Southern Arizona
Tucson, the Sonoran Desert's cultural heart, plus mile-high sky islands, the wine country of Sonoita, mining-era Bisbee, and gunfighter Tombstone.
Top 10 things to do
Curated from TripAdvisor, Yelp, U.S. News Travel, and other trusted tourism sources.
- 01
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Part zoo, part botanical garden, part natural history museum.
via TripAdvisor ↗ - 02
Saguaro National Park (East & West)
Scenic loop drives and hikes through the namesake cactus forests.
via TripAdvisor ↗ - 03
Mission San Xavier del Bac
The 'White Dove of the Desert,' a 1797 Spanish mission still in use.
via U.S. News Travel ↗ - 04
Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway
27-mile drive from desert to alpine forest with a tiny ski area on top.
via TripAdvisor ↗ - 05
Pima Air & Space Museum
One of the world's largest aviation collections, plus the AMARG 'boneyard' tour.
via TripAdvisor ↗ - 06
- 07
- 08
Sonoita & Elgin wine country
Tasting rooms at Callaghan, Dos Cabezas, and Sonoita Vineyards.
via Yelp ↗ - 09
Sabino Canyon tram, Tucson
Narrated electric tram through riparian canyon at the foot of Mt. Lemmon.
via TripAdvisor ↗ - 10
El Charro Café, Tucson
Nation's oldest continuously family-operated Mexican restaurant (1922).
via Yelp ↗
Places to go in Southern Arizona
Bisbee Historic District
A mile-high former copper boomtown turned bohemian arts colony, tucked into the Mule Mountains near the Mexican border.
Mount Lemmon
A 9,159-ft sky island just north of Tucson where saguaros give way to pine forests in a single afternoon drive.
Saguaro National Park
Two desert districts protecting the iconic saguaro cactus on the east and west of Tucson.
Tombstone
The Town Too Tough to Die — the Old West's most famous silver-mining boomtown, frozen in 1881.
Tucson — The Old Pueblo
UNESCO City of Gastronomy with Mexican heritage, mountain hiking, and dark-sky observatories.
Upcoming in Southern Arizona
Festivals, concerts and happenings in the next few months.
- Oct9Festival · Tucson
Tucson Meet Yourself
3-day folklife festival celebrating 100+ cultures across downtown Tucson.
- Oct13
- Oct16
- Oct17food · Page Springs
Exclusive Barrel Tastings
Celebrate the harvest season with exclusive barrel tastings, offering a firsthand look at our 2025 vintage. Hear stories of this year's harvest and take advantage of special pricing on the yet-to-be-bottled wines.
- Oct17Sports · Bisbee
Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
Iconic stair-climb race through the historic Mule Mountains town.
- Oct17
- Oct18food · Page Springs
Exclusive Barrel Tastings
Celebrate the harvest season with exclusive barrel tastings, offering a firsthand look at our 2025 vintage. Hear stories of this year's harvest and take advantage of special pricing on the yet-to-be-bottled wines.
- Oct22cultural · Tucson
Hasta La Muerte A Dia de los Muertos Celebration
A special Dia de los Muertos celebration!
- Oct24comedy · Tucson
Michael Blaustein The Taste Me Tour: The Final Leg
A comedy tour featuring Michael Blaustein!
- Oct28
- Oct29cultural · Tucson
A Musical, Cinematic Journey Time Traveling Through US and Tucson History
A unique musical journey through time.
- Nov3
Southern Arizona in pictures
