3 Days in Tucson, Arizona

Day 3 in The Old Pueblo

6:00am – Get up early once again to take advantage of those beautiful dry, cool desert mornings. I recommend making the drive over to Oro Valley, a beautiful suburb 20 minutes north of the hotel. The gorgeous Catalina mountains provide a stunning backdrop to this tranquil town. It’s a really underrated area that I spent a lot of time exploring thanks to renting a gorgeous apartment right across from Catalina State Park.

Catalina State Park is one of the best hiking spots in the area, and much cheaper & less crowded than the national park. I lived in the Encantada apartment right across the street and hiked here regularly. There is a great mix of trails for beginner and avid hikers. My favorite is an easy trek called the Canyon Loop trail which is only 2 miles so great anytime of the year.

7:00am – Start your day with breakfast at First Watch, conveniently located just down the street from Catalina. This popular health conscious chain serves amazing food & coffee, and also features a shady patio facing the mountains.

On the left, a delicious veggie skillet at First Watch. On the right, the gorgeous patio facing the Catalinas.

If you prefer to support a local business, Savaya is a wonderful coffeeshop right across from the state park. This wonderful local roaster serves excellent single origin coffees, and features a beautiful patio facing the mountains. I love sitting outside when the Palo Verde trees are in bloom.

This coffee roaster was connected to my apartment: I took full advantage of the proximity. I love their Americanos! Look at that mountain view!

8:00am – Hike the Canyon Loop trail at Catalina State Park. This 2 mile loop is just long enough for a quality workout, yet not super exhausting. It’s a must to keep your hikes minimal during the hot summer season. You do not have to hike far to appreciate the serene desert beauty. You will still see plenty of Saguaro cacti and the mountain views here really cannot be beat.

On a budget? Consider the free Linda Vista trail located just down the street. This easy 1 mile stroll features scenery very similar to that found at Catalina only you can save yourself 10 bucks. I’ve seen a bobcat right on the trail here – literally 10 feet in front of me. While they may look cute in person like a regular house cat, they can be very dangerous. Definitely keep your distance. Note that no pets are allowed on this trail because it crosses into a protected bighorn sheep territory.

Alternative: Consider a bike ride or easy stroll along the 4 mile long Canada del Oro Riverfront Path. I absolutely love this interrupted bike trail which features amazing views of the mountains. Plus, you can access a wonderful farmers market (the Steam Pump farmers market is held every Saturday).

10:00am – On your way back to the resort, stop by The Happy Saguaro. This locally owned Southwestern shop specializes in authentic Mexican pottery and crafts. I found myself coming back here time and time again during my years living in Tucson. See the gorgeous pot on the right that has survived many a monsoon!

Noon – Hacienda del Sol is a historic resort with a lot of charm. The mountain views from the floor-to-ceiling windows are incredible. If you are looking for somewhere to soak in the beautiful mountain scenery one more time before you leave, you can’t beat the scenery at Signature Grill.

If weather permits, the patio here is quite beautiful. Lunch includes a lineup of salads, sandwiches, and tacos. Also they are well known for their fry bread served alongside green chile hummus! Update: This resort now only serves breakfast and dinner.

*Notes

This itinerary is based on a spring/summer visit. While unbearably hot at times, the summer is still the best time to plan a first time visit. First off, you get more time to explore as the sun sets later. Second, pricing at all resorts is much cheaper. And third, crowds are virtually non existent. If you get up early enough and focus on outdoor activities early on in the day, it’s a great time to visit. If the weather just does not cooperate, you can take a look at my extreme heat guide for some fun ideas to cool down.

My personal opinion is that no visit would be complete without exploring the wonderful hiking trails. Nevertheless, there are ways to enjoy the majestic desert scenery without hiking. One option is to replace the trip to Sabino Canyon with a drive up Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway. This is also a great pick when temps are still hot. Because it is at least 20-30 cooler up here, you can still hike on the hottest summer days. So if you are a big hiker looking to rack up some mileage, this is the place to go this time of year. Tip: Fuel up with a cup of joe and pastry at Le Buzz before your drive.

From cacti to pine trees within a half hour!

This gorgeous 30 mile road travels from the lower Saguaro studded desert up to the high altitude pine forests of Summerhaven. When you arrive at the summit, you can also enjoy a scenic chairlift ride at Mt. Lemmon ski resort. This is a great activity for non-hikers.

Tips for a great trip

• Check the resort website for special offers. They frequently offer advance purchase deals and attractive amenity packages.
• If saving is your primary goal, plan for a summer visit when resort prices are typically at their lowest.
• Consider purchasing the Tucson Attractions passport. You will receive discounted admission to many attractions. Recent 2 for 1 deals included the Tucson Museum of Art, Mini Time Museum, the Fox Theater, and many other places.
• Be prepared for random monsoon storms during the summer. Fortunately, these intense storms are usually short lived and help to cool the air a bit. You do not want to hike during a storm. I’ve seen many reports of hikers dying or needing to be rescued especially on the Romero pools trail.

• If the city is seeing an intense heat wave, you may want to consider a shorter hike in place of Sabino. Here are my recommended short hikes for the summer season to consider.