Tucson Travel Guide (23 Epic Things to do)

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Dreaming of a visit to sunny Southern Arizona? You’ve just stumbled across the ultimate Tucson Travel Guide!

Are you ready to forgo the cold winter at home? Then come to Tucson this winter, where the sun is shining and the weather is warm!

You may be wondering, “Why exactly should I visit Arizona? And when should I visit Tucson?”

From the desert and mountain hiking to the scenic drives, and the historic Missions to the Boneyard, there is so much to see! Plus, you’ll love all the great food and the role Tucson played in the Western film industry. The better question is, why not come to Tucson?!

With a myriad of extraordinary sights to see and things to do, Tucson should deserve a high spot on your Travel Bucket List!

Now that you know Tucson is the next great getaway you’ve been dreaming of, it’s time to start planning your visit! This Tucson Travel Guide is packed with the best things to see and do in the Tucson area + money saving hacks to make your visit so much cheaper. When you can have a great getaway and Save Money, that’s a win-win!

Are you ready to explore Tucson? Here’s everything you need to know before you go…

Tucson Travel Guide

Related:

Phoenix Arizona Travel Guide

#1: Saguaro National Park West (Tucson Mountain District)

Laden with some of the Sonoran Desert’s most lush terrain, the Western District of Saguaro National Park should be a top priority on any visit to Tucson! There is a series of interconnected trails ranging from 2-10 miles which pass through canyons, by old mines, and ascend up to Wasson Peak. Hikes range from short viewpoints on the side of the road to longer hikes up to 10 miles in length.

The entrance fee for Saguaro National Park is $20, good for 7 days, and covers both the West and East sides of the park. Or you can use your National Park Pass to get in.

#2: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

This desert museum is by far one of the most impressive ones I’ve been to. Unlike your traditional museum, featuring seemingly endless dark hallways, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum features a mix of both indoor and outdoor exhibits, almost like a mix between a museum and botanical garden! Here you can see all of the magnificent flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert, with a myriad of plants and animals that call this spectacular corner of the world home.

The general admission fee here is $21.95, or $19.95 for seniors over 65, and $8.95 for children 3-12. While the prices are no doubt on the steeper end, this is such a great place to learn about the Sonoran Desert, especially if it’s your first visit to Arizona!

#3: Tucson Mountain Park

Directly South of the Saguaro National Park West and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, this park is completely free to visit and features miles of hiking trails. Do be warned, though, that while you may have to pay the steep $20 fee to enter Saguaro, the trails there are very well maintained, whereas the trails in the Tucson Mountain Park tend to be more overgrown – if not no longer existent. There is the lovely Gilbert Ray campground and some picnic tables of the side of the road which make for a casual lunch spot, though!

#4: Catalina State Park

Located thirty minutes north of Tucson and just outside of Oro Valley, beautiful Catalina State Park showcases a lush desert landscape at the base of the towering Santa Catalina Mountains. This state park has miles of extensive hiking trails, a Great Campground with hookups that can accommodate RVs, and a spectacular array of wildlife!

#5: Seven Falls Trail

Also north of Tucson, Seven Falls Trail is potentially one of the most stunning hikes in all of Southern Arizona. This 5 mile out-and-back hike follows and crisscrosses the river several times while going up a beautiful rugged canyon. At the end of the trail you’ll arrive at the falls, which reach their peak flow in the Spring.

#6: Saguaro National Park East (Rincon Mountain District)

Also part of Saguaro National Park, the Rincon Mountain District, or Saguaro National Park East, lies clear across town from Saguaro National Park West. Saguaro National Park East is home to a sky island mountain range, which you can go hiking on and around.

To better clarify, a “sky island” in Arizona is a small mountain range, usually protruding several thousand feet above the desert floor. The higher you ascend, the vegetation changes from cacti to scrub bushes, and ultimately ponderosa pine laden peaks. Many of these sky islands even get snow in the wintertime!

This is where the difference lies between the two districts of Saguaro National Park – in the west, you’ve got the quintessential Sonoran Desert terrain, and in the east, you’ve got the Sky Island which you can hike on. Your entrance fee covers both districts for 7 days, so you may as well see both!

#7: Picacho Peak State Park

This jagged peak is just off I-10 40 minutes North of Tucson. The site of the only Civil War battle fought in Arizona, the peak is home to a handful of trails and has been designated a state park. Entrance fee is $7.

