Tucson

This world-renowned museum is more like a zoo, with the majority of the exhibitions outside showcasing the surrounding desert's creatures in their natural habitats. Exhibits include mountain lions, otters, coyotes, bighorn sheep, lizards, and a walk-in aviary. Located in the Sonoran Desert, the setting of the museum also offers awesome views of the surrounding mountain ranges, which visitors can enjoy while touring the botanical garden, natural history museum, art gallery, and aquarium. The gift shop has an excellent selection of Sonoran desert souvenirs. The interactive museum is a must for any visitor staying in Tucson for more than just one day, and kids will love seeing the animals and experiencing the desert landscapes.

Address : 2021 N Kinney Rd

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.desertmuseum.org

Telephone : (520) 883 1380

Opening times : Times vary according to season.

Admission : $22 general admission, other concessions apply.

In 1923, the first proper tours of Colossal Cave were conducted using ropes and lanterns. Today, more advanced and comfortable options are offered. The cave is considered dry or dormant, no longer producing crystal formations due to a lack of water. The preserved stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstone create a cavern of wonder visitors enjoy during guided tours which take just under an hour. The cave itself is only part of the attraction, as the Mountain Park is blessed with a variety of wildlife and some glorious landscapes. Western-themed horseback tours are a popular way to explore the park.

Address : 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail Vail

Website : www.colossalcave.com

Telephone : (520) 647-7275

Opening times : Daily 8am-5pm

Admission : $18 adults, $9 children (ages 5-12), Free, children (ages 4 & under), other concessions available

The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is an iconic Tucson landmark located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Established by the famous artist, Ettore DeGrazia, the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features a museum of DeGrazia's work and an adobe chapel, called the Mission in the Sun, as well as striking murals, gardens, and the artist's home and grave site. Apart from the works displayed in the gallery, the property is strewn with sculptures and art installations by the artist renowned for having captured the spirit of the Southwest. Free public tours are available, but must be scheduled in advance. Check the official website listed below for details.

Address : : 6300 N Swan Rd

Website : www.degrazia.org

Telephone : (520) 299 9191

Opening times : Daily 10am-4pm

Admission : $8 adults, $5 12-18 years old, free for under 12.

Kartchner Caverns State Park is home to one of the great natural wonders of the American west. There is no known record of the huge living cave being seen before the 1970s and the pristine conditions within have been carefully preserved. A remarkable feature of this cave is that it's a 'wet' or 'living' cave; the calcite formations are still growing and display a stunning variety of multi-coloured cave formations. Two different tours of the caves are available and there is a visitor's centre which details the history and geology of the caverns with interesting exhibits. Tours take between 90 minutes and two hours. Photography is not allowed in the caves but there are postcards available.

Address : 980 Arizona 90, Benson

Website : www.azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/index.html

Telephone : (520) 586 4100

Opening times : Daily 8am-6pm

Admission : $7 per vehicle, $3 individual or bike

Tom Philabaum is well known as one of America's foremost glass artists, with exhibits throughout the Western world. His gallery showcases and justifies this reputation with examples of his own work, also exhibiting over 100 other nationally and internationally celebrated glass artists. Aside from viewing the extraordinary exhibits, visitors are also welcome to watch glassblowing in progress and learn more about the craft in the studio. The gallery has been a great favourite on the Tucson art scene for more than 30 years and travellers interested in art will relish a visit to this creative gallery. It is also an exciting place to buy souvenirs.

Address : 711 S 6th Ave

Website : www.philabaumglass.com

Telephone : (520) 884 7404

Opening times : Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Closed Sunday and Monday

Of the many natural attractions in the Tucson vicinity, Sabino Canyon is one of the most popular. This gaping divide in the Santa Catalina Mountains is the site where ancient Hohokam people constructed irrigation dams while mammoths still roamed the area. After a six-mile (9.6km) hike, enjoy swimming in the crystal clear pools at Seven Falls. When the weather is a little too hot for hiking, visitors can take a ride on the Sabino Canyon Tram, which takes a 45-minute tour with nine stops along the canyon. The canyon is a natural oasis in the desert and is home to a rich variety of wildlife, as well as beautiful landscapes.

Website : www.sabinocanyon.com

Telephone : (520) 749 2861

This historic Spanish mission in the Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation is located 10 miles (16km) south of the city (a 20-minute drive) and was founded by Father Kino in the 1660s. The present church, a remarkable building, dates back to the 18th century and remains the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, housing a number of impressive artefacts and murals. It is a National Historic Landmark and is still an active place of worship, where visitors can attend services should they please - check the website for a service schedule and note that the church may be closed to sightseeing tourists during times of worship. The mission has a small museum, which showcases artefacts and multimedia presentations on its history.

