Tucson is a large city in the southern part of Arizona. This thickly populated city can become red hot in the summer season. Temperatures soar and snowbirds leave for cooler climes. It can become unbearably hot for someone who is not used to the hot and humid summer season in the south Arizona desert climate. But someone who lives in Tucson knows there is lot to do to make summers enjoyable besides sticking to air conditioner and going to work. Go to Sabino Creek
Sabino Canyon is the place to cool off when it becomes too hot to stay at home. If you are a hiker, you will find many interesting trails to attempt in this place. You can also take a tram ride to the canyon that takes 45 minutes to reach there and gives you breath taking views of the beautiful scenery of the surroundings. Sabino Canyon transforms into a giant swimming pool during summer season to take a dive and forget everything about the hot weather for a while. Make sure you go there early morning to be able to enjoy the beauty of the place.
Visit Arizona Sonora Desert MuseumThis is a huge museum spread over 98 acres of land. It houses not just 230 different species of animals but also more than 1200 species of plants for the lovers of fauna and flora. You can get to know a lot about Sonoran desert in a natural setting when you come here along with your family. This museum has a zoo, many botanical gardens, an aquarium, and a natural history museum to spend many hours during a hot summer day in Tucson.
Saguaro National ParkThis is another great place in Tucson to have some fun And recreation along with family and kids on a hot summer day. The name of this park comes from a variety of cactus that has become a symbol of the Sonoran desert in the southern part of Arizona. This National Park is located in the southern part of Tucson that is home to coyote, Gamble’s Quail, and the desert tortoise. This park contains pine and mixed conifer trees and provides home to Mexican spotted owls, black bears, and Arizona Mountain King Snakes. You can also spot white tailed deer in this park.
White Stallion RanchIf you are in the mood to have some fun and relaxation along with your family, this ranch situated adjacent to Saguaro National Park is a great option. It is actually 21 miles from the downtown district of Tucson. Get riding lessons for your kids while you enjoy accommodation in air conditioned cabins. You also get delicious and sumptuous meals in this ranch.
Guests get to choose from many different rides that are on offer in White Stallion Ranch. There are not just horse rides but also Cheetos and beer rides to have fun and recreation for the whole family.
State MuseumYou cannot miss out on Arizona State Museum if you are a lover of arts and culture and want to soak in the desert culture of southern Arizona. You will find many interesting exhibits inside this museum. Once of the exhibits that draw in crows is a collection of 25000 baskets made by southwest Indians. There is another pottery collection consisting of more than 20000 vessels. The museum also houses many interesting archaeological finds from the state of Arizona.
B&B Cactus FarmCactus is the symbol of Sonoran desert and you cannot escape from this plant when you are in Tucson during summer season. Why not pay a visit to the largest cactus nursery in Tucson to see a mindboggling variety of cactus in a single place? This farm has many greenhouses and outdoor beds where it has planted a huge variety of cacti and succulents. You will be surprised to see beautiful flowers in many varieties of cactus here. Plants are also available for sale to grow in your yard.
Yume Japanese GardensIf you are desirous of spending some time in the company of Mother Nature, this Japanese garden in Tucson is the best place for you. These gardens are an amazing example of art and nature with pruning and raking done to create artistic looking plants. You feel as if you have come to a typical Japanese garden because of the use of wooden shingles and clay walls that are hand built.
Spencer’s ObservatoryIf you are free in the evening and have some interest in celestial bodies, Spencer’s Observatory is the place where you should be. Tucson is known for its clear skies, especially in the summer season and you can spend some very good time inside this observatory with retractable roof doing stargazing. There are many telescopes that can be used to gaze at stars and planets in this observatory.
You can also head to Tucson Botanical gardens to spend some time in the company of plants. There is also a butterfly park inside these gardens.