Lions, tigers and bears – oh my!
Zoos are always awesome. Who doesn’t want to see animals from all over the world in their simulated habitats all in one place? Exactly. Though Reid Park Zoo may be a little quainter than most, it still has all the fun packed into a 17-acre area. There are many activities and exhibits for everyone to enjoy. At a mere $6 admission fee, it can be budgeted into any poor college student’s funds. Check out the zoo on Aug. 20 – free admission for everyone in honor of Tucson’s birthday. Check out www.tucsonzoo.org for more info.

Hike or ride a bike!
Tucson is a community that caters to hiking and biking. If you’re an avid hiker or you just want to try something new check out the trails at Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon (a plus since it’s cooler), Tucson Mountain Park, Presidio Trail (an urban downtown hike), or for something on campus check out the UA Plant and Architecture walks. If biking is more your thing, you can either rent a bike from Broadway Bicycles (296-7819), Tucson Bicycles (577-7374), or Fair Wheel Bikes (884-9018), or get your own and “”get lost”” around campus. Biking gives you a more intimate tour of Tucson and is also a great form of exercise.
Sabino Canyon – 749-2861, 5900 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., parking $5 per vehicle, tram $8 per adult, $4 per child (ages 3-12). Open 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Kick it old school
Are you up for a good ol’ rootin’ tootin’ time? Then you definitely need to check out what got Tucson started. Old Tucson Studios is famous for being the hot spot for westerns like John Wayne’s “”Rio Bravo”” and “”El Dorado,”” Sydney Poitier’s “”Lilies of the Field,”” Paul Newman’s “”Hombre,”” as well as numerous others. From cowboy gunfights to musical and comedy cabarets, there is always something fun, yet slightly hokey, for everyone to enjoy. There’s also Trail Dust Town, located on the east side, offering all the same corniness from train rides, Wild West stunt shows and restaurants to feed your gun slinging appetite. If you want to play cowboy for a day, check into some local horseback riding guaranteed to give you a real one-on-one with the desert as you ride off into the Tucson sunset.
Old Tucson Studios – check out www.oldtucson.com or call 883-0100 to find out more.
Trail Dust Town – for more information, check out www.traildusttown.com, or call 296-5442.
Check out www.visittucson.org/visitor/outdoor/horsebackriding/ to find out more info about Tucson horseback riding.

Soaring over southern Ariz.
Something a bit pricier, but certainly worth it, is skydiving. Centers around southern Arizona – at Buckeye and Eloy – offer you the chance for this once in a lifetime opportunity. How often do you get to experience the feeling of weightlessness? The experience is a great bonding opportunity for friends and family.
Desert Skydiving Center (800-441-5867)
Skydive Arizona (520-800-SKYDIVE)
SkyVenture Arizona (888-BODY-FLY)

Stargazing
You don’t have to be a Trekkie to enjoy the night sky. With the highly accredited astronomy department here at the UA, all signs blindingly indicate that the Tucson sky is pretty awesome. If you’re into telescopes, a visit to Kitt Peak should be on your to-do list. If you want something closer, check out the Steward Observatory telescope and the Flandrau Science Center telescope, the largest viewing telescope in southern Arizona, both of which are near the center of campus. For those who just want to appreciate the sight of the naked night sky, a drive up to “”A”” Mountain or Mt. Lemmon, would prove to be a breathtaking sight. You also get the best of both worlds – Tucson city lights and the night sky. And for those who enjoy the stars of the screen under the astronomical stars, Movie Madness at Cinema La Placita would definitely impress. It features a range of movie classics every Thursday evening at 7:30 until October – all for free.
Kitt Peak – 318-8726 or 318-8200, $4 per adult & $2.50 per child (ages 6-12), 9 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Flandrau Observatory – Wednesday – Saturday, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Weather permitting, year round.
Cinema La Placita – www.cinemalaplacita.com/

Stay cool
The heat tends to get the best of everyone and stumps newcomers and their activities. But swimming is something you can never go wrong with. Free swimming at the Recreation Center pool (with student ID) is always fun. You can also check out the pools at the different Parks and Recreation centers around town. Water parks like Breakers, although a little bit more expensive, offer more variety than the average pool.
Parks and Recreation Centers – www.ci.tucson.az.us/parksandrec/aquatics.php
Breakers Water Park – Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., 682-2304, www.breakerswaterpark.com/

Spelunk!
No, it’s not any awesome onomatopoeia-like word; it’s used to describe cave exploration. Tucson offers two caves, Kartchner Caverns and Colossal Cave, for anyone to explore. Tours are fun, insightful, and by the end you’ll find yourself knowing the difference between a stalactite and stalagmite. Try it out if you’re up for new things and start some spelunking fun.
Kartchner Caverns – http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/index.html
Colossal Cave – www.colossalcave.com/welcome.html