One Day and Night in Patagonia

Description:

Patagonia Lake is tucked away in the rolling hills of southeast Arizona. It is an ideal place to find white tail deer roaming the hills and great blue heron walking the shoreline. The lake is two and a half miles long and 250 surface acres. Created by the damming of Sonoita Creek, the lake is filled with bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish and is stocked with rainbow trout during the winter. To help anglers half of the lake is designated a no wake area, plus a level fishing pad is provided for wheelchair access. Because the lake attracts a multitude of water lovers during summer months water skiing and jet skiing are prohibited on weekends and holidays from May 1 through October 1.

The park's campground offers 72 developed sites, 34 sites with hookups, and 12 boat access sites. Other park facilities include a beach, a picnic area with Ramadas, tables and grills, a creek trail, boat ramps, a marina and camp supply store, restrooms, showers and a dump station.

Recreational opportunities offered at Patagonia Lake include, camping, hiking, bird watching, picnicking, fishing with disabled access, swimming, boating (boat rental and public boat launch ramp are available), jet skiing and water...

Description:

The Velvet Elvis Pizza Company was voted one of Arizona's best 25 restaurants by Arizona Highways magazine, and it only takes one visit to this pizza bar and cafe to understand why. Colorful and kitschy, the Velvet Elvis stems from the imagination of Owner and Executive Chef Cecilia San Miguel, whose artful vision of pop idolatry and spiritual devotion are captured in the large, hand-made shrines dedicated to the King of Rock & Roll and the Virgin Mary. Don't let the playful decor food you, though. The menu is dead serious about crafting great pizza and calzone creations from scratch, all loaded with fresh, organic veggies and specially-prepared meats. There's also a fresh juice bar on-site, as well as a good variety of microbrews and wines on the drink menu. And yes, there is a Velvet Elvis painting on the premises.

Description:

Built in 1898, the three rooms that make up the Duquesne House Bed & Breakfast in Patagonia used to be miner's apartments. Today, they are colorful, impeccably-maintained rooms featuring hand-stitched quilts, Mexican folk art and furniture, and private entrances and baths. The rear door in each suite opens to a back porch and three patio areas shaded by mature trees. Colorful blooms abound in the garden, and there's even a comfy hammock for afternoon naps.

Description:

This is a place not to be missed when sightseeing in downtown Tucson. The old adobe structure in the historic Presidio district invites visitors to explore its shops, galleries and restaurants, or to just sit and relax in the wonderful courtyard shaded by palm trees. It's a kind of art shopping center catering to tourists eagerly looking for souvenirs from the Southwest; in fact, it offers everything from Navajo rugs to dried prickly pear jam. There is no admission fee. All stores and restaurants accept major credit cards.

Description:

This courthouse, designed in 1928 in Spanish Colonial style, is a nice architectural homage to Tucson's Spanish-Mexican past. If you are downtown, take your time to stroll around and view the building from all sides. Explore the courtyard and its arcade, created by arches and columns, or sit by the cool water of the fountain. The best part of the complex is actually its glittering tiled dome in vaguely Moorish style. Finally, walk upstairs (security check required) to see the only remaining piece of the original Presidio walls displayed there. Access is free during office hours.

Our Local Expert Says:

There are a couple branch locations of this legendary restaurant. While they serve the same excellent food, their look is generic. Stick to the original downtown location if possible.

Description:

El Charro Cafe has opened several locations throughout the Tucson area, but the downtown location on Court Avenue remains a favorite for locals and visitors seeking an authentic Tucson dining experience. Established in 1922, El Charro famously bills itself as the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in continuous operation in the United States. It's not hard to see why the restaurant has survived for so many decades: the menu blends classic, never-out-of-style Sonoran-style cooking with Tucson-style Mexican creations. A local favorite, and perhaps the unofficial dish of Tucson, is the Carne Seca plate (literally "dried meat"), marinated lean Angus beef that is dried beneath the Sonoran sun, and then shredded & flash-grilled with green chile, tomato & onions. Served with guacamole, Pico de Charro salsa, beans or rice, and handmade flour or corn tortillas. If this sounds like your kind of dish, eat up while you're here. You'll be hard-pressed to find Carne Seca on any menu outside of Tucson.

Description:

This historic downtown hotel is loaded with history and charm. The Dillinger gang famously stayed here in the 1930s, and many more notables have passed through the hotel's halls over the years. The rooms, with the exception of a handful of suites, are small and modest, with most featuring no more than a bed, dresser, and chair. There are no TVs here--a crucial bit of period detail for some visitors--but it only adds to the Hotel's uncluttered charm. Some rooms are located above the Club Congress downstairs, and guests are warned about possible bleed-through noise late into the night.

Our Local Expert Says:

On weekends, locals often sell fry bread and other foods under mesquite shelters in front of the mission.

Description:

The Mission San Xavier del Bac, also called the White Dove of the Desert, is nearly as iconic an image to Tucson as sunsets and saguaros. Built between 1783 and 1797, San Xavier del Bac is still an active Roman Catholic church for Tohono O'odham on the San Xavier Indian Reservation. The mission weaves together Moorish, Byzantine and Mexican Renaissance styles and is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the United States. The Mission San Xavier de Bac should be at or near the top of any visitor's list.

Description:

Located on a busy corner in the Barrio Viejo in downtown Tucson, the Cushing Street Bar and Restaurant is situated inside a historic old adoble. The Bar fills up quickly with locals and visitors looking to soak up the establishment's Old Tucson charm and jazz-inflected sounds. Live music on the weekends, and occasionally during the week, add to the already-lively atmosphere. This is a local institution and a great place to grab a nightcap if you should find yourself near downtown. Dinner and drinks available on the patio.

Description:

When Spaniards built the Tubac Presidio in 1752, Tubac became the first European settlement in Arizona. In the 250 years that followed, Tubac saw bloody battles with Apaches, then nearly became a ghost town, then transformed into a mining boomtown, then almost another ghost town again. But in the 1940s, the tiny community in the Santa Cruz Valley 45 miles south of Tucson started attracting artists. Today, Tubac has a thriving artists colony, a golf resort, excellent restaurants, and rich history that can be seen the ruins of the Tubac Presidio and the nearby Mission de Tumacacori, a Spanish mission built in 1691.

Description:

In Arizona's scenic southern desert, along the Santa Cruz River, lies Tubac Presidio. Within the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park are the remnants of a military fort founded by the Spanish in 1752. It was uncovered by archaeologists from the University of Arizona. An underground display features portions of the original foundation walls and plaza floor of the fort. Spanish soldiers established the fort to control the local Pima and Apache Indians and serve as a base for further exploration.

Visitors to the site will have access these fascinating archaeological remains including Arizona's first European settlement, the Tubac Presidio (1752), also the old Tubac Schoolhouse (1885) and Otero Social Hall (1914). Additionally the onsite museum has pre-European, Spanish Colonial, Mexican Republic and Territorial period exhibits, including the press that printed Arizona's first newspaper The Weekly Arizona in 1859. The park serves as a trailhead for the Anza Historic Trail.

Picnic tables are provided for to tourists to enjoy a relaxing meal and restrooms are handicapped accessible. The scenic little town of Tubac is full of art galleries and restaurants and is well worth a visit.

Recreational...