To our complete surprise, a band was playing when we arrived at Hotel Congress. Spirits were high among the crowd and everyone left on their walk or jog whenever they felt inspired to go. The historic neighborhoods had a different and more intimate aura in the twilight than in the daytime, and lots of people were out enjoying the warm evening air. Along with seeing plenty of historic buildings, we passed clusters of people making music together, strumming guitars and singing by lanterns in the dark. At the end of our walk, back at Hotel Congress, we sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed a locally crafted beer.
Listen to live music at Meet Me at Maynards
Take time to enjoy one of the glorious Arizona sunsets
Mount Lemmon Northeast of Tucson lies towering Mount Lemmon whose peak is 9,171 feet above sea level and nearly 6,800 feet above the city below. One of Arizona’s special Sky Islands—or mountain peaks that thrust up from the desert floor— the temperature is always 30 degrees cooler at the top than down in Tucson because of its immense height. Driving the 26-mile Sky Island Scenic Byway from the base of the mountain to the top, we passed through several Arizona ecosystems, going from the Sonoran Desert at the bottom to ponderosa pine forest at the top. It was if we’d driven from Mexico to Canada, and the landscape became greener and greener as we drove. We were astonished to see cyclists grinding their way up to the top, and we learned that Lance Armstrong used to train for the Tour de France on this mountain.
These wonderful delights are just a few of the many special sights that await travelers in Tucson, and we will definitely be back again.
For more information: San Xavier del Bac: www.sanxaviermission.org Saguaro National Park: www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm Arizona Sonora Desert Museum: Raptor Free Flights: www.desertmuseum.org/visit/rff_index.php
Tucson Historic District: Meet Me at Maynards: www.beyond-tucson.org
TUCSON DELIGHTS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE FALL 2022 | 15
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