How To Safely Explore Tucson During A Pandemic
As we travel the country, we are incredibly cautious about exposing ourselves to Covid 19. We are even more careful when staying in cities. Tucson was no different, mostly since we were there in December 2020 when Arizona had some of the country’s highest cases. While indoor dining and even movie theaters were open, we chose the following safer options and had a fantastic time.
Hike
In every direction from Tucson, there are mountains to go hiking on. Check out our list of the most challenging hikes to see some of our toughest days. However, not all of the hikes in Tucson are challenging. There are many trails, and we didn’t push ourselves every time we left the house.
Saguaro (pronounced Sa-war-oh) National Park to the east and west of the city provides a home for the incredible Saguaro Cacti. These cacti are enormous! The park to the west of Tucson has a greater abundance of these impressive succulents, while the east park is a bit more chill. Both, however, contain plenty of hikes at all skill levels. We enjoyed the more demanding climb of Hugh Norris and the simple stroll of the Cactus-Wren Trail.
Also east of the city is Tucson Mountain Park. Here, Erica, Heather, and Sam found a painted cave. It was a mostly easy hike along the Yetman Trail. Eventually, we noticed a small rock cairn that led to a faint trail leading up the side of a hill. We had to forge our own path a bit but eventually found the cave with pretty spectacular petroglyphs.
To the north of the city is Sabino Canyon, part of Coronado National Forest. There are miles of trails in this beautiful recreational area in the desert. The most challenging hike we did was Blackett’s Ridge. Still, we also enjoyed the Telephone Line short loop on a leisurely afternoon.
Mount Lemmon, also part of Coronado National Forest, is to the northwest of the city. This mountain has plenty to do- hike, bike, even ski, and makes for an incredible drive, be sure to go to the cookie shop at the top! Much of the higher elevations experienced a recent fire, and trails are being restored, so check the website before choosing a route. Bugs Spring was our favorite hike here.
Finally, south of the city is more of Coronado National Forest. Here we hiked Mt. Wrightson for one of the most challenging days. However, again, there are many options.
Bike
Tucson is covered in bike lanes, and bikers can be seen all over the city. Andrew is obsessed with his bikes. He took both his road bike and his mountain bike on our road trip. He treasures them so much they even live inside with us.
On his road bike, he enjoyed biking The Loop. Circling the city, this paved path provides over a hundred miles of trail just for runners, walkers, and bikers.
On his mountain bike, Andrew hit some downhill trails in Tucson Mountain Park and Mt. Lemmon. Lemmon Drop was the most lengthy ride Andrew completed. The first section was closed due to fire damage. So he started at Bugs Spring, hung out at Molino Basin for a break, and then hit the most demanding section of them all, La Milagrosa. Some companies will shuttle you between the stops, but Erica was on car duty, dropping Andrew at the top and picking him up at the bottom.
Play a Round of Golf
Tucson is a great place to retire, so there are tons of golf courses. When Erica’s sister, Heather, and boyfriend, Sam, came to town, we decided to play a round of golf. Erica and Heather had never played before, and Andrew was quite rusty. We picked up one of the last tee times of the day and played until we could no longer see the ball. It was enjoyable to try something new as couples, and not playing by the rules helped everyone relax and just have fun. The gorgeous sunset was just icing on the cake.
Grab a Drink Outside
Tucson, Arizona, has mild weather in the winter. Most days were warm, with cool nights and mornings. We made the best of this and opted for establishments with outdoor seating (a big plus if they had those heaters). After all the physical activities, and a (mostly) dry November, we were excited to try some local beers and cocktails in Tucson.
Our favorite go-to quickly became Tucson Hop Shop. This joint is wedged in between artist studios, offering up a funky vibe. Inside, there is a wide selection of local and other craft beers in the shop. In the back patio, there are heaters and tables, and bartenders will come to serve you. There are contactless menus, and parties must be seated, so it is always socially distanced and safe. Expect to find a bunch of bicyclists enjoying a pint after a long ride. We loved it here!
For beer, we liked Crooked Tooth, an excellent brewery in the downtown area. There is limited patio seating, so come early on the weekend, but the beer is fantastic!
For cocktails, we enjoyed SideCar, Cielos, and Portal Cocktails. SideCar had a fantastic variety of crafted cocktails and a new full-service patio. Cielos is a restaurant in the Lodge on the Desert hotel. Because it was so close to our house, we enjoyed several of their award-winning Monsoon Margaritas while sitting on the patio by the fire. Portal Cocktails has a speakeasy vibe, as it is a lounge inside of Ermanos Bar. We sat on the back patio here but had to go inside and order in through the portal. It was strange, but the cocktails were so worth it.
Our favorite place to drink with snacks was the Boxyard. This cool spot features many food truck style joints and a bar, all inside colorful boxcars. The tables are socially distanced, and there are heaters available if needed. The mozzarella sticks from Sal’s Fat Slice and the spring rolls from Nhu Lan were great snacks.
Check out Sonoita Wine Country
Sonoita Wine Country is about an hour south of Tucson, where the land opens up, and it feels like the wild west. While Heather and Sam were in town, we took a ride to sample some Arizona wine. All the wineries we went to moved their operations outside for the time being. We were able to socially distance ourselves from all other patrons- well, apart from the chickens. Our favorite stop was Rune Wines, which had a great view and delicious wines.
Pro tip- bring your own glasses, or buy one at your first stop and keep it with you the rest of the day. Wineries will give you a discount on the tasting.
Catch the Sunset
The sky is so beautiful every night in Tucson. There is just something special about a desert sunset. Even without clouds in the sky, there are tons of beautiful colors. The best spot we found for a great view was at Gate’s Pass. We hiked a bit to a little peak for a picnic and relaxed as the sun ducked behind the distant hills. We didn’t have much luck with the prettiest cotton candy clouds, but it was still dreamy.
Stand in Line for Bread
We saved the best for last. Barrio Bread is so incredible. Seriously, it’s so good and well worth the wait. Go as soon as they open to be able to choose from all the bread. The focaccias were our favorite.
