Food/Things to do in Tuscon?

amicold

Platinum Member
Feb 7, 2005
2,656
1
81
Hey OT, long time since I've logged in. I'm visiting my sister in Tuscon , but she's relatively new to the city. (All from Buffalo) Looking for activity recommendations and food suggestions.

Specifically sushi suggestions for food? Thanks guys. This city/state is awe inspiring so far.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
68,855
26,648
136
Things to see:
The Arizona - Sonoran Desert Museum
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Drive the Catalina Highway up Mount Lemmon.
Pima Air and Space Museum with Boneyard Tour is good if you're into aircraft.

Food:
Sonoran style Mexican food dominates the local cuisine. It is very mild compared to New Mexico style. If you like Mexican, I can give you some recommendations.

Can't help you on sushi.


If you're into hiking, I can recommend a bunch of trails based on the time you have and your fitness level.
 

amicold

Platinum Member
Feb 7, 2005
2,656
1
81
We did the Catalina highway tonight actually, hit tombstone yesterday =). Mexican food recommendations I'll take and I'll take some trail recommendations. I'm 27, bodybuilder, cardio is good but I'm 3x my normal elevation so I'm taking adjustment time.
Sister and brother in law are in good shape. 29 and 30 respectively.

They live on the west end of the area, they moved in a weeks time and took what they could get. BIL works for the defense contractor so now they're trying to hit the foothills.

Thanks bud.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,896
32,696
136
Things to see:
The Arizona - Sonoran Desert Museum
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Drive the Catalina Highway up Mount Lemmon.
Pima Air and Space Museum with Boneyard Tour is good if you're into aircraft.

Also the Titan Missile Museum just south of town in Sahuarita is worth a visit IMO.

Besides various Mexican places I'm rather partial to Cup Cafe in the Hotel Congress downtown.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
68,855
26,648
136
Also the Titan Missile Museum just south of town in Sahuarita is worth a visit IMO.

Besides various Mexican places I'm rather partial to Cup Cafe in the Hotel Congress downtown.
The next block west has Hub Ice Cream, very good.

For west side trails, Wasson Peak is a good loop. Park across the road from the Desert Museum and take the King's Canyon Trail up to the Norris Trail to the top, west on the Norris Trail to the Sendero Trail to the Gould Mine Trail back to the parking lot for a 7.5 mile loop with 1750 foot climb/drop. There are a bunch of other loops you could make.

Saguaro NP West trail map

Pima Canyon in the Catalinas is good, maybe make a key-pass loop with the Finger Rocks Trail (extremely steep).

Sabino Canyon is very pretty with a tram and lots of trails. The Seven Falls trail is very scenic. The Sabino - Bear Canyon (Seven Falls) loop is very nice but rugged.

Lots of Saguaro NP East loops start at the Douglas Springs trailhead at the east end of Speedway Blvd.
https://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/sentinel_2013_rmd.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/RMD-Hike-Map-2015-back.pdf

It's heating up so: Lots of water, sunscreen, a hat with brim, white cotton long sleeve shirt, cotton shorts or pants, good boots are my standard hiking attire. More water and salted nuts or other salt and electrolyte source are recommended. A white long sleeve cotton shirt will be cooler than bare arms in the Tucson sun.

Edit:
If you'd rather hike in the trees, Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson offers a bunch of trails.

Mexican: Little Mexico on Irvington at 12th Ave is good sitdown. El Sur on 22nd St at Craycroft is good. Raspados la Nina on Park Ave between Drexel and Bilby has the best tacos and raspados in town.

Tucson has world class roach coaches. El Nene on Flowing Wells at Wetmore is very good. Try the Yaqui Taco and the chipilones. Jason's Taqueria on 22nd between Wilmot and Craycroft also has great chipilones. El Manantial at the corner of 36th and Park has great Sonoran hotdogs and tacos.
 
Last edited:

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,896
32,696
136
The next block west has Hub Ice Cream, very good.

For west side trails, Wasson Peak is a good loop. Park across the road from the Desert Museum and take the King's Canyon Trail up to the Norris Trail to the top, west on the Norris Trail to the Sendero Trail to the Gould Mine Trail back to the parking lot for a 7.5 mile loop with 1750 foot climb/drop. There are a bunch of other loops you could make.

Saguaro NP West trail map

Pima Canyon in the Catalinas is good, maybe make a key-pass loop with the Finger Rocks Trail (extremely steep).

Sabino Canyon is very pretty with a tram and lots of trails. The Seven Falls trail is very scenic. The Sabino - Bear Canyon (Seven Falls) loop is very nice but rugged.

Lots of Saguaro NP East loops start at the Douglas Springs trailhead at the east end of Speedway Blvd.
https://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/sentinel_2013_rmd.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/upload/RMD-Hike-Map-2015-back.pdf

It's heating up so: Lots of water, sunscreen, a hat with brim, white cotton long sleeve shirt, cotton shorts or pants, good boots are my standard hiking attire. More water and salted nuts or other salt and electrolyte source are recommended. A white long sleeve cotton shirt will be cooler than bare arms in the Tucson sun.

Edit:
If you'd rather hike in the trees, Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson offers a bunch of trails.

Mexican: Little Mexico on Irvington at 12th Ave is good sitdown. El Sur on 22nd St at Craycroft is good. Raspados la Nina on Park Ave between Drexel and Bilby has the best tacos and raspados in town.

Tucson has world class roach coaches. El Nene on Flowing Wells at Wetmore is very good. Try the Yaqui Taco and the chipilones. Jason's Taqueria on 22nd between Wilmot and Craycroft also has great chipilones. El Manantial at the corner of 36th and Park has great Sonoran hotdogs and tacos.

I'll have to check out Hub. I also liked Cartel Coffee on Broadway last time I was there. I hadn't been into downtown Tucson for a while and the number of new establishments is encouraging. Next time I'm in town I'll stay at that AC Hotel they're building (assuming they are done) and sample more extensively. The town also has some pretty phenomenal baked goods...La Estrella Bakery and Village Bakehouse are among my favs.

There is more good Mexican than I can shake my mouth at there. Even the meh places are better than most of the country.
 

amicold

Platinum Member
Feb 7, 2005
2,656
1
81
Hey guys thanks for all the suggestions, I'll let you guys know what we ended up doing and eating after I'm home in a day =). Much appreciated

We did Suguaro Park West Sweetwater trail btw