in their daily chores in front of their homes lining the interior of the presidio walls.

Address: 240 West Washington Street, Tucson AZ 85701

Directions: Downtown

Phone: 800-638-8350

Website: http://www.tucsonattractions.com

Follow the Blue Line to history! Downtown Tucson Review

While exploring old downtow Tuscon, while I was taking a picture of a Little Piece of History tip, this wonderful lady was standing there checking her phone. I was a little surprised because I came up behind her and she paid me no mind. (Do NOT do this when your downtown and always be aware of your surroundings and people PLEASE!) Well I coughed and said excuse me so she would know I was coming up behind her so I could take a picture. She was excited I was exploring Tuscon and started to tell myself and my hubby the whole history of the Tuscon and the Presidio. She asked if I was following the Blue Line and I said no. She said look down and we did and there was this somewhat faded blue line. She said follow it and it will take you to all the historic buidings or sites of Tuscon. We asked if she was a teacher of history, she no, but she said she works for the city and arranges the cities events. So follow the BLUE LINE...lol!

Downtown Walking Tour Map in PDF

Address: 100 S Church Ave Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: 800-638-8350

Website: http://www.tucsonattractions.com

Tombstone~The Town Too Tough to Die!

Tombstone began in 1877 when Mr. Ed Schieffelin, who was willing to brave Apache territory, searched and found a rich strike of silver in the San Pedro Valley. He named his claim "Tombstone" after soldiers from Fort Huachuca said that the stone he would find someday would be his tombstone for venturing into Apache land. Soon with the discover of silver this strike brought in more prospectors, saloon keepers, ladies of the evening, gamblers, and outlaws. Once a camp, became a boomtown overnight. Sadly, within eight years time, it's heyday was soon approaching an end due. Tombstone experienced two devasting fires and way too many shootings. The riches moved on as well as the town folk. Still it survived, and now we still get to peek into the past.

Visit the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, Visitor Center

Address: 395 E. Allen Street, Tombstone, Az

Directions: From Tucson heading east on I-10, take exit 303 at state highway 80 towards Douglas. After about 23 miles, you will arrive in Tombstone, Arizona.

Phone: (520) 457-2244

Website: http://www.tombstonechamber.com/

Saguaro National Park Saguaro National Park Review

When we were looking for the way to the park, we saw a sign for the park and decided to take the adventure onto Golden Gate Road. Although it was a dirt road it was fun to see the Saguaro cactuses in its own natural habitat. So many wonderful shapes and sizes of the Saguaros. We kept seeing the doves that thrive around the Saguaros and so many of the cactuses had fruit growing on top. The road is not bad, but I would reconsider it if it ever rained. There are many wonderful trails and picnic areas to enjoy. 

If you keep following this road it takes you too Sandario Road which willl take you to Kinney Road and this is where the Red Hills Visitor Center. Off of Kinney Road you have access to Desert Discovery Nature Trail too.


Address: 2700 North Kinney Road, Tucson, Az 85743

Directions: To Western Saguaro National Park you take the Interstate 10 and Exit 246 Cortaro Road or Exit 248 Ina Road will take you to Wade Road and take a left and this turns into Picture Rocks Road and follow this to Sandario Road and then take Kinney Road.

Phone: 520-733-5153

Website: http://www.nps.gov/sagu

Arizon-Sonora Desert Museum Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Review

Founded in 1952, this museum is well known zoo for it's wonderful exhiblits and displays of the natural history and for its beautiful botanical garden. They have recreated beautiful Sonoran Desert Region exhiblits with mountain lions, prarie dogs, gila monsters and so much more. They have 300 animal species and 1,200 variety of plants. Their goal is to educate the public to the importance of protecting the enviornment and the species that flourishes in the Sonora Desert.

Address: 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson , AZ 85743

Directions: Westbound: exit I-10 at 29th Street, take the frontage road north to Speedway Blvd and turn left. After 12 miles, turn right onto Kinney Road. In about 2.5 miles, the Desert Museum will be on your left.

