Reid Park is definitely the best place in town for a family picnic. There are lots of places to cook your hot dogs, spread the blankets and open those jars of potato salad to the sound of the zoo animals nearby. Playgrounds with more and improved play equipment, party areas and public artworks are all around you. With good timing, you may even catch one of the popular DeMeester Outdoor Concerts.

Kennedy Park, situated on the corner point of Mission Road and Ajo Road, is one of the top favorites with the kids at Tucson. The park has ample to offer right from the Kennedy Pool, lake and an amphitheater. It is best to visit the Kennedy Pool during summers to revel in the cool blues with diving boards. The park also features a shade structure near the pool—most fitting for people who like to watch others play. Fishing is yet another activity that amuse people of all age, but you have to have a license for that if you are 14 or above.

Tohono Chul Park, located on Tucson's northwest side, is a very picturesque piece of the Sonoran desert. This park features a wide variety of desert plants around pleasant trails, which lead visitors to a gift shop and a shaded tea room serving delicious scones for tea time. Regular "Walk in the Park" tours provide an educational experience about the park's flora. Be sure to bring your sunblock to protect yourself from the sun.

Dotted with cacti plants, Mesquite trees and Palo Verde trees as far as the eye can see, the Tucson Mountain Park is a natural wonder that offers enchanting views from various vantage points. The rugged terrain of this beautiful park is ideal for hiking adventures, horseback riding and mountain biking. Those who wish to be passive admirers can drink in the beauty of the desert from the Gate Pass overlook. A part of the park's road winds its way to the Desert Museum, where native wildlife roam about in their habitat.

Located about 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of the Tucson on Arizona Highway 77 (Oracle Road), this park affords the best views of the canyons and domes of the Catalina Mountains. A multitude of birds, snakes and lizards inhabit the lower regions, while deer and bighorn sheep roam the high country. The area is also home to a variety of bird species, making it a haven for bird enthusiasts.The park offers an interpretive trail of an ancient Hohokam village. Picnicking and camping facilities are also available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Designated as a National Park in 1994, the Saguaro National Park encompasses the Tucson Mountain District and the Rincon Mountain District within its 92,000-acre (37,000 hectare) expanse. The park is named after a cactus specie called Saguaro that accentuates the Rincon Mountain part of its topography, while a rugged volcanic terrain defines the Tucson Mountain region. The landscape is home to more than 30 species of animals, these include cougars, white-tailed deer, javelinas, gray foxes, ring-tailed cats, and ground squirrels. Apart from its scenic allure and abundant fauna, the national park delineates pre-historic tales through captivating petroglyphs. The region was also home to native American tribes, remnants of their existence further beckon aficionados of history and culture to this place.