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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Arizona State Museum Biosphere 2 Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium at the University of Arizona International Wildlife Museum Kitt Peak Observatory Mount Lemmon Ski Valley Old Tucson Studios Pima Air and Space Museum
Reid Park Zoo Saguaro National Park East
Tucson Botanical Gardens Tucson Children’s Museum Tucson Electric Park |
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You will visit a zoo, a natural history museum, and a botanical garden when you visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The attraction has an array of wildlife, including Gila monsters and hummingbirds. The museum sits in the Tucson Mountains. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through February and from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March through September.
The Arizona State Museum (ASM) is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the region. ASM demonstrates the life of the southwest with research projects and collections. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Biosphere 2 is one of the largest living laboratories in the world. The attraction has the world’s largest glass-enclosed laboratory, restaurants, and shops. It is on 250 acres in the Sonoran Desert. Guests can visit several exhibits that show the earth’s biosystems. The Rain Forest Biome shows how CO2 can lead to deforestation, while at the Ocean Biome researchers are trying to understand how CO2 causes coral calcification. Guests can see several other exhibits on a fully guided tour.
The Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium at the University of Arizona has several astronomy exhibits that are open to the public. Visitors can stargaze at the center’s planetarium or discover Tucson’s geology at the Mineral Museum at Flandaru. The center also has a multi-media theater that allows guests to see 8,600 stars, several galaxies, the sun, the moon, and the planets. The presentation uses 30 projectors, two video systems, and an amazing audio system to give tourists an out-of-this-world experience. You should call in advance because the center’s hours vary daily.
This interactive attraction has more than 400 species of mammals, birds, and insects from around the world. Unlike zoos, the International Wildlife Museum doesn’t collect animals for exhibition. Animals are entrusted to the museum via donations. The museum also has a 98-seat movie theater that shows wildlife and natural history films at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The International Wildlife Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
There are daily guided tours at the Kitt Peak Observatory, which is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Kitt Peak operates three nighttime telescopes, 19 optical telescopes, and two radio telescopes. The observatory is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Most people don’t think of snow and skiing when they think of Tucson, but a trip to Mount Lemmon Ski Valley will change that perception. Mount Lemmon is more than 9,000 feet tall and is the southernmost ski area in the United States. People go skiing here from mid-December to early April. The site is an hour from Tucson and has ski equipment rentals, ski instruction, a restaurant and snack bar, and a gift shop.
This outdoor entertainment attraction gives guests a taste of the Old West. Old Tucson Studios has live shows, stunts, saloon musicals, and stagecoach adventures. The site also has major concerts, festivals, sports events, and children’s activities. You can even dress up in old-fashioned clothes and take a picture or horseback ride in the desert. One section of the studios has been used for films and television shows. Old Tucson Studios is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. 
Aviation fans will enjoy the Pima Air and Space Museum where there are more than 250 aircrafts on 150 acres. This spot is the world’s largest privately funded aerospace museum. Visitors can also walk aboard Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson’s Air Force One. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
El Presidio Historic District
You can learn about the saguaro cactus at Saguaro National Park East. The plant is one of the most recognizable images of the American Southwest. This park also offers tourists an escape from the hustle and bustle of Tucson with more than 150 miles of hiking trails that await exploration.
San Xavier del Bac Mission
Tucson Botanical Gardens is a respite in the heart of the city. The 5-acre spot has 15 specialty gardens with more than 4,200 plants. The attraction is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $2.50 for children ages 6 through 11.
This museum is aimed at children ages 6 through 12 and has different areas for kids to explore. The Tucson Children’s Museum features 10 hands-on galleries that demonstrate science, machinery, and natural history. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. 
Major League Baseball is in full swing during the spring at Tucson Electric Park. This facility is considered to be one of the best spring training sites in the country. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox train at this 3,000-seat stadium. The Diamondback’s AAA affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders also train and play here. The park sits in the Kino Veterans Memorial Complex. Check with the park’s box office for game times and opponents.