Tucson

Summer activities

Discover Southern Arizona's top attractions and save over $600 at over 100 different locations. The Passport entitles you to 2-for-1 admissions and other offers at participating attractions. Visit as many attractions as you like during normal operating hours until your time runs out. The clock starts when you use your pass at the first attraction. Have your pass instantly delivered to your phone via text or email and start using it immediately without wasting your phone's storage on app downloads. Save the pass to your phone's home screen for easy one-tap access. Some of the attractions included: • Arizona Zipline Adventures • Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley • Golf N' Stuff • Reid Park Zoo • Southern Arizona Heritage & Visitor Center • Tombstone’s Boot Hill • Tucson Sugar Skulls (Spring) • Center For Creative Photography • DeGrazia Gallery In The Sun Museum • Helen S. Schaefer Poetry Center • Madaras Gallery • Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson • Sonoran Glass School • The Mini Time Machine Museum Of Miniatures • Tubac Center Of The Arts • Tucson Desert Art Museum • Tucson Improv Movement • Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block • Ajo District Chamber and Visitor Center • Amerind Museum • Arizona History Museum • Arizona State Museum • Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum • Bisbee Tourism Center • Discover Bisbee • Discover Marana Visitor Center • Mission San Xavier Del Bac • Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center • O.K. Corral® Famous Gunfight Site • Presidio San AgustÍn Del Tucson Museum • Southern Arizona Transportation Museum • Tombstone Epitaph Newspaper & Museum • Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum • University Libraries • Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum • Campus Arboretum • Colossal Cave Mountain Park • Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill • Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce • Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber Of Commerce • International Wildlife Museum • National Parks Store • Oracle State Park • Patagonia Lake State Park • Picacho Peak State Park • Sabino Canyon Crawler • Saguaro National Park East and West • Tohono Chul • Tubac Presidio State Historic Park • Tucson Botanical Gardens • Tumacácori National Historical Park • La Encantada Shopping Center • Main Gate Square • University of Arizona Book Stores - Student Union • Biosphere 2 • History of Pharmacy Museum • Space Imagery Center GoodEnough Silver Mine and Trolley (Tombstone) • TopGolf • Arizona Opera • Arizona Theatre Company • Fox Tucson Theatre

We begin by strolling past a rebuilt section of a mud adobe wall, hearing of Tucson's founding as a walled Spanish Colonial Presidio, and learning the number of national flags that have flown over Tucson! From there, we walk Main Ave in the El Presidio Neighborhood, seeing the mansion homes of Tucson's Pioneer Founders, including several designed by Henry Trost. Learn the fascinating tales of these individuals! We stroll past historic mud adobe Sonoran Row Houses, learning how they were constructed for our harsh desert climate and how they were built to protect the occupants. Next, we will visit the Historic Pima County Courthouse, an ornate Spanish Colonial Revival-style building designed by Roy Place. We see the modernist Presidio Fountain by Charles Clement and then pop up to the Dillinger Courtroom, which appears today just as it did in the 1930s, as we hear the tales of John Dillinger in Tucson. We walk to Plaza de la Mesilla to see the Mexican-styled gazebo bandstand and learn of famous Western outlaws who partied the night away in this plaza! We also discuss the first cathedral that sat adjacent and the sordid tales of what happened after it was decommissioned. Plus, we learn of the nearby Red Light District and how Tucson was the headquarters for the Alianza Hispano-Americana! Next, we stroll past the historic Fox Theatre, the last remaining "southwest" art decor-designed theater in the country! We discuss the marquee and decorative exterior features and hear tales of what went on inside during the several decades it was closed. Plus, we learn how it was nearly torn down before being lovingly restored to its original glory. Finally, we walk to Jacome Plaza and discuss the historic Pioneer Hotel and downtown department store tycoons that gained national acclaim. We learn of their global significance and forward-thinking urban planning. The tour concludes where we began, at the southeast corner of W Alameda Street and N Church Ave in Downtown Tucson, across from the YMCA which is located at 60 W Alameda Street. It is 2 hours and 2 miles long. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, apply sunscreen, and bring a bottle of water. Please note that we stroll the charming sidewalks and plazas of Tucson, seeing the exteriors of mansion homes, historic buildings, and theaters. We enter the Historic Pima County Courthouse, seeing the interior of this beautiful structure. We are not able to enter many of the other buildings. Still, guests hear the stories of these structures and the individuals who inhabited them, plus see historic photos of the interiors and exteriors of the buildings.

