Tucson is truly just a hop, skip and a jump from Phoenix, so the popular Old Pueblo Town works as a fun day trip or a fantastic overnight getaway. Tucson is the second largest city in Arizona and is packed with lots of outdoor activities, several nationally renown historical sites, fun family friendly activities AND is a world renown foodie town with culinary awards to boot. That fun fact is a surprise to many!
Tucson is an official UNESCO City of Gastronomy. And Tucson is the first US city to receive this designation! UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization and Tucson’s food represents over 4,000 years of cultural and culinary history. I highly recommend taking a food tour to learn about this history with every sight and bite. Such fun!
**Check this blog tomorrow to see my Arizona Daily Mix morning show segment covering my Tucson trip and recommendations!**
And read on to see:
*Where to eat and drink plus food tour info
*Nightlife & Cocktail/Mocktail spots to try
*My favorite family friendly museum
*Outdoor spots for all ages
*My favorite historic place in Tucson to experience
*My favorite places to stay overnight in Tucson
So to start my Tucson report, here’s my Tucson To Do List starting with the food! Yes please!
Road Trip with Rach Tucson To Do List
*Eat Your Way Through Tucson…
*Take a food tour!
Our food tour guide treated us to our first cocktail! This is Charro’s famous Blue Azul Margarita and it was delish! Cheers!
Food tour sample…yummy prickly pear glazed albondigas meatballs, guacamole and chips from Charro Steak & Del Rey restaurant. Soo good!
I recommend booking through Viator or Get Your Guide apps. The tour I took in my morning show segment is the Progressive Dinner Tour and I highly recommend this experience! 
Here is the list and links…
*Recommended restaurants we experienced on our food tour…
*Charro Steak & Del Rey – America’s oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family!
*HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery
Oh yeah…Really good reuben sandwich, roasted avocado corn salad and tempura fried cheese curds at HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery
The Yukon Gold Potato Craft Pizza from Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink. I want another slice!
Tucson Sips & Spirits & Other Must Try Restaurant Spots
Right below the recommended Reilly Craft Pizza lies a hidden gem for crafted cocktails and mocktails, too. Head to the basement to discover The Tough Luck Club to wet your whistle and get away from the hustle and bustle of life above for a bit. Fun potentially haunted tidbit – the unique basement space was the embalming room in the former funeral home that was owned by two retired school teacher sisters. The building was built around 1906 and the stones that fill the club’s basement walls were harvested from A Mountain. Cool fun history to know about and toast to, which is what we did and our cocktails were delicious!
See the Ugly but Honest cocktail creation in my photo below. It was tasty!
Want to sit in the fun store window in happening downtown Tucson and experience made-to-order cocktails? Try Juniper, a gin focused bar that serves the best in gin plus all kinds of spirits. My daughter and I had a blast sipping great gin-based hand crafted cocktails in the fun front window! 
Ice Cream Flight Done Right
I scream, you scream, we all scream for The Screamery in downtown Tucson because this ice cream is made fresh from scratch without the added bad stuff AND they offer an ice cream flight. 
My favorite flavor is the Coffee Toffee and Cowboy Cookie. Yum fun and worth the calories…don’t forget that calcium is also included! Just call me rationalizing Rach! I also love that The Screamery makes the good stuff without using antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or chemical stabilizers. Told ya this ice cream isn’t bad for your dessert cravings!
More Recommended Restaurants
I recently returned to Tucson to do a bit more research for my morning show segment, so my friend recommended that I try two other restaurants during my stay and both were also fantastic! They are…
*Agave House – House made margaritas, farm-to-table ingredients in the Latin-inspired menu.
With one of my gal pals, Jill who recommended Agave House. We especially enjoyed the margaritas!
Mouthwatering food and drink at Agave House. Look at the Elote Corn! It was tasty!
Plus the space opens up for the late night crowd at the restaurant’s Agave After Hours club that’s open from 10pm to 2am on Thursdays and Fridays.
This is called Causa Rellena de Pollo and it is a chicken-filled pleasing potato dish. Super yum!
*Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Food Network show and I could taste why as soon as I sunk my teeth in the first bite. Soo good! I highly recommend!
*The only Sweet Tomatoes left in the nation is in Tucson, which happens to be the original location! Yes, Sweet Tomatoes lovers you can get your food fix at your beloved and much missed Sweet Tomatoes. The address doesn’t come up on maps so here it is for you…Sweet Tomatoes Tucson 6202 E Broadway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85711. We couldn’t wait to get there! We went, we ate and we loved every bite!
My family was so excited to be back at our beloved Sweet Tomatoes!
Forgot to take a picture of the scrumptious salad we enjoyed before diving into these additional favorites of ours from Sweet Tomatoes!
The massive buffet of favorite foods is unique from many cafeteria style restaurants as the grub here is locally sourced from farms and all dishes are made from scratch with hand-chopped house made plates of food that beckons diners to go back for seconds…we sure did!
