This spectacular park has an east and a west location. The entry fee is good for a week so we visited the west today. We will visit the east on another day.
The cloud formations added to the amazing cactus and I bet sunrise and sunset is amazing to see.
We were fortunate enough to stay at the Loews resort the week of Christmas. The grounds were beautiful and well-maintained. A short trail led to this amazing natural waterfall (yes, in the desert). Apparently when the resort was built in 1984 it was a priority to leave intact all the saguaro cactus in their original locations and so the resort built around all the natural fauna.
The service and food were great and Carli and I visited the gym daily and even attended a group fitness class – the instructor was excellent. We also took advantage of a tennis class. Prosecco and Pickleball on Friday night was a hit!
A large Koi pond was next to the check-in desk and food to feed the fish was provided. The koi know exactly when someone shows up to feed them and wait patiently for the food to be tossed.
As usual, Pete received a lot of attention wherever we went and Pete was quick to uncover where he would receive treats and directed his daily walks on the routes that were guaranteed for treats!
A short drive from where I’m staying is Sabino Canyon. Eight dollars gets you all day admission and you could easily spend that time on the paved path, the numerous trails and the open-air tram, if walking isn’t your thing.
Mountains littered with cacti, a stream and dry bed river areas make this area beautiful with a desert existence. There is so much beauty in Tucson and it’s so different from Portland!
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I did not realize that Arizona had a wine region but they do! At about an elevation of 5000 feet (for reference Tucson is at about 2500 feet) the vineyards are plentiful in this beautiful area of grasslands, rolling hills, Santa Rita Mountains and ranches (both cattle and horses). I stopped at Sonoita Vineyards and the Elgin Winery and Distillery. I tasted a few wines and bought a bottle. The wines were very good (to my unsophisticated palate).
The drive took about an hour each way and was beautiful. Cactus gave way to yucca plants and grassland was plentiful. The vineyards often couldn’t be seen from the road but once I drove up the dusty driveways, the rolling hills with vineyards emerged.
Tumacacori and Tubac are an easy 25 minute drive from where I am staying so I ventured south. I visited Tumacacori Mission first, which consisted of a church and planned community near the Santa Cruz River. There was a church, convent, cemetery, plaza, orchard and large garden area. It was peaceful and interesting. The grounds were lush and the remaining buildings were well-preserved. I really love the adobe structures.
Three miles north is Tubac. Tubac is historical and artsy in the cutest way. I started at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum but didn’t spend too much time there. I then walked the streets of Tubac starting with the Tubac Center of the Arts. A juried competition was showing and the art was impressive. I then meandered the three streets filled with art, jewelry and other things you didn’t know you needed! The village boasts being founded in 1752 and the arts and crafts were impressive. I especially loved all the garden art.
Similar to running into an old friend that I didn’t realize I missed, Tucson continues to surprise me. A few years ago after Tucson came onto my radar, I joined a few Facebook groups focused on the city. I figured it would give me a little insight into the culture, pluses and minuses and some secrets, too. I do this for any city I’m visiting if it is remotely a possibility as “the place”. As expected, some comments are negative but mostly the tidbits have been positive. As I am exploring, I find Tucson has a lot to love about it and I am enjoying discovering its nooks and crannies.
Tucson is clean. There is no garbage littering the downtown area or any other place I’ve explored so far. I found a dog park last night and even that was spotless. It is impressive.
Food is important here and I sense a certain amount of pride with the offerings at the various restaurants I’ve visited. I found a fantastic market called Time Market. It has fresh grocery items but also an attached cafe and bakery offering morning pastries, pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Artisan bread comes out of the oven at 7 a.m. and I suspect it is worth getting up for! My croissant was delicious.
Next to the Tucson Museum of Art is the Presidio neighborhood. Since the museum was not open when I arrived, I walked the hood. It was another charming, historical area with some stunning homes – not ostentatious or large – but instead with character and details worth observing.
I visited the Tucson Museum of Art, which although is small, has an impressive collection of varied art. The collections include ancient Americas, contemporary Latin American, Indigenous, Latin American Folk Art and Modern Art. The size of the museum makes all of this digestible and three other buildings outside the courtyard add more to see.
I then walked about 13 minutes to Barrio Viejo and along the way this beautiful plaza appeared! I also landed on an ice skating rink with holiday music and kids skating and smiling. Wandering is the best way to be surprised.
As I headed to my short-term rental I stopped at University of Arizona to check out the turtle pond. I found it, but no turtles, just large goldfish.
Tucson offers so much variety and beauty. Tonight I will attend an opening at the Etherton Gallery. Today is my fifth day in Tucson and she has been generous with her gifts of warmth, beauty and accessibility.
The cacti scream for attention on this 27 mile climb to reach an elevation of 9000 feet. At about 4000 feet, the cacti disappear and evergreens begin to take over. And finally at 8000 feet snow and ice pave the road. The rock formations are golden colored with pink, red and orange hues but as the elevation rises, grey takes over. This drive is the equivalent of beginning at the Mexican desert and ending in the Canadian forests (in just 27 miles!). There were plenty of vistas and the most mesmerizing was the Windy Point Vista but I stopped at almost every turnout because the views kept changing.
It’s December 3rd and the weather is a sunny, mild 62 degrees (but actually feels warmer in the sun). The sweltering days of Tucson’s 100 degree plus temperatures are over and so I can see the allure of a winter home here. I decided to check out the multiple neighborhoods on my list to see. Tucson is easy to navigate with it’s wide, grid streets. One thing I notice immediately is how clean everywhere I go is with not a speck of trash anywhere. It’s impressive. The second thing I observe is murals are plentiful and tell the story of the rich culture in Tucson.
I start at Barrio Viejo. This is a neighborhood of post Civil War adobe and brick homes. They are small, simple and gorgeous. This neighborhood is walkable and right next to downtown.
I then see Menlo Park/Mercado San Agustin and the MSA Annex. This is another cool area that is a new development but built to look old and fits in nicely to the Tucson aesthetic.
I also drove to the Sam Hughes neighborhood, Blenman-Elm and West University areas. Beautiful, historical homes that I love.
Lunch was then in order so I stopped at Boca Tacos. I tried three tacos, a boca ball and a salsa flight which included a garbanzo bean option, basil black bean and an avocado version. They were all excellent.
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