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Tucson Photo Gallery
(Click to enlarge images)

Tucson, Arizona

Autumn 2006

AKA "The Old Pueblo"

I live out here in the deserts of Tucson, Arizona.  Actually it's not really a desert, we have over half a million people here.  Tucson's origins go way back.  The Tohono Od'ham people lived here over a thousand years ago, and the town of Tucson itself was founded in 1775, a few months after Paul Revere's ride.  Even before that, Spanish Missionaries established San Xavier de Bac Mission, which still stands today near the Southwest corner of the city (photo below).  Tucson was under Mexican rule from 1823-1852, until it was incorporated into the Gadsden Purchase, in which the USA purchased parts of what is now southern New Mexico, California and Arizona.  For a time, Tucson was the capital of Arizona as well.  

What you can do here, and what you'll find....

• That's a mountain you see in the background of the above photo.  Tucson is almost totally surrounded by mountains; the Santa Catalinas being the biggest.  Mount Lemmon is a little over 9100 ft., and it is roughly 45 minutes from my doorstep.  It is the location of the southernmost Ski Resort in the United States; Ski Valley in Summerhaven.  It's a 22 mile trip through the mountains to get there, but well worth it!

•   Tucson plays host to three Major League Baseball teams in the winter, the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, the 2005 World Champion White Sox and the Colorado Rockies.  In the summer, the AAA Tucson Sidewinders (Diamondbacks) play at Tucson Electric Park.

•   The University of Arizona is here; the Wildcats won the 1997 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament....U of A is among the top schools in the country in medicine (artificial heart was first used here), astronomy/space research, and engineering, and the school also has an incredible sciences center and planetarium. A new science center is being built, which will extend over the Interstate with a 400-foot-tall 'rainbow bridge' planned to cover the span.  That should be quite a sight.
   

• We're also home to Biosphere II...do you know where Biosphere I is?  You're standing on it, it's the earth!   No bionauts living there these days, but you can tour inside the entire facility; very educational for the kids :)
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• Old Tucson Movie Studios, where over 100 movies were filmed; recent ones include Three Amigos and Tombstone; plus episodes of Little House on the Prairie, the Young Riders, etc..  It's also a theme park (read: tourist trap!) dedicated to the Old West; stunt shows, cowboys, saloon girl revues, horserides, trains, etc..
   

• The Arizona/Sonora Desert Museum, which is among the top 10 zoos in the country - home to many species of plant and animal found in the Sonoran Desert, including wildcats, javelinas, deer, the cutest prairie dogs, snakes, other reptiles, birds and spiders...
   

• Beautiful Sabino Canyon, just northeast of the city, where my father was laid to rest.  One of the best hiking spots in the Southwest, and a great place to go to just hang out and think for a while.
   

• Colossal Cave, and about 30 miles southeast...Kartchner Caverns!  Kartchner opened a few short years ago for reserved guided tours only.  They're booked almost entirely through 2006!   Apparently there are plans for a Six Flags Theme Park to be built in the Kartchner Caverns area as well!

• The Gaslight Theatre and Trail Dust Town.  If you're visiting Tucson, don't miss these!!  The Gaslight features the finest in hilarious southwestern-themed dinner theatre, with shows ranging from "Sgt. Preston of the Royal Mounties - or 'Yukon Count on Me'", to "Secret Agent Man", to  "Buzz Corey and the Red Planet of Doom".  Trail Dust Town is a small town modeled after the old west, and featuring Pinnacle Peak restaurant, which serves GREAT steaks, but don't wear a tie, or they'll cut it off! 
   

• Other stuff....The Annual Gem and Mineral Show, by far our biggest showcase event... La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, a 4-day rodeo featuring the world's biggest non-mechanized parade... all local schools have 'rodeo vacation' here!   The El Tour de Tucson bike race is hugely popular, with over 100 miles covered in a race that circumnavigates the city.  Also Horseback Riding, Jeep Tours, Tucson Mall, Park Place, Eegee's Restaurants, "A" Mountain, Downtown Saturday Nights, the International Wildlife Museum (can you say "taxidermy"?), and the Cinco De Mayo Mariachi Festival.
   

• The Fourth Avenue Street Fair runs twice a year, summer and winter 
   

•   The Tucson Convention Center hosts everything from rock concerts to operas.  Tucson is one of the few cities to have its own symphony, ballet, theatrical company and opera company (the latter three it shares with Phoenix).

    Historic San Xavier Mission near South Tucson

     Giant Saguaro Cacti abound everywhere!  They're only found here in the Sonora Desert....

If you have any questions about Tucson, tourism, what there is to do here, or anything in general, drop me an email!

Page last modified 1/07