Top Five Destinations of Tucson

I don?t think I?ve ever really considered visiting Tucson. I mean, if I?m going to go to a big city in Arizona, Phoenix is the one with the easy to get to airport, it?s about two hours closer if I chose to drive and by virtue of being bigger, has to have more things to do I would figure.

However, that kind of thinking may get you to visit St. Louis and not Kansas City or Seattle and not Vancouver or Portland. Bigger does not necessarily mean better and convenience should not be the end all, be all. If convenience were the ultimate decider, people would never leave Denver for the mountains.

So, as I look for additional warm and dry places to spend the upcoming winter months, here are the things that make Tucson worth the additional time and effort.

Hike Blackett?s Ridge Trail

There?s a hike for every mood. For a jaunt, make it an easy trail. For a slog, make it a difficult one. For an in between stroll, there are intermediate hikes, like the Blackett?s Ridge Trail near Tucson. It?s only 6.2 miles out and back and has almost a 2,000 feet change in elevation which is steep, but very doable and it makes coming back that much easier. Add in views of Bear Canyon and Sabino Canyon on either side and it has the most important ingredient for a hike, great sights to view.

Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

After a hike to observe the beauty of the desert, I?m going to head over to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to learn more about the flora and fauna of the area. As an added bonus, until mid-April there are two daily shows of free-flying birds of prey, including Barn Owls, Peregrine Falcons and Harris Hawks.

Play 18-holes at Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain

Sometimes I like my outdoors activities in the form of games. Playing 18-holes at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain course where the PGA plays the Accenture Match Play Championship. Yes, it will cost $225, but strolling over lush green fairways in the middle of the desert while the temperature remains relatively cool sounds to be a great way to spend a day.

Eat a sandwich at Beyond Bread and dessert at Allegro

Thanks again to Keith Law, I have a couple of ideas of places to go for food in Tucson. For my main course, I?ll probably hit Beyond Bread for a Molly?s Crisis and then Allegro for a Mint Chocolate gelato for dessert.

Visit the Mini-Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

I like museums that I can?t find anywhere else. The Mini-Time Machine Museum of Miniatures fits that desire. I don?t have a personal interest in miniature anything, but that someone created a space this large and organized to celebrate them makes me intrigued.

Any suggestions for things that I missed? Any additional recommendations for the area? Just let me know in the comments.