From this refurbished boutique motor lodge, the many-splendored delights of the Old Pueblo are just a stroll, bike ride or Uber away.
One hospitality trend we’ll never, ever get enough of: rehabilitated mid-century motels. As it happens, Tucson is blessed with one Arizona’s finest specimens in this boutique, 112-room hipster playground right off the I-10. From the nighttime, DJ-boosted pool parties to the all-day Latin-inflected fare in the lobby-adjacent Shady Cactus Swim Club (on-point rojo pork street tacos, awesome chile verde egg scramble), the ’60s-era motor lodge has been showing visitors a fine time since its 2020 makeover by Tucson natives Vishal and Sunny Patel. Pro tip: Come on a Wednesday. That’s vinyl night by the pool. thetuxonhotel.com
Swimming Hole Spotlight: Seven Falls
Hidden among the sculptural rock formations of Sabino Canyon, a string of aquamarine pools reflects the saguaro-studded landscape, beckoning hikers on Bear Canyon Trail No. 29 to swim, splash, float and dunk. The trail itself threads Sabino Creek, crossing the stream seven times and bearing witness to roaring falls that tumble down box canyons and spill over rock shelves. Visit Seven Falls after a
summer monsoon – the creek is fed by rainwater and snowmelt. sabinocanyon.com
Fee: $8/vehicle day-use permit
If You Go: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., Tucson From the visitor center, take the Bear Canyon shuttle ($15/person) to Bear Canyon Trailhead, then follow Bear Canyon Trail No. 29 for 4 miles back to the visitor center.
3 Urban Excursions in Tucson
Tumamoc Hill Hiking Trail
Lousy with fitness-minded Tucsonans every day of the week, it’s a half-paved, non-technical urban quad-burner located not 3 miles from the Tuxon. What the university-managed trail might lack in wildlife and seclusion, it more than makes up for in breathtaking panoramas, affording views both of the city (to the east) and Saguaro National Park (to the west) from the top of “A” Mountain. desertlaboratory.arizona.edu
Mercado District
Start your day with breakfast and shopping at the Mercado District, located a half-mile north of The Tuxon. A mixed-use catacomb of businesses, residences, shops and eateries, the district encompasses such shopping magnets as Mercado San Agustín (craft goods and gifts, specialty foods) and MSA Annex (food trucks, bars, counterculture fun). Grab a latte from Presta Coffee Roasters and pan dulce from La Estrella Bakery before browsing art boutique MAST. mercadodistrict.com
Los Milics Vineyards Downtown Tucson
No wine experience in Arizona beats a visit to Pavle Milic’s estate winery in Elgin, but if that extra hour’s drive is a deal-breaker, the winemaker has a new tasting room and restaurant in the city’s historical theater district. Savor a flight of his firm, Rhône-style wines while nibbling on boquerones or flatiron with roasted carrots (pictured) from the compact, farm-to-table menu. losmilicsvineyards.com
