12 Interesting Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a multicultural city with a colorful history and a vibrant atmosphere. Located in the Sonoran Desert and surrounded by five mountain ranges, this sunny city is a great vacation destination, especially in the winter time. Whether you like museums, historical sites, outdoor experiences, or great food, you will find it all here. We spent 8 days in Tucson in December of 2020 and had a wonderful time. I know not everyone can visit for this long, so here I am highlighting 12 interesting things to do in Tucson, Arizona. You can certainly do more or less but I think my recommendations are a great introduction to the city and the surrounding area.

12 Interesting Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

1. Stroll through the beautiful campus of the University of Arizona

We stayed just south of the university and loved the location. The campus is beautifully landscaped and boasts small botanical gardens in multiple places. It’s a great introduction to the various plants of the Sonoran Desert, although plants from other regions are here as well. The Mall is lined with palm trees and stretches for quite a long distance. It’s truly a pleasure to walk around the campus, so definitely put it on your list.

2. Eat and drink at the Old Gate Square

Immediately to the west of the University of Arizona is the charming Old Gate Square. This area offers a nice selection of restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. There is a lovely square right behind Starbucks, which was absolutely enjoyable to sit in and have coffee. Truthfully, the Old Gate Square was our favorite place in town to have a coffee and dinner.

3. Check out the historic Fourth Avenue

You can get to the historic Fourth Avenue by essentially walking a few blocks west of the Old Gate Square. Fourth Avenue is an interesting street to walk through, with a bohemian feel to it. You’ll find a variety of eateries, thrift shops, and souvenir stores lining the street. I think it’s worth checking out, although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

4. Walk the Turquoise Trail

The Turquoise Trail is a self- guided historical tour of downtown Tucson. It is, in my opinion, a must do thing while in the city. Stop by the most beautiful building of the Presidio district – the Pima County Courthouse and pick up a map of the trail (closed due to Covid but maps are outside). Then, follow the turquoise markings on the sidewalk and enjoy the tour. The loop trail takes you through historical sites, giving you an insight into the city’s important events. I was really glad to do the tour. It definitely helped me familiarize myself with the city and its layout, and provided a nice structure for sightseeing. The trail is 2.5 miles long and is easily doable in less than 2 hours.

5. Admire the Old Historic Pima County Courthouse

If you do the Turquoise Trail, you’re going to start and end your tour right by the Old Historic County Courthouse. This is a lovely building built in a Spanish colonial style with a mosaic-tiled dome. It is surrounded by the El Presidio Plaza to the west and Jacome Plaza to the east. Both are nice to sit at and relax. Unfortunately, the building was closed due to Covid, so we weren’t able to visit the courtyard.

6. Enjoy the downtown

One nice thing about downtown Tucson is that there are virtually no skyscrapers. You can look around and actually see the surrounding mountains. Since we were visiting Tucson during the Christmas holidays and during the Covid pandemic, the downtown area was pretty much deserted and a lot of places were closed. Despite that, we enjoyed walking the streets and checking out different squares and parks. If you need a break, stop for a drink at the cozy courtyard of the historic Hotel Congress.

7. Walk through Barrio Viejo

Make sure to check out this section of town. If you do the Turquoise Trail, you will inevitability walk into the Barrio Viejo neighborhood. I loved the beautifully restored adobe houses along Cushing Street. They were exactly what I was looking forward to when I was planning the trip. Also, don’t miss the lovely Temple of Music and Art, which is located on Scott Avenue. Right across the street you will see several gorgeous homes with beautiful landscaping.

8. Visit the Mission of San Xavier del Bac

Essentially on the outskirts of town, on the land belonging to the Tohono O’odham Nation, you will find the Mission of San Xavier del Bac. The mission dates back to the late 17th century, although the current building was erected almost 100 years later. The church is simply lovely both inside and on the outside. Established by Spanish missionaries, it is run by the Franciscans and continues to operate to this day. It receives about 20,000 visitors and pilgrims each year. Right outside of the parking lot is a little shopping plaza with gift shops and a small eatery. I highly recommend trying the fry bread tacos. They are absolutely delicious.

9. Have breakfast at the Mercado San Augustine

This small mercado with a pleasant courtyard is a great spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We stopped there on our way to Tombstone and had delicious breakfast burritos. Highly recommended!

10. Eat Mexican food

If you like Mexican food, you can have a feast here. Tucson is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States and rightly so. From fry bread tacos, birria burritos, and carne seca chimichangas, the Mexican food is great. There are lots of cantinas and restaurants in town that offer delicious meals. I really liked El Charro downtown, which has a pretty courtyard and is quite popular. We also did take-out from Mi Nidito and ordered the President’s Plate, the same order President Clinton requested some 20 years ago on his visit here.

11. See the saguaros at the Saguaro National Park

No doubt, the saguaro is one of the most recognizable symbols of the American Southwest. This amazing cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert and is on full display at the Saguaro National Park. The park is divided into two sections, immediately to the east and to the west of Tucson. Both sections offer wonderful hiking opportunities and visiting at least one section is a must! I would recommend going to the west part if you can only do one. I felt like the landscape was more scenic and the saguaros seemed more plentiful there. However, if you want to see other cacti, there are lots of chollas in the eastern section. You can read more about the different sections of Saguaro National Park here.

12. Hike the Sabino Canyon

While preparing for our trip, I read a lot of recommendations for hiking in the Sabino Canyon. Essentially in the northern part of town, up the Catalina Foothills, the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area offers lots of hiking opportunities. We chose to hike the Bear Canyon as based on the reviews it was one of the more scenic hikes. Typically, people hike to the Seven Falls, which is some 4 miles away from the visitor center. That was our intention as well. However, we heard from other hikers on the trail that the waterfalls were dry, so we shortened our hike and turned around after 3 miles. Still, the hike was very nice and I would recommend it.