Address : 1950 W San Xavier Rd

Website : www.sanxaviermission.org

Telephone : (520) 294 2624

Opening times : Daily 8am-5pm

Admission : Free

Tombstone is probably the most famous town in the Wild West, attracting thousands of tourists with its old Western-style buildings, saloons, stagecoach rides, gunslingers, dusty streets, and shootout re-enactments. Many Hollywood movies have been shot here against the rugged mountain backdrop. Originally a silver boomtown in 1877, it rose to notoriety in 1881 when lawmen Wyatt Earp, his two brothers, and Doc Holliday confronted a band of outlaws in a gunfight. This event has come to epitomise the spirit of the Wild West and the star attraction of the town is the O.K. Corral, one of southern Arizona's most visited tourist sites. There is a staged 30-second shootout each day at 2pm, and exhibits relating to the event inside the corral. The Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park features an old courtroom where several renowned trials took place, as well as some excellent exhibits, including alternative versions of the O.K. Corral shootout and a museum dedicated to the Tombstone Epitaph, the oldest newspaper in Arizona. Although a classic tourist-trap town, with souvenir shops and restaurants galore, many people love the Wild West atmosphere and the rugged setting of Tombstone, and relish the chance to play cowboy for a day.

Website : www.ok-corral.com

Trail Dust Town is built on the site of a 1950s Western movie set and is home to a vintage 1920s Fiesta del Presidio carousel and a museum dedicated to Western cavalry and dragoon military units. Designed as a replica of a 19th-century Western town, it has Old West souvenir shops, galleries, and restaurants, as well as a custom leather store, wooden sidewalks, a central plaza, shooting gallery, and a C.P. Huntington train. Hosting Wild West stunt shows and an annual cowboy show in late February, Trail Dust Town is a great place to visit, especially if you are travelling with kids.

Website : www.traildusttown.com

The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a major attraction, and not just for the rich collection of cacti and desert wildflowers. An educational walk highlights the history of the native Tohono O'odham Indians and the work local scientists have done to preserve native seeds. Be sure to visit the traditional Mexican-American neighbourhood garden ( Nuestro Jardin), and relax on the shaded restaurant patio. The gardens are open seven days a week, all year, and provide a pleasant sample of the desert vegetation of Arizona as well as a taste of the indigenous culture. There are about 17 speciality gardens, as well as rotating exhibitions, and tours of the gardens are available.

Address : 2150 N Alvernon Way

Website : www.tucsonbotanical.org

Telephone : (520) 326 9686

Opening times : Saturday to Wednesday 8.30am-4.30pm; Thursday to Friday 4.30pm-8pm

Admission : $15 adults, $8 children, other concessions available

At the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum, pioneer artefacts and a recreated Western Main Street represent what Tucson looked like, and what it had to offer in the way of businesses and services, back in the old days of the Wild West. The museum also has an inventory of about 150 vehicles, with everything from small buggies to wagons and coaches on display. The museum hosts the Tucson Rodeo Parade each February, which is great fun for those in the area at the time. Outside of Rodeo Week, the museum is sadly only open between January and March, with guided tours available daily at 10am and 1pm. There are hopes to extend the opening season once sufficient funds have been raised.

Address : 823 S 6th Ave

E-mail : [email protected].

Website : www.tucsonrodeoparade.com/the-museum

Telephone : (520) 294 3636

Opening times : Monday to Saturday 9.30am-3.30pm, closed Sunday

Admission : $12 adults, $2 children, other concessions available

The University of Arizona Art Museum is situated on campus as part of the Edward J. Gallagher Memorial Collection. It is home to an impressive permanent collection including works by Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, and Mark Rothko. The museum houses the C. Leonard Pfeiffer Collection of American paintings and the Samuel H. Kress Collection of European works, from the 14th to the 19th century. Temporary exhibitions are also hosted by the museum so check the official website to see what's available during your visit. The University of Arizona campus is also the location of the Center for Creative Photography, displaying various works by leading artists such as Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. Lovers of art in all forms will find a visit rewarding while in Tucson.

Address : 1031 N Olive

Website : www.artmuseum.arizona.edu

Telephone : (520) 621 7567

Opening times : Tuesday to Friday 9am-4pm; Saturday 9am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm. Closed Monday

Admission : $8 general admission, other concessions available.

The Valley of the Moon was designed to stimulate the imagination of children and to awaken creativity and spirituality in all visitors. Delve into a fantasy land in the desert, with historic Western sites in a magical setting, created by George Phar Legler in the 1920s. Mineralised rock cliffs, caves, pools, and garden miniatures have merged with tropic and desert flora to make what Legler called the 'Fantasy Touch of Three', referring to the worlds of Edgar Allen Poe, Lewis Carroll, and Robert Louis Stevenson. There are tours, shows, and a gift shop on site. The Valley of the Moon also hosts events ranging from weddings to concerts to yoga retreats. Although this unusual attraction may not be to everybody's taste, those travelling with children will no doubt find a visit rewarding.

Address : 2544 E Allen Rd

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.tucsonvalleyofthemoon.com

Telephone : (520) 323 1331

Admission : $5 general admission, free for children under 7