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Jeanne
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We will be traveling to Tucson on Thursday to visit my father-in-law. I'm looking for ideas for places to visit.
Does anyone live or visited Tucson who can give some adivse.
Thanks a lot!!
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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MaryM
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We visit Tucson every other year or so for Baseball spring training.
My favorite place to visit there is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It is so cool. Plan for an entire day if possible to see everything and also catch the birds of prey free-flight demonstrations. Awesome free-flight hummingbird aviary there also. Going early is the best to avoid crowds and see the animals at their most active times.
Also very noteworthy, is the San Xavier del Bac Mission. It's beautiful and very interesting. We've gone to daily Mass there.
The Saguaro National Park is another good stop.
Do you have time for field trips outside the city (1- 1 1/2 hours away)? I have a couple ideas for those areas as well.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Jeanne
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Mary,
Thank you, and yes I would love some ideas for field trips outside the city.
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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Victoria in AZ
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Hi, Jeanne,
I live just south of Tucson. I must say, Mary's ideas are wonderful ones! If you go to San Xavier, you are only 15 minutes from my house 
Close to my home is my favorite nature study spot, Madera Canyon. But this may be further than you want to drive.
On Thursday afternoon, a local homeschool group is hosting a Colonial Days festival. Your family is more than welcome to join us. Feel free to e-mail me.
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Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
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MaryM
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Jeanne wrote:
| I would love some ideas for field trips outside the city. |
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The Kartchner Caverns are supposed to be fabulous. They are about 50 miles from Tucson, I believe. We have tried to go the last couple times we were in Tucson, but waited too long to reserve tickets and didn't get there in time in the morning for the non-reserve tickets. I would imagine that this time of year would be easier to get in than spring. Victoria, have you been to the caverns? Do you have any suggestions for Jeanne?
We've also done the drive down the Anza Trail to Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Tumacacori NHP. I am very interested in the southwest missions and history so found them worth the drive. They are south of Tucson.
We went out to the Titan Missile Museum. I wasn't sure what to expect but found it to be a really worthwhile tour. Our kids learned a lot and you get to go into some interesting places on the site. We haven't ever done the Pima Air and Space Museum since I don't have big airplane/space fans, but if you do I hear it is a top-notch museum. And Victoria, what is the Challenger Learning Center of the Southwest, that I see connected to the museum?
Kitt Peak National Observatory is a place we have wanted to visit but haven't had time. I would love to do one of the night observations but they are pretty expensive and run about three hours - twp reasons we haven't worked it into the schedule. But it sounds great and would love to hear from Victoria if it is worth it.
I'm also curious about the Biosphere II. We haven't done it but have been curious.
I love the Tucson area  , if you can't tell.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Kelly
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Mary M. beat me to the draw! My kids loved the Sonoran Desert Museum, as well as San Xavier del Bac, the "white dove of the plains".
As for Saguaro National Park...well, when we arrived there, we were so enchanted by the cacti, I foolishly told my children I'd give them a nickel for each saguaro cactus they spotted. Then, like Custer, we rounded the corner and my thoughts were, "Ut oh"! Needless to say, I had to call off the wager...
Kelly in FL
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Kelly
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Oops, one more thing we really enjoyed was a trip to Fort Huachuca, about 30 minutes outside of Tucson. We went there because my dh was born there, and discovered the base hospital had become a motor pool...But we also discovered a neat little museum, right in the heart of the old part of the base, all about the history of the base and some of the "notables" who were stationed there, like "Black Jack" Pershing. Next to it, there was a whole OTHER museum, we couldn't get to for time restraints, but the old part of the base is lovely...and a LOT cooler than Tucson! The Army obviously chose well when they situated the fort there.
If you want an interesting read about the US Army and the forts out west, I read a book about the general area called "A Distant Trumpet" by Horgan, I think. I won't say it was the best book I ever read, but I liked it well enough and learned quite a lot about the history of the area, the Indian wars, the US Army and so forth. I think Horgan was State Archivist for New Mexico or some such post, so he obviously knew something about the West.
Kelly in FL
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Victoria in AZ
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MaryM wrote:
The Kartchner Caverns are supposed to be fabulous. Victoria, have you been to the caverns?
We've also done the drive down the Anza Trail to Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Tumacacori NHP. I am very interested in the southwest missions and history so found them worth the drive. They are south of Tucson.
We went out to the Titan Missile Museum. I wasn't sure what to expect but found it to be a really worthwhile tour.
Victoria, what is the Challenger Learning Center of the Southwest, that I see connected to the museum?
Kitt Peak National Observatory is a place we have wanted to visit but haven't had time. ...But it sounds great and would love to hear from Victoria if it is worth it.
I'm also curious about the Biosphere II. We haven't done it but have been curious.
I love the Tucson area , if you can't tell. |
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MaryM, come visit any time. It would be a privilege to meet anyone from this list. Yes, we've enjoyed Kartchner Caverns twice and it's amazing. I never associate them with Tucson as they are over an hour away, but definitely worthwhile.
Yes, we have been to the Tumacacori Mission; the tour guides here were good. I still prefer San Xavier Mission and it is closer to Tucson.
Mary, you can walk to our house from the Titan Missile Museum! It is worthwhile but not at the top of my list.
Kitt Peak National Observatory does sound great, but we've never made it there. Always hear great reports from there. Biosphere is something else we've never done and I also am curious about.
The Challenger Learning Center is like an extended math and science class. Students are assigned a mission scenario. Ds went a few years ago and was frustrated to find the math over his head (around age 11). He says that other kids on the tour seemed to enjoy it more than he did.
I find the Tucson Botanical Garden lovely and they have a new butterfly garden. MaryM e-mail me next time you visit 
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Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
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Jeanne
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Wow!!Thank you ladies for such great ideas!
Victoria, the Colonial festival sounds wonderful, but we will not be arriving until Thursday afternoon. Thankyou for the invite.
Please keep us in your prayers for a safe trip.
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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Topic: trip to Tucson, Arizona
