The main spot we take our visiting friends and family to. It's a fairly difficult hike (750 ft elevation gain and 1.5 mi to the top) near downtown Tucson. The hike is a series of paved switchbacks to the top of Tumamoc Hill that ends with expansive views of the desert as far as the eye can see. Our favorite is hiking up just after sundown to see the city lights from the top. Bonus points for combining a trip out to Gates Pass for sunset with a hike up Tumamoc on your way back into town!

Our favorite sunset spot - in the heart of Saguaro National Park.

This is a great spot for people with varying levels of fitness. There is a narrated tram that you can ride and takes you to the top of the canyon before returning to the visitor's center. There are also plenty of other trails for hiking enthusiasts.

Scenic drive up General Hitchcock Highway that starts in Saguaro cacti and ends with Ponderosa pines. Roughly a 50 minute drive from the base to the 9,171 ft summit with lots of hiking trails of varying difficulty along the way. The drives leads to the small village of Summerhaven at the top. If you make it all the way, stop by Beyond Bread in the Mt Lemmon Lodge for lunch or the Cookie Cabin for a sweet treat.

A National Historic Landmark, San Xavier Mission was founded as a Catholic mission by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797. The oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the church's interior is filled with marvelous original statuary and mural paintings.

Museum for all kinds of retired aircraft. Several indoor hangars to tour as well as an extensive outdoor "Boneyard." Hard to miss, but make sure to check out the SR-71!

As the first American city to be named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson has no shortage of outstanding restaurants, such as El Charro Cafe Downtown - the original home of the chimichanga and Tito & Pep who recently made the "New York Times list of top 50 nationwide restaurants of 2022." Tucson is also home to an amazing array of local pubs serving unique brews using local ingredients, including Barrio Brewing Co., the third largest independent brewery in AZ. Here's a list of other restaurants we'd recommend while you're here:

- Mercado San Agustin (Jeff's favorite) - open air market with food (Seis Kitchen), coffee (Presta Coffee Roasters) and sweet Mexican treats (La Estrella Bakery)

- La Chaiteria (Stef's favorite)

- Tumerico (sister restaurant of La Chaiteria - vegetarian)

- La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood (Brandon's favorite)

-Guadalajara Mexican Grill (fan favorite for the fresh salsa made table side)

- Penca (Stef and Jeff's first date)

- El Guero Canelo (casual spot for tacos or Sonoran hot dogs)

- Rollies Mexican Patio (Jeff's other favorite)

- Barista del Barrio (best breakfast burritos)

Arizona wine country about an hour south of Tucson. Take a drive for a day trip or schedule a guided tour with Arizona Winery Tours (www.arizonawinerytours.com - request Barry or Zack!).

Roughly an hour and a half south, step back in time and into the Wild West in the historic city of Tombstone.

If you have a couple extra days of vacation time to burn, we have several friends and family who are capitalizing on the trip to AZ with visits to these three natural wonders.