#8: Catalina Highway (Mount Lemmon, Windy Point Vista)

Catalina Highway is probably one of, if not the most amazing place on this Tucson Travel Guide. Starting out in Tucson’s lush Sonoran Desert, this highway showcases one of the most majestic Sky Islands in all of Southern Arizona. The highway gradually climbs, before ascending over the saguaro line and passing the scraggly brush. The bushes gradually get taller, before giving way to ponderosa pines, as the road ends in the forested town of Summerhaven. Temperatures in Summerhaven are typically 30 degrees cooler than Tucson! This is by far one of the most scenic short Road Trips in the Southwest!

Catalina Highway to Mount Lemmon

#9: Mission San Xavier del Bac

Finished in 1797, this beautiful mission is just 10 miles south of Downtown Tucson. The oldest European-built building in the state of Arizona, the church is still in use to this day. It’s completely free to visit as well!

#10: Mission San José de Tumacácori (45 minutes)

45 miles South of Tucson, and 20 miles North of Nogales lies this rustic mission. Unlike Mission San Xavier del Bac, which has mostly been restored and whitewashed, this mission was never finished by the Spaniards and retains a more rustic feel to it. It’s definitely worth a visit from Tucson! The entrance fee here is $7 per adult, and kids under 16 go free.

#11: Old Tucson Studios

The largest Western town set ever built, nearly every major Western movie has been filmed in Old Tucson Studios at some point or another! History buffs and fans of Western movies will love visiting this icon west of Tucson.

General admission here is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors, and $10.95 for kids 4-11.

#12: Pima Air and Space Museum + The Boneyard

This museum houses many former military, cargo, and passenger planes, not to mention a ton of cool vehicles. This is also the starting point to catch a tour of the ‘Boneyard’, where there are retired military planes parked as far as the eye can see!

#13: Titan Missile Museum

South of Tucson, this former ICBM silo is a must when you’re in Tucson! The missile, which is now deactivated, showcases the role which Arizona played during the Cold War.

#14: Eegee’s

Only located in the Tucson area, this casual sandwich shop is a craze amongst locals. The best part, however, is the frozen drinks, which are absolutely refreshing any time of the year!

Tucson Travel Guide – Nearby Destinations:

#15: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (1 hour 10 minutes)

This park showcases a huge pueblo style ruin, about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. You can walk around the outside of the ruin, past some pretty Sonoran Desert cacti and vegetation! Use your National Park pass for entrance.

#16: Patagonia Lake State Park (1 hour 20 minutes)

Located deep in southern Arizona near the old mining town of Patagonia, this beautiful state park protects the lush area surrounding Patagonia Lake. There are great boating, fishing and birding opportunities in the park as well as some beautiful hiking trails!

#17: Kartchner Caverns State Park (50 minutes)

This incredible cavern is one of Southern Arizona’s greatest natural attractions, and by far worth a day trip from Tucson! To get into the State Park there is a $7 vehicle entrance fee, and an additional $20 fee per person ($13 for kids age 7-13) to tour the big room, which is the highlight of the cave. There’s no need to pay the extortionate $100+ fee for the photo tour.

#18: Tombstone (1 hour 10 minutes)

Yes, old Tombstone itself is just over an hour from Tucson! You’ll drive right through this famous Western town on the way to Bisbee, making it worth the stop.

#19: Bisbee (1 1/2 hours)

Located in Southern Arizona’s Mule Mountains, this historic mining town is home to plentiful 19th and early 20th century architecture. This is a rarity in Arizona, which has been mostly developed in the past 80-90 years. You’ll find funky restaurants, interesting shops, a tour of the former mine and more! Overall, Bisbee is a fun little town that should be on your Bucket List!

#20: Kitt Peak (1 hour)

An hour west of Tucson, Kitt Peak Observatory is one of the few in Arizona, a state which, far outside of the big cities has exceptionally clear air. The observatory is free to visit, and you can go from 9:00 AM- 3:45 PM. Do note that temperatures up at Kitt Peak are generally 15 – 20 degrees cooler than in Tucson.

#21: Phoenix (2 hours)

Of course the Phoenix area is so massive it’s impossible to summarize it for a day trip from Tucson, but there are several reasons making it worth the visit. Whether you want to hike up the iconic Camelback Mountain, see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesen West in Scottsdale, or explore the extensive Desert Botanical Garden, you’re going to love visiting this city!

