Family Weekend is a time to update your parents on what you have learned while away at college for the last couple months — both in and out of the classroom. Instead of skipping out on class or work the second your parents arrive for the weekend, why not send them off to a Tucson hot-spot?
Here are some Tucson activities so your parents aren’t stuck in the Student Union Memorial Center chowing down on Burger King while you are in class. But it’s OK if you join them. Perhaps you could tag along for the adventure and get to know the city you’re living in.
Old Town Artisans: 201 N. Court Ave.
Three miles from campus (about 10 minutes)
Shop hours:
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Restaurant hours: Monday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Old Town Artisans, located in the heart of downtown on the site of the Spanish fort El Presido San Augustin del Tucson, brings the culture of the Southwest alive through shops, events and food. The adobe building that now stands in the fort’s place recreates the past with remnants of saguaro cactus rib ceilings, packing crates and whiskey staves. The one-block structure is home to four different shops ranging from Native American pottery to world crafts. Old Town Artisans also houses La Cocina restaurant, which serves Southwestern and Native American cuisine. In the middle of the center is an open courtyard where you can sit in the shade among a plethora of Southwestern plants.
La Encantada Shopping Center: 2905 E. Skyline Dr.
Seven miles from campus (about 20 minutes)
Hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
La Encantada is a two-level shopping center that surpasses your standard open-air mall. Nestled in the Santa Catalina Mountains overlooking Tucson, La Encantada is the perfect place to spend a day above the city shopping and eating delicious food. You can max out your credit card at upscale stores like Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma and the Apple Store. You can also grab a quick bite at AJ’s Fine Foods, which boasts a sushi bar, bistro, salad bar and pastry shop, and sit on the spacious patio that overlooks Tucson.
Arizona Historical Society
Established in 1864, the Arizona Historical Society is Arizona’s oldest historical agency. The society fulfills the duty to protect and preserve Arizona’s history, and it shares its findings with the public through three museums around town.
Arizona History Museum: 949 E. Second St.
(You can walk to it from campus)
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission: Adults: $5
Ages 12-18 and 60+: $4
Under 11: Free
The Arizona History Museum, located right across the street from campus, focuses on southern Arizona history from Spanish colonialism through the territorial eras. The museum also includes mining and transportation methods throughout Arizona history.
Downtown History Museum: 140 N. Stone Ave.
Two miles from campus (about 10 minutes)
Hours: Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission: Adults: $3
Ages 12-18 and 60+: $2
Under 11: Free
The Downtown History Museum specifically depicts early Tucson homes and businesses including drugstores, police and fire departments, and the Romero Barbershop.
Fort Lowell Museum: 2900 N. Craycroft Road
Five miles from campus (about 15 minutes)
Hours: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission: $3
The Fort Lowell Museum, located on the Old Fort Lowell, depicts military life on the Arizona frontier. The building dates back to 1873 and originally housed the commanding officers’ quarters of the fort.
Reid Park Zoo: 1100 S. Randolph Way
Three miles from campus (about 10 minutes)
Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily
Admission: Adults (15-61): $6
Ages 2-14: $2
Ages 62+: $4
Under 2: Free
Since 1965, Reid Park Zoo has been serving the Tucson community by housing animals from Africa, Asia and South America. The zoo is located in the middle of the expansive Reid Park, giving you a chance to do more than just look at animals. The zoo also hosts several events throughout the day including an interactive water play area called Kenya Get Wet and a hands-on exhibit called Wild Ideas. The Reid Park Zoo is the perfect place to feel like a kid again, or to bring kids and learn about the conservation of our environment.
Tucson Botanical Gardens: 2150 N. Alvernon Way
Three miles from campus (about 10 minutes)
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Restaurant hours: 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults: $7
Ages 4-12: $3
Ages 3 and under: Free
Butterfly Magic at the Gardens: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Who knew there would be a garden oasis in the heart of Tucson? The Tucson Botanical Gardens “” strive to provide a setting that is beautiful to the eyes and attractive to all the senses.”” Each segment of the outdoor haven includes links to Arizona and the Southwest. There is also a section where you can view Native American crops. Also, fall is in full swing at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, which features handcrafted scarecrows throughout the exhibit. After your trek through the garden, you can sit down surrounded by the desert landscape and enjoy a homemade salad or sandwich at the Gardens Café.
Currently the Tucson Botanical Gardens is hosting an exhibit called “”Butterfly Magic at the Gardens.”” Through November, butterflies from Arizona and across the U.S. are housed in the garden’s greenhouse, where you have a chance to get up close and personal with them.
This exhibit is open from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily.
Admission for Butterfly Magic in the Gardens
(includes garden admission):
Adults: $12
Ages 4-12: $6.50
Ages 3 and under: Free