Learn the story of a city that started with open spaces and rich agriculture and became an eclectic part of the southwestern United States on a walking food tour of Tucson. Start at The Mercado, an authentic Mexican marketplace, where you will sample a classic Mexican pastry. Next, find a delectable Sonoran treat made to perfection. Then, hop on a modern streetcar, diving deeper into the historic downtown before sampling a secret dish. For something lighter, take refreshment with a local favorite, where you will cool down with an expertly crafted tea. On your walk, see some local and national creative artistry up close and personal and hear the stories of how a humble farming village transformed into a vibrant, creative community. Move onward to discover a local infusion of Latin flair and Indian flavor. Finally, conclude the tour by sampling the delectable sweetness of a time-honored tradition as you pay homage to a Tucson icon.

Learn about the world and the stars with admission to the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium. Enjoy a variety of exhibits that explore sharks, space, and fossils, and stay after dark to see Jupiter through a telescope. At the heart of the University of Arizona campus, enter Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium. After showing your ticket, head in to explore the universe, from earth to space. Get your young children excited about science with interactive elements, games, and activities. Older children and adults alike can learn about bugs, sharks, black holes, and space. Consider adding as a full-dome planetarium experience while you're there. Metalheads can pop into the Planetarium for a laser show featuring music by Pink Floyd and Metallica. Stroll through the many exhibits. Learn about the importance of bugs for the environment, discover the largest scale model of the surface of Mars, and see the Undersea Discovery aquarium exhibit. Throughout the year, changing exhibits focus on biology, energy, and optics and weave in ground-breaking UA research, revealing the world of science careers for budding scientists. During special events, meet with a volunteer astronomer after dark to peer through a 16-inch telescope to see Saturn's rings, the cloud belts of Jupiter, and the Andromeda galaxy.

On this guided walking tour guests learn the rich history of the Barrio Viejo Tucson plus historic Scott Avenue! The Barrio Viejo features the largest collection of mud adobe structures found anywhere in the United States! Learn how these Sonoran Row Houses were built with two foot thick walls for our harsh desert climate and we discuss in detail the three styles of Sonoran Row Houses and what brings about each style change! As we stroll the charming sidewalks, hear the lively tales of the Barrio Viejo neighborhood, the working class neighborhood of the city. Hear of corner stores and front room shops. See examples of row houses that are beautifully resorted with bright colored exteriors, others in a vintage state and still others in a state of ruin where we can see how the mud adobe construction techniques! Next we visit the El Ojito Spring that was the water source for Spanish Soldiers and their families during the walled Spanish Colonial Presidio days of Tucson. Then we visit the El Tiradito Wishing Shrine and hear the tale of how this shrine came to be, the only shrine in North American dedicated to the memory of a sinner instead of a saint - this is an incredible tale! We finish our tour of the Barrio Viejo by strolling past the historic Teatro Carmen theater. On this tour we also stroll down historic Scott Avenue where we see several prominent structures by the famous architect Henry Trost including the Scotish Rite Cathedral. We stroll past what is believed to be the only mud adobe territorial styled building designed as a San Francisco Victorian styled mansion, today a charming Inn. Then we stroll into the courtyard of the historic Spanish Colonial styled Temple of Music & Art and learn of the theaters twin! Suggested: This tour involves 2 miles of walking and is 2 hours. Please wear comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water and wear sunscreen.

Enjoy a morning among the clouds on a shared 45-60-minute hot air balloon flight. After your hot air balloon flight, relax with a post-flight champagne toast and balloonist's ceremony. Fill up on a continental breakfast, and take home commemorative flight certificates. Soar thousands of feet in the air for an overview of the valley. Skim over the trees and cacti. Learn about the history, flora, fauna, and landmarks of the land from your pilot. After your hot air balloon flight, relax with champagne at a traditional balloonist's ceremony. To conclude your hot air balloon ride, you'll be inducted into the ballooning society and awarded the Certificate d’Ascension En Machine Aerostatique, a memento of your journey.

