We have been making trips down to Tucson, Arizona to visit my mother-in-law for many years and have accumulated a list of our favorite things to do when we travel there. My mother-in-law lives in Oro Valley which is situated about 30 minutes north of Tucson so we have found some special family-friendly places that are both in Tucson and also nearby her home.
Here are our must-sees near Tucson with kids:
(1) Morning or sunset walks or hikes in Catalina State Park: We like to start off our mornings or end our days with a walk in the Catalina State Park. It’s so beautiful and peaceful and the trails are well marked with amazing desert views. There are also often fun events like live music in the evenings which are nice to attend with the family.
(2) Tohono Chul: We love coming to Tohono Chul, which is great for all members of the family. We like to start with brunch at their cafe and then stroll the beautiful botanical garden. There’s a lovely new children’s museum on site which our little kids love exploring.
(3) Desert Museum and sunset at Gates Pass: This will be a bit of longer drive but well worth it. We love the Desert Museum, which is filled with so many animals special to the region. The museum is incredibly interactive and entertaining and educational for the entire family. It’s quite large so make sure you set enough time to explore. We always like to stop by Gates Pass (15-20min drive) to take in the beautiful Arizona sunset.
(4) Horseback Riding: Our kids loved doing the horseback riding tour in the dessert. We visited White Stallion Ranch and had an amazing ride with amazing views through the Arizona vegetation. Our guide was informative and the kids really enjoyed petting all of the other farm animals on the ranch before and after their ride. It was definitely a highlight!
(5) Saguaro National Park: If you want to see massive saguaro cacti, this is the place to see it! Saguaro National Park is a highlight when visiting Tucson. You can get up close to these beauties on the Desert Ecology trail (super kid-friendly 0.3 mile loop). We also love the Loma Verde trail which passes through a historical mine which our kids love.
(6) DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum: We like to take new visitors to the DeGrazia Gallery to share some art, culture and history of the area. The museum itself is interesting and historic. We are also huge fans of DeGrazia’s work.
(7) Reid Park Zoo: We were looking to find new things to do when visiting and this zoo was such a nice surprise! It’s a small zoo but has so many different animals to see. You also have the opportunity to feed the giraffes (check timing on their website) which is a crowd favorite!
(8) Explore Downtown Tucson: Phil went to University of Arizona which is located in downtown Tucson so we like to drive to the downtown to wander. The tram system is super easy to navigate (and oh so popular with our little ones). There always seems to be a festival, event or farmer’s market when we visit which is fun and you can find some good restaurants in the different districts of Tucson. We like to go to LaCo for alfresco dining and live music which is always a good time.
(9) Mount Lemmon: When it’s hot and you want to get away from the Arizona heat, head to Mount Lemmon for a completely different experience, including finding snow. During the right season, you can go skiing in the dessert (there’s a ski resort at the top!). There are various trails to try and the views are lovely.
(10) Pima Air & Space Museum: For the aviation enthusiasts, this museum is a great spot to visit on a rainy day.
(11) Old Tombstone: We highly recommend spending the day in Old Tombstone, which is a little bit over an hour drive from Tucson. You feel like you stepped back in time during the cowboy era and experience a little bit of what it was like back in the day. We loved exploring the Bird Cage Theatre and watching a shoot out at O.K. Corral. It’s fun for the whole family and worth the drive!
