Arizona · United States
Tucson travel guide
Tucson is a city in Arizona, United States, home to about 543,000 people.
- Best months
- March, April, October and November
- Nearest airport
- TUS12 km · Tucson International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Phoenix
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Tucson
Tucson (; O'odham: Cuk Ṣon; Spanish: Tucsón, also Spanish: Tucson) is the county seat of and the most populated city in Pima County, Arizona, United States.
Tucson has always been a crossroads. Water was, until the onset of a severe drought in the late 1990s, relatively plentiful in Tucson, in spite of its location in the middle of a desert. This made it an important travel route, an agricultural center, and a communications nexus. Tucson's history is ancient, with evidence of human occupation stretching back 10,000 years. Between 200 and 1450 CE, the Hohokam culture dominated the area – the Pima and Tohono O'Odham peoples that still occupy the area are descendants of the Hohokam.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Tucson
See
- Barrio Viejo
- El Tiradito
- Sosa-Carrillo-Frémont House Museum
- Fort Lowell Museum
- San Pedro Chapel
- Pima Air & Space Museum
- Tram Tour
- Tucson Museum of Art
- University of Arizona Museum of Art
- Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson
- Center for Creative Photography
- Philabaum Glass Gallery & Studio
Do
- Arizona Theatre Company
- Centennial Hall
- Leo Rich Theater
- Tucson Music Hall
- DesertView Performing Arts Center
- Carnival of Illusion
- Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
- Fiesta de los Vaqueros
- Wa:k Pow Wow
- La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
- Tucson Modernism Week
- All Souls Procession
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Tucson to stay in
Some motels on West Miracle Mile Road and south of 3000th block of North Oracle Road tend to be cheaper, run-down motels. Good deals can be found, but one probably wouldn't want to take one's family to these. This area is a legacy of the pre-freeway auto courts, 1937 to 1965, called Miracle Mile. A number of the old motor lodges remain. If you need a room for $25 this is the place to start looking.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Tucson
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Tucson are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; July is the wettest, with about 75 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Tucson: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tucson International Airport (TUS), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA, 139 km) is also within reach.
TUS · Tucson International Airport
AZA · Mesa Gateway Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Tucson
Eat
As you can guess, Tucson is a veritable hub of Southwestern and Mexican cuisine. But Tucson is an adventurous town (easily the most liberal metropolitan area in Arizona) and as a result of its diversity, has a vibrant culinary culture. One noteworthy concoction unique to Tucson, Phoenix, and southern Arizona is the Sonoran hot dog. First developed in Hermosillo, Sonora, it consists of a traditional hot dog wrapped with bacon and then grilled. It is served in a bolillo (a Mexican roll) with pinto beans, onions, and tomatoes, and topped with mayonnaise, mustard, and jalapeños.
Drink
Tucson has an active wine community, with many retailers, restaurants and wine bars regularly offering scheduled wine tasting events. Cochise County, southeast of Tucson has many wineries, some of which welcome visitors. The majority of Tucson's nightlife for young and old is in three small areas of the town near the University of Arizona, all within walking distance to each other. The three are: 4th Avenue, University, and Downtown. Tucson nightlife tends to start later than nightlife in other areas of Arizona, such as Phoenix or Scottsdale. Expect bars and clubs to be sparsely populated until approx 10-10:30PM on an average weekend night.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Tucson: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tucson?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Tucson are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; July is the wettest, with about 75 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Tucson?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tucson International Airport (TUS), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA, 139 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Tucson?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Tucson
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.