My Favorite Tucson To Do List Locations
Be sure to visit the most famous place in Tucson, The Saguaro National Park. Since it’s been covered so much, I decided to visit other outdoor family friendly Tucson destinations for this report.
*Pima Air & Space Museum – Great for aviation buffs and a family friendly attraction, this 80-acre indoor and outdoor museum displays over 400 aircraft ranging from the historic Wright Brothers creations to modern jet Dreamliners.
The tail of the presidential plane that carried Presidents Kennedy and Johnson in the 1960s.
Plus, there’s an extensive military display with guest veteran speakers to boot. Take a food break and eat in the restaurant that includes both outdoor and indoor views of the exhibits. See and walk right under the presidential plane that was created in 1961 and carried Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Peek inside the last B-17 Flying Fortress named I’ll Be Around that’s housed in the additional 390th Memorial Museum that’s now on museum grounds and is included in the admission price. 
This part of the experience is an interesting way to learn about our nation’s World War 2 military history with exhibits, vehicles, artifacts and more that take guests back in time to learn about and honor the veterans who risked everything to protect our country. Plus learn about women in aviation, Arizona aviation history, submarines and so much more. This is a fun and educational place for school-aged kids. The museum also contains a restaurant with sweeping views of both the indoor and outdoor exhibits. I highly recommend a visit to this educational and fun museum!
I love how I could hop off and on the Sabino Canyon Crawler to ride and learn or walk and experience. Perfect!
Sabino Canyon is an absolutely family friendly trail that works for all ages. Sabino Canyon is located in the Coronado National Forest in the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains. I took the Sabino Canyon Crawler electric shuttle so I could get a narrated tour of the park. Shuttles run to either Sabino Canyon or to Bear Canyon for those that want to consider hiking to Seven Falls. Unfortunately, the canyon is completely dry right now so the Bear Canyon hike will definitely challenge you, but there is currently no water at the falls to observe. With 9 stops and hop on, hop off options, I found the Sabino Canyon crawler to be relaxing, informative and helpful as the driver explained the different hikes, picnic areas and additional details at each stop, so when I go back I know exactly where I want to walk and then hike to. With the comfortable shuttle service and options to walk, run or bike ride up the path, the Sabino Canyon is one of my top picks for a lovely Tucson outdoor experience that works for all ages.
Me and my girl relaxing at one of the many seating areas that pop up around the Tohono Chul scenic trails.
Yum! The Garden Bistro fare is fabulous and so is the margarita flight!
Beautiful Tohono Chul is a 49-acre botanical garden located in NW Tucson. Several easy walking paths take visitors on a scenic view with informational signs about the plant and wildlife that grace the lands. Daily tours are offered for more specific information. Absolutely family friendly, with an interactive Children’s Garden, but with also adult attractions like a margarita flight to wet your whistle in the lovely Garden Bistro restaurant that serves brunch all day. Don’t miss the colorful gift shop where you are sure to find one-of-a-kind desert-themed and seasonal treasures. I highly recommend Tohono Chul and I can’t wait to return!
Head to the what’s called the White Dove of the Desert, the historical and still operating San Xavier del Bac Mission. 
Here you will experience the scenic grounds that is the magnificent Spanish colonial historical site of this historic gem that was built between 1783 – 1797. Head outside just east of the structure for a short easy hike to Grotto Hill. The path offers sweeping mountain views and leads to the serene and spiritual Grotto Hill Shrine. This peaceful prayer and reflection place houses the Grotto Hill Shrine, which was built in 1908 as a replica of Grotto of Lourdes to honor the Virgin Mary.
My Favorite Places To Stay In Tucson
From Phoenix, Tucson is such an easy day trip, but if you want to stay a few days or if you are traveling in from further away, here are a few of my hotel picks. I stayed at all three the last several months.
Located in a Tucson iconic downtown building, the hotel is in walking distance to restaurants, museums, the historic Train Depot and more. Here is my video review of this property that I shared recently.
Housed super close to the University of Arizona, this is a great option for college student families and those that want to be close to the vibrant downtown scene as well.
This boutique hotel is charming, colorful and contains a rooftop restaurant bar with sweeping views called the Moonstone that’s not to be missed. 
Hot coffee and tasty meals are served counter take-out style at the property’s Poindexter Coffee Shop. I really enjoyed my stay here.
For a resort and spa experience with fantastic views and lots to do on site, check out the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. Guests can book a spa day (I recommend), take tennis lessons, play pickleball, enjoy golf or swim in the stunning five outdoor pools that come complete with a winding waterfall slide for the kids as well. This oasis is a AAA 4-diamond hotel and was voted a top resort by Condé Nast traveler readers. For those on a working trip, delicious room service is also available between 6:30am and 11pm.
There is sooo much more I could cover about Tucson! Please share your favorite Tucson to do’s in the comments section. I can’t wait to return to the Old Pueblo Town for more food, fun and enriching outdoor experiences!
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