Tucson

Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.

Understand
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 CE and 1450 ACE, the Hohokam culture dominated the area – the Pima and Tohono O'Odham peoples that still occupy the area are descendants of the Hohokam. In 1699, Father Eusebio Kino, S.J., established the Mission San Xavier del Bac, southwest of present-day Tucson. Over the next 100 years, other missions were established in the area, but European presence was minimal.

It wasn't until 1775 that the Presidio of Tucson was created by Don Hugo O'Connor. At that time, it was the northernmost Spanish outpost in the New World. In 1821, Tucson became part of the new country of Mexico, and in 1853 it became part of the United States as a result of the Gadsden Purchase. In 1863, Arizona became a US territory, and by 1880, its population was around 8,000. In 1912, Arizona became the 48th state to enter the union.

Tucson is still a crossroads, with European, Native American, Mexican, and Asian cultures bumping into one another, in sometimes conflicting and sometimes compatible – but always interesting – ways.

Climate
Tucson has a hot desert climate with a long, hot summer and a mild winter. Fall and spring tend to be sunny and dry. If you're familiar with Phoenix weather, Tucson is slightly cooler and slightly wetter due to elevation and surrounding mountain ranges.

Summer has daytime high temperatures between 98 and 102 °F (37 and 39 °C) and low temperatures between 71 and 77 °F (22 and 25 °C). Early summer is dry: low humidity and clear skies. By mid-summer the monsoons start, bringing higher humidity, cloudy skies, and frequent thunderstorms. The monsoon season officially starts on June 15, but the actual arrival of storms varies from year to year. Storms usually are scattered, with intense rainfall, thunder and lightning in one part of town, and completely storm-free elsewhere, then changing in a few hours. Flash floods are possible. Large areas of the city do not have storm sewers (the street becomes the storm sewer), flooding main thoroughfares. A few underpasses have "feet of water" scales to discourage motorists from driving through in a rainstorm. (See "Stay safe" section for more information).

Winter in Tucson is mild compared to other parts of the U.S. Average daytime highs range between 65 and 70 °F (18 and 21 °C) and lows between 40 and 44 °F (4 and 7 °C). Tucson typically averages three hard freezes per winter season, with temperatures dipping to the mid or low-20s (−7 to −4 °C), but this is typically limited to only a very few nights. Snow is rare but occasionally falls at the lower elevations at the city street level, and is quite common up in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The sun is intense in Tucson year-round. Those who spend time outdoors need sun protection. And in the summer months, heat stroke is a serious concern for those spending their time outdoors.

By plane

 * Concourse A: Southwest, Sun Country, United.
 * Concourse B: American Airlines/American Eagle, Alaska Airlines, Delta/Delta Connection.
 * Concourse B: American Airlines/American Eagle, Alaska Airlines, Delta/Delta Connection.

The airport is on the far southern end of the city. A taxi to central Tucson (University of Arizona area) will run about $25-30 and take 25 minutes. Bus services (Rt #11 and 25) to and from the airport is significantly cheaper but will take at least 60 minutes to/from downtown Tucson. Some people fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) and then take a shuttle or rent a car and drive to Tucson (about 2 hours). American Eagle operate 1hr flights between Phoenix and Tucson. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport.

By train
Arriving by train to Tucson is possible as the city is served by Amtrak via its triweekly Sunset Limited train between New Orleans and Los Angeles. This train also conveys Texas Eagle carriages, offering a direct route to and from Chicago. Eastbound trains arrive around 7:30AM while westbound ones arrive early evening. Notice however that delays are quite common.



By car

 * I-10.svg Interstate 10 (I-10) is an east-west cross-continental route, coming from southern New Mexico to the east and from Phoenix from the northwest. While I-10 is an east-west route, it runs northwest-southeast between Tucson and Phoenix, then from Phoenix runs west towards California.
 * I-19.svg Interstate 19 (I-19) is an intra-state route running south from Tucson, connecting it with Nogales, on the border US-Mexico with Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.


 * Arizona 77.svg & US_80_(AZ_historic).svg N Oracle Rd (AZ 77) is a north-south route, the south end starting in Tucson going north through Oracle and Globe, then concurrent with US 60 from Globe to Show Low, then to Holbrook and I-40. AZ 77 and 79 replaced this section of the (Historic) US 80 after US Route 80 was decommissioned west of Dallas, Texas. The Historic US 80 ran along the present day AZ 77 to Oracle Junction (north of Tucson) where it follows AZ 79 through Florence, to US 60 in Queen Creek.
 * Arizona 86.svg W Ajo Way/State Route (SR) 86 (AZ 86) runs east-west through southern Arizona, it's east end starting in Tucson, passing near Kitt Peak Observatory, through the Tohono O'odham Nation, and ending in the little town of Why at the junction with AZ 85, just north of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

By bus
There are multiple long distance bus lines and van shuttles serving Tucson from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, El Paso, Phoenix, Douglas, Yuma & Nogales in the U.S. and from Nogales, Hermosillo, Puerto Peñasco, Agua Prieta and Culiacán in Mexico. Each company has a stop for their own bus station in different parts of town that are far from each other.