Explore the extreme northeast corner of Florence, Arizona on board a thrilling Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Located halfway between Tucson and Phoenix, the Box Canyon and Pinal Mountains make for an ideal day out from both cities. The dirt trail that will set your blood racing is about 30 miles long, and you will have 3.25 hours to play. Once your guide has equipped you with safety equipment and received a short training, head off along dirt trails that twist, turn, and bump up and down the Pinal Mountains. Climb up and over the front range of the mountains. At the same time, your guide points out Indian petroglyphs left behind by the ancient Native Americans.  Another point of interest is an old adobe building that served as a way station for the Butterfield Overland Stage Coach Company during the 1860s. For a short time, it also serviced the Pony Express on what was known as the "Butterfield Route." The real highlight of the tour is Box Canyon. You'll be in the canyon for about 6 miles. Get set for the drama of the middle 3 miles, a slot canyon with walls only about 10-20 feet apart and 900 feet high on both sides!

We will find our path to Elgin, Arizona... where the fruit of the vine lay in wait! During the tour we will be Visiting 3 separate Wineries where you will try a flight of 5 tastes at each. You will be surprised at the exquisite quality of these fine, carefully sculped and traditionally crushed selections. The desert is known for the bold reds, but when challenged will offer some very crisp whites and surprisingly edgy desserts. We will start with a visit to Callaghan Vinyards, the most award winning wine in the desert! With over three decades of wine making under their belt they have some wonderful reds and amazing desserts, sparkling and whites. This venue offers a menu of their offerings, you choose 5. The wine at Callaghan's has been served at the White House. The servers are charming, the wine is delicious, you might stay inside and enjoy the barnlike charm or relax in the shade outdoors! Whichever you choose you will thoroughly enjoy the wine and we supply the snacks! Next we will visit Deep Sky and enjoy a lighter more modern venue with an occasional offer of live music and charm. The menu is set and each pour is done in an order that makes sense so each taste is equally enjoyable! The Vinyard is known for it's Rhone's, you will try an amazing Petite Sirah and Malbec. We come supplied with water and snacks. Lastly we will meander over to Autumn Sage, a premier property in the middle of wine country and a truly beautiful venue, complete with a duck pond, nestled against the vineyards, where you'll enjoy some live music and have lunch! With many options on the wine menu to choose, from dry to sweet! Water, snacks, lunch and tastings are all included in this amazing tour!

Get picked up at Park Place Mall next to Starbucks and embark on a scenic drive to San Xavier del Bac Mission. Gaze at this impressive cathedral, completed during Spanish rule in the 1700s. Learn more about this beautiful monument with insightful commentary from your guide. Explore the Mission and the grotto. Cruise by Mission Gardens and hear more about its significance. Discover the Presidio San Augustine del Tucson and glimpse into the past at the Presidio Museum. Continue past the University of Arizona's Old Main, before returning to the pick-up location at Park Place Mall.

Take a stroll through the charming sidewalks of Downtown Tucson on a guided walking tour. Learn about the history of the city as you pass by historic landmarks and hear fascinating tales and interesting tidbits about the area that Scott, your tour guide has uncovered! Start where Tucson was founded as a Spanish Colonial Presidio way back in 1775. Stroll past a historic Sonoran Row House and learn how these structures were built to stay cool in our harsh desert climate. Next, visit the Historic Pima County Courthouse, and see the courtroom where the Dillinger Gang was arraigned in 1934. Hear the tale of their capture here in Tucson. Then we stroll through the Presidio Plaza to see a memorial and a mid-century modernist fountain. Visit a historic gazebo bandstand and learn of many historic stories that take place here, including the tale of a western gunfighter who partied the night away next to this historic gazebo bandstand. Hear of the red-light district, and the first cathedral in Tucson...with its storied past, and so much more! We stroll past the historic Fox Theatre, a southwest art deco designed building, and see Tucson’s first skyscraper. Then we make our way over to the historic Hotel Congress and Rialto Theatre to learn the historic stories of these structures over the years. See the historic Southern Pacific Railroad and where Wyatt Earp took care of an outlaw, plus see a historic steam locomotive! Finally, we make our way to Jacome Plaza to learn of the mid-century downtown department scene and a luxury hotel, and the incredible tales of these mid-century entrepreneurs. All of this and so much more!