Top Rated Attractions in Tucson

Finger Rock Trail is a pretty fair climb, but it's worth all the sweating and panting it requires: the vistas from different vantage points are simply stunning. Once you're past the trail head on Alvernon Way, you'll encounter a fork giving you the choice between the Finger Rock and the Pontatoc Trail. The Finger Rock Trail climbs about 4,000 feet in elevation, stretched over approximately five miles. The hike takes you along the saguaros, prickly pears and ocotillos of the Sonoran Desert vegetation zone up to the jagged, pine-covered peaks of the Catalina Mountains

This institution is totally dedicated to the preservation of the history of flight, be it commercial, military, or even interplanetary. The museum opened in 1976 with just 75 aircrafts and has now grown to have more than 250 on display. A recent addition is the Northrop F-5B "Freedom Fighter." Be prepared to spend the entire day if you, or someone in your party, is a aircraft buff. The exhibits on the floor here rotate, and special events and conferences are scheduled regularly.

The Mission San Xavier del Bac is perhaps Tucson's best-known historic landmark. Established in 1692 by the Spanish missionary Father Kino, 16.09 kilometers (10 miles) south of what is now downtown Tucson on the Tohono O'odham Indian reservation, San Xavier del Bac is considered one of the finest examples of Mexican folk baroque architecture. The mission's spotless whitewashed walls are embellished with the contrasting colors of the ornately handcrafted mesquite-wood entrance that adds a tinge of old-world finesse to the structure. The mission that stands today is, in fact, the second mission built between 1783 to 1797, and yet is the oldest European building in the state of Arizona. The parish is still active and holds mass every week.

Tucson's "alternative" movie cinema is a two-story theater dedicated to showing independent and foreign films. Occasionally an artsy Hollywood film will run, but that is rarely the case. The features generally run every single day, and every Saturday night the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show plays at midnight. Concessions are sold in the lobby.

This world-famous museum is also a zoo that displays the creatures of the surrounding desert in their natural habitats. Located in the middle of the Sonoran desert about a half an hour drive from Tucson's city center, it also provides breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain ranges. The gift shop has an excellent selection of Sonoran desert souvenirs. This is a must for any visitor staying in Tucson for more than just one day.

Here's a museum south of Tucson that must surely be considered unique and a chilly reminder of the Cold War. Go underground and see one of the old Titan ballistic missiles, watch the roll-back silo door open, follow operations at the launch control center, and watch demonstrations of countdown procedures. Tours begin every half hour. To reach Titan Missile Museum, go south on Interstate 19 and take exit 69 to the Duval Mine Road and follow the signs.