By car
I-10 and I-19 are the only freeways in Tucson, which has far fewer miles of freeway than other U.S. cities of its size. Since I-10 and I-19 mostly skirt the west and south sides, all east-west traffic and all east-side traffic is on surface streets.

Surface street travel can be slow during the workday, and even slower during rainstorms. Many older streets become completely flooded as they are the original "U-shape" where the entire street width is for rain drainage, instead of the modern typical street pitching down towards curbs. And several main surface streets have "reversible lanes", also dubbed "suicide lanes", where the center turn lane becomes an additional through traffic lane for peak hours. Watch the lane signals for proper usage, or you'll likely find yourself staring at the grill of another vehicle. Traffic direction typically alternates between morning and afternoon.

By bicycle
Tucson is a bike-friendly community, and has an extensive system of bike routes and paths (but is something you don't want to do in the summer unless you are experienced riding in very hot, dry weather).

In late 2017 the city launched Tugo Bike Share, a new public bike-sharing program, with 330 bicycles and 36 rental station scattered around the university district and downtown. Passes are available for one day ($8), one month ($18), or one year ($80), and allow unlimited use of the bikes for 30-minute intervals. Passes can be purchased at docking stations with a credit card, online with a credit or debit card, or with cash at any 7-Eleven, CVS, or Family Dollar stores (requires prior online registration). Bicycle stations with available bikes and docks can be found online or via the smartphone Cyclefinder app (iOS and Android).

By taxi
It is notoriously difficult to get around in Tucson by taxi, as you must usually reserve a cab hours in advance and contend with drivers who are often late, if they show up at all. As an alternative, ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft now both operate in Tucson, and are a decent alternative if you can't get a regular cab within a reasonable time frame.

Museums and galleries




Talk
Tucson is a very diverse city. English is the most widely spoken language. Many people in the south side are bilingual in English and Spanish.

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. The hot dog is traditionally sold from street carts, but several of the longer-established vendors now have sit-down restaurants, with branches scattered around Tucson.

Budget




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.

4th Avenue stretches from University ave in the north to downtown Tucson in the south (only about ½ mile long). This stretch of 4th Avenue is the main nightlife strip of Tucson and filled with bars and restaurants of all varieties on each side of the street.

The downtown Tucson area just south of 4th Avenue tends caters to a nicer and wealthier crowd and is home to many of Tucson's higher class restaurants and cocktail bars, as well as the famous Club Congress.

The University Ave area of Tucson starts on University/Euclid on the west and runs several blocks until it ends into the school. It is approximately a 10-minute walk along University Avenue from the 4th Avenue area. Like 4th Avenue, University contains a strip of bars, stores, and restaurants that cater to a variety of tastes and ages (not just college kids).



Budget
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.



Stay safe

 * If you go walking in the desert parks, or on your own, learn desert-safety tips. Take water, always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to get back, and if you have a cell phone, take it with you and have it on. It's disturbingly easy to get lost in the desert. Also, watch for snakes and bugs, as a few are dangerous to your health. When hiking, for example, rattlesnakes are easy to come across. When putting your slippers on in the morning, scorpions can be an unpleasant surprise.
 * Midtown (specifically the section along Alvernon Road between Grant and Ft. Lowell) and the south section of the city (in the general area between I-10, I-19, and Valencia) are not the safest places to be – but there are no real attractions in these areas anyway. Downtown is heavily occupied until 2AM when the bars close. If you are downtown after 2AM, be cautious. While murder rates are fairly low, they are violent and sometimes random. There is gang activity but for the most part it is directed against rival gangs. There are many homeless people downtown. The center city is heavily populated by the "young and restless", so it may seem a spooky to more conservative travelers due to the dirt and noise the youngsters create.
 * Tucson has one of the highest rates of vehicle theft in the USA, and there are a few locations in the city you're more likely to have your car/truck stolen at than at any other place in the town, such as the on 1650 W Valencia Rd and the . Higher vehicle theft rates are due in part to larger pickings of a metro area and in part to the proximity to Mexico, where vehicles can be across the border often before the owners know they are missing.
 * Parking and towing enforcement ramps up in the University campus area, especially during weekends of home football games.
 * During the monsoon season (usually in the months of July - September), Tucson does experience flash flooding. Under no circumstances should you attempt to drive across a flooded road that is barricaded. If your vehicle becomes stranded in your attempt to cross the barricaded road: you will be issued a traffic citation by the police under the 1995 "stupid motorist law" (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-910), fined in the amount of $2000, and ordered to pay for all rescue costs (usually $1500 or more – and that doesn't include the towing expense either). Also, if you knowingly drive a vehicle into a flooded road that is barricaded with a child under the age of 16, you may also be charged with a class-1 misdemeanor charge of child endangerment (Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 13-3619 - per each child in the car) in addition to the previously mentioned penalties if your car becomes stranded.