Website: http://www.desertmuseum.org/

San Xavier del Bac Mission San Xavier del Bac Mission Review

Jesuit priest came to this valley to convert the Native America's, the Tohono O'odham tribe. Father Eusebius Kino visited in 1692 and laid the foundation of the first mission. Sadly the Jesuits were expelled by 1767. The Franciscans moved in by 1768 and the completion of the mission was accomplished 1797. The missions architecture is of Spanish Renaissance, Moorish, & Aztec design. The front facade is very ornate in a rich red arabesque. The columns are four figures in niches. The first above and to the left with crown & royal robe is the statue of Saint Elizabeth. The figure below with a black robe a Jesuit priest. To the right the upper figure with tambourine is St. Cecilia. The one in the niche below is blackened from candle wax because the traditions is the saint cures their sore eyes. The church front entrance is covered with beautiful scroll work having the coat of arms of the Franciscan monks, which is a cross, with a rope coil above and two arms below, one of which represents that of Christ, and is naked, the other one that of St. Francis de Assisi, and is partially clothed.

Inside is in the shape of the cross. The whole inside is adorned with very ornate frescoes and each has a very significant meaning. It is all a lot to take in. They do ask for people to be very quiet to respect others who might be in prayer. A very lovely church. You have to take the time to explore it to fully appreciate it's history.

Address: 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson 85746

Directions: This mission is 9 miles south off I-19, exit 92 on San Xavier Rd. in the Tohono O'odham Native Reservation

Phone: 520-294-2624

Website: http://www.sanxaviermission.org/

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base "Aircraft Boneyard" Pima Air and Space Museum Review

Access restricted with proper ID. Reservations suggested. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri. excluding federal holidays, $7/adults, $3/children 12 and younger. View from Kolb Rd.

For AMARG tours, call Pima Air & Space Museum. You can get onto a bus from here if you have proper I.D.

This drive will take you by the AMARG (Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group).

They will let you take photo's, but they do let you get off the bus. They had way to much trouble of folks trying to taking pieces of the aircraft as souvenirs. Still it was very interesting to see so much stored.

Address: 6000 E. Valencia Rd.Tucson, AZ 85730

Directions: From I-10 eastbound exit to Valencia. From I-10 westbound exit to Wilmot Rd.

Phone: 618-4800

Website: http://www.pimaair.org

Pima Air & Space Museum Pima Air and Space Museum Review

From the alien surface of Mars and the vast reaches of space to its modern beginnings in the Wright Brothers' triumph of flight, over 100 years of Aerospace history and 300 aircraft on 80 acres can be explored at the Pima Air & Space Museum. This is a very impressive museum. It consist of many buildings and they also of a tour on a tram that will take you through the whole park. Very well worth your time if your a aircraft buff. It has to be one of the best ones we have seen.

$15.50/adults,
$12.75/AAA, seniors, military,
$9/chidren 7-12, 6 and under free.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. with last admission at 4 p.m. Allow 2-4 hours

Address: 6000 E. Valencia Rd.Tucson, AZ 85756

Directions: From I-10 eastbound exit to Valencia. From I-10 westbound exit to Wilmot Rd.

Phone: (520) 574-0462

Website: http://www.pimaair.org

Sentinel Plaza Downtown Tucson Review

This area at the base of Sentinel Peak, or A Mountains, has been called the birthplace of Tuscon. It has been a place of human habitation agriculture and irrigation for several millennia. Tuscon is derived from teh O'odham word "Chuk Shon", which means "at the foot of the mountain." Sentinel Plaza honors the early cultures of this area. The main features of the Plaza are the Sentinels, four sculptural monoliths which face Sentinel Peak. They are constructed of rammed earth. Earth was one of the building materials of the early peoples, as can be seen today in the great ruins of Casa Grande National Monument. The smaller tiled monolith is a symbol for bultural origins. The black "spirit" line is a symbol for cultural energy, as it flows through and unites the site. It is also a water symbol, an echo of the adjacent Santa Cruz River, which was an important resource drawing human settlement. Water symbols are also seen in the curving pavement design, and in the wave patterns of the bronze cap and tiles of the small monolith. The motifs of the other applied tiles on site are the artist interpretations of Hohokam pottery designs and the flora and fauna of our Sonoran desert.

by RLV Arts (Judith Stewart, Chuck Sternberg, Andrew Rush, Joy Fox, Bob Vint)

Address: Northwest corner of I-10 and Congress Street

Website: http://www.tucsonpimaartscouncil3.org/dynamic/publicart/collection/detailpa.asp?id=155&cat=Sculpture