Tucson Area Sights

The sole remaining Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) complex of the 54 that were "on alert" during the Cold War between 1963 and 1987. The Titan Missile Museum is the only publicly accessible Titan II missile site in the nation. You can tour the underground missile site, see the 3-ton blast doors, the 8-foot thick silo walls, and an actual Titan II missile in the launch duct. You visit the launch control center, experience a simulated launch and more! There are several different tours available.

Tucson Area Sights

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Trail Dust Town

Pinnacle Peak

Titan Missile Museum

Kitt Peak

I was surprised how much I liked Tucson. With all the mountains and the nice sunsets, it's rather scenic...but we had just come from Phoenix, which is lacking sights. I wouldn't call Tucson a destination city to visit for a vacation but if you are on a road trip passing through, maybe give it a full day or two and see some of the sights below.

It might be the biggest tourist trap but many find it interesting if you are visiting Tucson, especially if you aren't from the southwest. Trail Dust Town is full of shops made to look like an old western town. There is also the Dragoon Street Wild West Show that is entertaining and made to keep the tourists around to shop longer. The free show is part comedy, part action with the guns and people falling off roofs. The town also has a few small museums.

Kitt Peak National Observatory is a nice drive not too far southwest of Tucson. It makes for a good excursion with nice scenery and road up to the summit. On top is a visitors center open to the public with tours available. Kitt Peak has the world's largest collection of optical telescopes.

This is Tucson's top tourist steakhouse located in Trail Dust Town. The atmosphere is great, made to look like the old west time period. Food is served up in that fashion and it's tastes good of course. If you wear a tie, they will cut it in half and post it on the wall with your name on it. The place is covered in cut ties.

Saguaro National Park

Mount Lemmon

The national park protects the Giant Saguaro cacti, the "universal symbol of the American West", as well as many other plant species. I'm yawning just writing about it. But, if you like to visit any and all national parks, it's worth a visit. Surprisingly there are some big distance hiking trails, if you want to explore some really dry landscapes. There are also some paved interpretive roads to make it a quick visit.

Mount Lemmon is the place to get away from the heat. Just minutes from town, you can zip up the Catalina Highway to the high ridges of Mt. Lemmon where cool pine forests and big views await. There is even a ski resort up there....in Tucson! In summer, hiking and biking trails exist as well as plenty of areas to have picnics.

Biosphere 2

Nothing is quite like visiting the Biosphere 2. This facility was designed to house several people in a self sustaining mini-world, as if it had been built on the moon. The tour takes you all over the facility at the same time explaining what went right and wrong with the project. Research still takes place here but you still sense the collapse of a major undertaking while you visit the grounds. The tour is very informative, taking you to most everything and you will see a movie which explains a lot. The Biosphere itself is located in a scenic setting in a desert preserve near the Santa Catalina Mountains between Tucson and Phoenix.