Stay healthy

 * Newcomers to the southwest often hear about a lung infection called Valley Fever (a fungal disease – the proper medical name is coccidioidomycosis). Although it's rare to contract this disease, it should be taken seriously as it is difficult for most doctors to accurately identify it (a blood test called a coccidioidal must be done to accurately diagnose this illness), and it takes weeks for the symptoms to fully develop for an experienced doctor to recognize them. Exposure to very dusty conditions (ATV riding in the desert, construction, getting caught in a sudden dust storm) increases the opportunity to become infected. It is recommended to wear a face mask if you intend to be exposed to dusty conditions, and strongly recommended if you have a lung disease or temporarily suffering from pneumonia. There is no cure for this disease, only long term treatment. For acute symptoms patients may be prescribed an antifungal drug such as fluconazole.
 * Take precautions for sunburn and heat stroke. This cannot be emphasized enough if you plan to make a trek in the desert mountains. It's easy to sunburn and windburn out in the desert, and the UV rays are very strong. It is recommended to use sunscreen with at least a UV protection rating of 30 or higher. Be mindful of the extreme heat when hiking in the mountains during the summer months to avoid suffering from heat exhaustion or possibly dying from heat stroke.
 * Mosquitoes can be bad after a monsoon (usually in the months of July - September), so consider wearing mosquito repellent with a high concentration of DEET to reduce the risk of acquiring diseases typically transmitted by these annoying insects.
 * Care should be taken when you decide to ride a motorcycle or ATV in the desert, so you don't get injured by running into or brushing against the "jumping cholla" cacti. Wearing thick protective clothing, helmets, and gloves while riding are an absolute must. These are very prickly cacti with stems that detach with little or no effort, also the cacti spines are very painful to remove from your skin once contact is made.

Connect
For visitor information about events and activities taking place in Tucson, check out the city of Tucson's on-line directory.

There are surprisingly many locations within the city of Tucson that are free Wi-Fi hotspots, so free Internet access shouldn't be viewed as a problem. Most of the hotspots are in coffee shops (such as the Bruegger's Bagel locations), the local book store (Bookman's), and the local libraries (no library membership required) throughout the city.

Cope
For all emergencies you may dial 9-1-1 from any cell (active or inactive cell phone) or land line phone free-of-charge. If using a cell phone be sure to inform the operator of your exact location, as it takes extra time for the operator to attempt to triangulate your location – time is of the essence in emergency situations. When calling 911 for assistance be as calm as possible, and do not panic or use profanity over the phone, as the operator on the phone might consider the call as a prank.

For non-emergencies dial the police department at +1 520-791-4444 between 8AM and 10PM (after 10PM, you may dial 9-1-1 for all issues).

Consulates
The nearest cities for additional foreign consulates for the west coast are in Los Angeles and San Francisco:
 * 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico

News

 * Arizona Daily Star is Tucson's largest daily newspaper.
 * Tucson Weekly lists weekly cultural events and has good restaurant reviews.

Go next

 * Nearby Tucson is Saguaro National Park, the most dense forest of the iconic cactus of the American West. The park has two unconnected units to the east and west of Tucson.
 * For cooler weather, you can make a day trip from Tucson up into the Santa Catalina Mountains and Mt. Lemmon (elevation over, with snow in the winter). The mountains offer a number of hiking trails for all skill levels, as well as opportunities for horse riding, mountain biking, camping, and even downhill skiing.
 * Further afield is Phoenix to the north, if you want "more city" than Tucson, which can be done as a day trip from Tucson, or you can move your base of operations from Tucson to Phoenix.
 * For more cooler weather, further north from Phoenix along I-17 is Sedona, Flagstaff and Grand Canyon National Park. These destinations are a bit of a stretch as day trips from Tucson.
 * Heading south is Nogales, with named cities on both sides of the US-Mexico border – Nogales (Arizona) and Nogales (Sonora).
 * Southeast is Bisbee, which makes for a pleasant day trip. The Copper Queen has great food and historic accommodation.
 * Along the way to Bisbee is Tombstone – visit the famous old west boom town to see "haunted" theaters, graves of famous outlaws, and reenactments of the famous O.K. Corral shootout. For more serious Old West history, be sure to visit the Cochise County Courthouse museum. A must for any trip to southern Arizona.
 * North is Oracle, via Oracle Road (Arizona State Route 77). Along the way is Biosphere 2. Higher, Cooler, wetter, greener. Has Oracle State Park. Bedroom - artist community. Interesting people. Beautiful drive. Several overnight options (from motels to dude ranches) and restaurants. Two lively bars. Wonderful vistas of the north side of the Santa Catalina Mountains and Mt. Lemmon ski slopes. Borders Catalina National Forest (hiking, etc). Access to Arizona Trail. 'Back road to Mt Lemmon' starts in Oracle. Interesting history (Buffalo Bill, Gold Mining, Dude Ranches, et al). Main drag not much to look at but lots of hidden gems. See life in an unusually rich small Arizona town.