Robert Murray
Words by Jennifer Leigh Hill
Most RVers visit snowbird destinations to escape the harsh winter of the north but Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate. It’s unlikely you’ll experience snow the further south you travel, but rain and cooler temperatures are not uncommon, even in regions of the desert.
Whenever I am at a destination and bad weather prevails, I like to visit a nearby city. One of my favourites is Tucson in Southwestern Arizona with its many attractions. Considering that the average number of ‘rain days’ in Tucson ranges between three and four from January through to March, I find there’s always something to enjoy here.
Founded as a military fort in 1775, Tucson is the second-largest city in Arizona that has a population of approximately 542,629. Located 174 km (108 mi) southeast of Phoenix (the largest city in the state), it’s only 97 km (60 mi) north of Nogales at the U.S./Mexico border.
Tucson and the surrounding area are prime destinations for Canadians as there are some excellent RV parks as well as outstanding golf courses to play. With an ‘old west’ vibe, Mexican and Native American culture combine to make the city culturally rich.
Andrew Ling
Performing arts and compelling museums make for great trips in Tucson.
The Performing Arts
If you have a passion for the arts, Tucson is home to the Arizona Theatre Company. The Temple of Music and Art, located downtown on 330 S. Scott Ave., has regularly scheduled matinees, especially on weekends. Opera is popular as well and the Arizona Opera produces five scheduled performances every year. Try to see the free 30-minute lunchtime recitals that are hosted every month (for more details visit www.azopera.org). The performances are held at Tucson Music Hall on 260 South Church Ave. and where you can also see the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Tucson.
The Visual and Fine Arts
There are a variety of art galleries (both public and private) and the mediums are remarkable. Perhaps the best-known gallery is the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block located on 140 N. Main Ave. Admission to the gallery is free on the first Thursday of each month. You’ll also want to visit The University of Arizona Museum of Art on 1031 N. Olive Rd., which celebrates ‘art as essential to our lives through the stewardship and interpretation of its expanding collection of art and archives.’
The museum accomplishes this through its exhibitions and numerous events - both in-person and virtual. Additionally, the University is home to The Center for Creative Photography and has one of the greatest collections in the world with more than eight million archived objects (e.g., prints, albums, memorabilia).
Finally, if contemporary art is your passion, the Museum of Contemporary Art on 265 S. Church Ave. showcases the works produced from the 1970s to the present day. Aside from permanent collections, it regularly offers free educational seminars and programs.
Jennifer Leigh Hill
Mission San Xavier del Bac is south of downtown and was founded in 1700.
Anthropological Collections and Natural History Museums
Given the wealth of artifacts that have been uncovered in the state, it’s no surprise that one of the best anthropology collections is in Tucson.
An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, The Arizona State Museum (ASM), located on 1013 E. University Blvd., has the world’s largest collection of Southwestern Indian pottery. Check out its events page as there are often interactive guided tours led by some incredible ASM docents.
If you’re more interested in periods from the Spanish Colonial through to Arizona’s Territorial eras, the Arizona History Museum on 949 E. 2nd St. has many permanent collections (e.g., The Transportation Gallery) as well topical exhibitions related to specific themes (e.g., various current events). They also have an excellent gift shop.
NPS
Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) can grow from 3 to 16 m (10 to 52 ft).
Staff members from Saguaro National Park surveyed saguaros on Plot 9 for the Centennial Saguaro Survey program.
Saving the best for last, The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on 2021 N. Kinney Rd. on the west side of Tucson consists of a zoo, botanical garden, Museum of Anthropology, Museum of Natural History, an art gallery, aquarium and hummingbird aviary. It also has an excellent restaurant, the Ocotillo Café, where you can sample some regional southwest cuisine.
Although it may not be the best place to visit on a rainy day since more than 80 percent of the exhibits are outdoors and consists of walking tours, the indoor displays are equally breathtaking. The museum - with all of its educational exhibits - is a great place for the kids. They will also like Old Tucson, which is a movie set/theme park where the classic movie “Arizona” (and many others since) was filmed in 1939. While it was shuttered during COVID-19, it’s scheduled to reopen in 2022.
Pure Desert Nature at its Best
The Desert Museum and Old Tucson are located near Tucson Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park West. The former has a campground with 103 RV sites, each featuring 30-amp power. It only has a seven-day maximum stay but at $20/night and being so close to the city, it’s a rare find. With more than 96.5 km (60 mi) of non-motorized trails, the park is a mecca for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.
Saguaro National Park West, which has stunning views and large stands of saguaro cacti, doesn’t have facilities for RVs but backcountry camping is available with a permit. The park has more than 20 species of cactus and the best known is the towering columnar saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), which can grow from 3 to 16 m (10 to 52 ft) high and develop as many as 50 branches.
Jennifer Leigh Hill
An assortment of chillies hanging to dry, which are used in many of the southwestern dishes in the state.
Two Places 200-Plus Years Apart in Time
Other areas of interest include The Casino Del Sol RV Park and The Mission San Xavier del Bac in southeast Tucson. The former is a good place to stop overnight. Park fees start at $42.50 USD with great meals available at reasonable prices in the casino. The Mission San Xavier del Bac, located approximately 16 km (10 mi) south of downtown, was founded in 1700, even before Tucson was established.
Known as the ‘white dove of the desert’ with its gleaming white plaster that covers the original adobe wall, the Mission San Xavier del Bac was built between 1783 and 1797, making it the oldest European building in Arizona. The interior of the church consists of original statuary and beautiful paintings. Mass is conducted regularly and there’s a gift shop and museum.
Approximately, 26 km (16 mi) further south is the Titan Missile Museum, which is the only intercontinental Ballistic Missile silo in the world that’s open to the public. Active between 1963 and 1982, it’s now a National Landmark that’s open daily for public tours.
Mike McBey
The Titan Missile Museum is the only intercontinental Ballistic Missile silo in the world that’s open to the public.
Tucson Dining
Tucson is a diner’s delight. In 2017, the city was the first of two American cities to be designated a ‘City of Gastronomy’ by UNESCO. Regardless of where you stop for a meal, you’ll find some of the best Mexican and Southwestern food north of the border. It has been estimated that in Tucson alone, there are more than 700 restaurants. In my opinion, the locally-owned establishments and food trucks (that are on almost every corner downtown) are where you’ll taste some of the best food in the state.
Bon appetit! Or as they say it in Spanish, Buen provecho!
Arizona Theater Company
https://arizonatheatre.org/atc-tucson
Arizona Opera
Tucson Symphony
Ballet Tucson
Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block
https://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/
Museum of Contemporary Art
The University of Arizona Museum of Art
Center for Creative Photography
Arizona State Museum
https://statemuseum.arizona.edu/
Arizona History Museum
https://arizonahistoricalsociety.org
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Old Tucson
Tucson Mountain Park and Gilbert Ray Campground
Saguaro National Park
https://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm
Mission San Xavier del Bac
https://sanxaviermission.org
Titan Missile Museum
https://titanmissilemuseum.org
Casino Del Sol RV Park