Welcome to Wine Country! The wine country of Santa Cruz county features not less that 8 vineyards in a pleasant loop around Santa Cruz county. View articles about the wines and wineries in Santa Cruz County including Sonoita and Elgin.
Continue reading
Walking the streets of Bisbee is a journey back to the late 19th and early 20th century. Just exploring the shops, restaurants, galleries, and other establishments housed in these fine old buildings is a pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Continue reading
Tombstone, Arizona is the most famous town in the Old West and totally worth a visit, if you know where to go and what to avoid.
Continue reading
A Trip down the I-19 Corridor south will take you to a number of special places on the list of essential destinations including Mission Tumacacori National Historical Park.
Continue reading
Hiking Sabino Canyon is one of Tucson’s most delightful day trips. Take the tram (cash only), get off & on at the various stops along the way. Hike adjacent Bear Canyon to Seven Falls were you can cool off in the pools at the base of the falls. Picnics here are highly recommended.
Continue reading
On a clear Sunday morning in early February, Neighbor Roy, Ms. Karen, & I arrived at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum for our 2nd Behind The Scenes tour, this time of the new Warden Aquarium. Lacey was our guide for our group of 8, including two little boys who looked to be about 4 and 6 [...]
Continue reading
Colossal Cave Mountain Park is more than just caverns. It is a whole desert park experience.
Continue reading
An amateur photographer, Francie Hills is a retired teacher from New Hampshire who currently lives in Sierra Vista. We first saw Francie’s photographs at the San Pedro House, the visitor center operated by Friends of the San Pedro River. This 57,000 acre preserve protects one of the last remaining year-round free-flowing rivers in Arizona. People have lived in this area for at least 11,000 years. Here you will find pleasant hiking trails, dozens of bird species, a ghost town, and an archeological site. … Continue reading
There are many reasons to love Tucson Botanical Gardens. First, of course, are the many different types of gardens. Second, every spring they have a “Weird Plant Sale” where you can purchase living conversation pieces. Third, TBG is a peaceful place in the midst of a bustling urban environment. Fourth, they have concerts & art shows. Fifth, you can rent the facilities and have a magnificent party there, be it for a wedding, reunion, or whatever special occasion. Go to our Tucson Botanical Gardens to discover reasons #6, #7, & #8.
Continue reading
Step back in time at the Mini Time Machine, the museum of miniatures. Watch this video which features a surprisingly fascinating look at life in miniature.
Continue reading
Video of a tour of the Cold War Bunker housing the Titan II Missile the only one of its kind left.
Continue reading
This back road is one of our favorites, partly because it’s practically in our back yard and because it’s so indicative of the Sonoran Desert. Here in Saguaro National Park West you will be driving through a forest of giant Saguaros. And, within an easy quarter mile hike, you can get up close and personal with ancient Hohokam petroglyphs. From Tucson, take Speedway west from the I-10 Freeway (A). After a few miles, Speedway merges with Gates Pass Road which takes you over the Pass, down the other side (steep) and eventually to Kinney Road. At Kinney Road, you’ll see a sign for the Desert Museum. Turn right and head for the Desert Museum. Two miles past the Desert Museum is the Red Hills Visitors Center (B). Park and go in. Watch the brief orientation movie, get a map, and ask the Park Ranger or docent about current road conditions … Continue reading
Tohono Chul is a peaceful garden oasis in the midst of city and suburb. You can stroll along winding paths through several different types of gardens with hundreds of native plant species, as well as many birds, including hummers.
Continue reading
Here is the history of manned flight. Pima Air and Space Museum has over 300 historic aircraft on exhibit, including the Blackbird, a 1950’s design that still holds the speed record for coast to coast flight: imagine going from New York to Los Angeles in one hour.
Continue reading
Mt. Lemmon is a recreational paradise in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest. It is 9,157 feet (2,791 m) above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually. A perfect place for skiing in the winter or camping in the summer, it also has observatories that you can view through a telescope, winter or summer. Other activities are hiking, biking and hanging out to cool off in the summer.
Continue reading
Mission San Xavier del Bac is about 15 minutes south of downtown Tucson. It is the finest example of Spanish mission architecture anywhere. It was built in the late 18th century and is today both an important piece of Baja Arizona history and an active Roman Catholic church serving the Tohono O’odham people.
Continue reading
If you have the time, on your way from Tucson to Tombstone and Bisbee, stop at Kartchner Caverns State Park for a guided tour. Very worthwhile but you will need reservations.
Continue reading
Tubac is Arizona’s oldest European community. The 1885 furnished schoolhouse, Otero Hall, and Rojas House are all on the National Register of Historic Places. The Park features a small, but fine museum, an underground display of the Presidio ruins, Arizona’s first printing press, a picnic area, school house, church, and the Juan Bautista de Anza Trailhead.
Continue reading