Go check out this Phoenix Arizona Travel Guide for a comprehensive overview of the city.

#22: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (2 hours 10 minutes)

Over two hours southwest of Tucson lies one of the greatest preserved lands in all of Arizona: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. While you’ll see the Organ Pipe cacti all around the Tucson and Phoenix areas, nothing compares to the sheer size and height in which they grow here in this lush corner of the desert!

#23: Chiricahua National Monument (2 hours)

Located in the far southeastern reaches of Arizona, not too far from the New Mexico state border, Chiricahua National Monument is home to hundreds and hundreds of unique hoodoos in a mini-mountain range!

There are 17 miles of hiking trails and a campground, connected by the 8-mile scenic Bonita Canyon Road. Also, don’t miss the historic Faraway Ranch, near the entrance, and Fort Bowie, which is half an hour to the north of Chiricahua.

Tucson Travel Guide – How to Get Free Airfare to Tucson:

Flying to Tucson? Why pay, when you can score FREE airfare?!? When you use Swagbucks, you can get free gift cards for Southwest Airlines and Delta, which both fly into the Tucson International Airport, as well as Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 2 hours away. Overall, this is the the best way to reduce the cost of your airfare to Tucson. I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for about 10 years now, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to earn Free airline gift cards!

From the Tucson International Airport, there are about 15 direct flights around the country, whereas the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 2 hours to the north has direct connections to pretty much every major city in North America. If you’re looking to save money on airfare and get a direct flight, flying into Phoenix and driving two hours down I-10 may prove to be worthwhile.

Here’s how it works:

Sign up with Swagbucks
Then start earning Swagbucks SB Points. There are so many EASY ways to earn Swagbucks! You can earn by Searching the Web {just like you would using Google}, Taking Surveys, Using Coupons, Shopping Online, Watching Videos, etc. I typically earn an easy $25 each month on Swagbucks!
Cash in your Swagbucks SB Points for Free Southwest Airlines Gift Cards and Free Delta Gift Cards!

Tucson Travel Guide – How to Get Free Uber Rides in Tucson:

If you’re flying into Tucson for a quick getaway, you can simply call an Uber to come pick you up from the airport and take you into the city. My favorite trick is to cash in Swagbucks points for Free Uber gift cards!

Here’s how it works:

Sign up with Swagbucks
Then start earning Swagbucks SB Points. There are so many EASY ways to earn Swagbucks! You can earn by Searching the Web {just like you would using Google}, Taking Surveys, Using Coupons, Shopping Online, Watching Videos, etc. I typically earn an easy $25 each month on Swagbucks!
Cash in your Swagbucks SB Points for Free Uber Gift Cards!

Tucson Travel Guide – Renting a Car in Tucson:

All the major car rental companies are available at the Tucson International Airport. Whether you rent a car or drive to Tucson, you’re in luck! Nogales is 1 hour, Phoenix is 2 hours, El Paso is 4.5 hours, and Los Angeles is 7 1/2 hours. There are lots of amazing places nearby!

Tucson Travel Guide – When to Visit:

Tucson is located at 2,000 feet elevation, with nice, cool winters and scorching summers. The best months to visit are generally October – April, where the weather cools down and is suitable for being outside. Unless you love air conditioned spaces and swimming pools, May – September is the worst time to come. Temperatures then often exceed 100+ degrees! Ouch!

Tucson Travel Guide: What to Bring

Okay, now to the essentials! If you’re going to do any hiking whatsoever, you’ll need to bring some sturdy hiking shoes. Flip flops are the perfect casual footwear for around town. Also, the sun can be pretty intense year-round, so don’t forget a pair of sunglasses.

Now that you’ve read this Tucson Travel Guide, go check out even more Arizona Travel Tips to keep planning your visit to the Southwest…

Phoenix Arizona Travel Guide

Phoenix AZ Free Things

Sedona Arizona Travel Guide

Arizona Grand Canyon Travel Guide

American Southwest Road Trip Itinerary (14 Epic Days)

Now that you’ve read this Tucson Travel Guide, don’t miss out any more! Follow along with Never Ending Journeys for more fun Travel Tips, Easy Recipes, and Decor Hacks!