Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
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Tucson has always been a crossroads. Water was, until the onset of a severe drought in the late 1990s, relatively plentiful in Tucson, in spite of its location in the middle of a desert. This made it an important travel route, an agricultural center, and a communications nexus. Tucson's history is ancient, with evidence of human occupation stretching back 10,000 years. Between 200 and 1450 CE, the Hohokam culture dominated the area – the Pima and Tohono O'Odham peoples that still occupy the area are descendants of the Hohokam. In 1699, Father Eusebio Kino, S.J., established the Mission San Xavier del Bac, southwest of present-day Tucson.
9 Sun Tran, 3920 N Sun Tran Blvd (main office), ☏ +1 520-628-1565 (customer service), suntraninfo@tucsonaz.gov. M-F 6AM-7PM, Sa-Su 8AM-5PM. An extensive metropolitan bus system, with routes and times listed here. The buses can accommodate up to two bicycles in the front; only folding bikes are permitted inside the bus. All Sun Tran rides have been free for all passengers since March 2020. (updated Jul 2024) Sun Link Streetcar. A streetcar route which extends from the University of Arizona to the downtown area and the Mercado district. It has now been integrated into the Sun Tran public transportation system; the streetcar route map can be downloaded here.
Barrio Viejo (Barrio Histórico), Bounded by I-10, W Cushing St, S 6th Ave, and W 18th St (by the Tucson Convention Center). One of Tucson's oldest neighborhoods, much of the barrio was destroyed when the Tucson Convention Center was built. There are many colorful adobe buildings housing shops, galleries, and residences. Best explored on foot. 1 El Tiradito (The Castaway), Just south of the intersection of S Main Ave at W Cushing St (Barrio Viejo). El Tiradito is the only shrine to a sinner in North America. In the 1880s, a young man had an affair with his mother-in-law. When caught in the act, his father-in-law shot him and he stumbled from bed and ran out of the house.
1 Arizona Theatre Company (Temple of Music and Art), 330 S Scott Ave (downtown), ☏ +1 520-622-2823 (box office), info@arizonatheatre.org. Box office: M-F 10AM-5PM/curtain, Sa Su noon-curtain. Also operating in Phoenix, the company performs six productions a year. Tickets can be purchased online. (updated Mar 2017) 2 Centennial Hall, 1020 E University Blvd (University of Arizona), ☏ +1 520-621-3341 (ticket office). Ticket office: Sep-Apr: M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa noon-5PM; May-Aug: hours vary; open 2 hr before performance. A venue for classical music, dance, jazz, and musicals. Tickets can be purchased online.
As you can guess, Tucson is a veritable hub of Southwestern and Mexican cuisine. But Tucson is an adventurous town (easily the most liberal metropolitan area in Arizona) and as a result of its diversity, has a vibrant culinary culture. One noteworthy concoction unique to Tucson, Phoenix, and southern Arizona is the Sonoran hot dog. First developed in Hermosillo, Sonora, it consists of a traditional hot dog wrapped with bacon and then grilled. It is served in a bolillo (a Mexican roll) with pinto beans, onions, and tomatoes, and topped with mayonnaise, mustard, and jalapeños.
Tucson has an active wine community, with many retailers, restaurants and wine bars regularly offering scheduled wine tasting events. Cochise County, southeast of Tucson has many wineries, some of which welcome visitors. The majority of Tucson's nightlife for young and old is in three small areas of the town near the University of Arizona, all within walking distance to each other. The three are: 4th Avenue, University, and Downtown. Tucson nightlife tends to start later than nightlife in other areas of Arizona, such as Phoenix or Scottsdale.
If you go walking in the desert parks, or on your own, learn desert-safety tips. Take water, always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to get back, and if you have a cell phone, take it with you and have it on. It's disturbingly easy to get lost in the desert. Also, watch for snakes and bugs, as a few are dangerous to your health. When hiking, for example, rattlesnakes are easy to come across. When putting your slippers on in the morning, scorpions can be an unpleasant surprise. Midtown (specifically the section along Alvernon Road between Grant and Ft.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Aug, Tucson typically sees ~39°C daytime highs and 2 rainy days.
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