Being a Tucson Tourist
Aug 21, 2006, 4:37 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
If you want to visit Saguaro NP and don't want to walk, note that the lopp around the east park is closed for renovation.
As for cheap eats, I recommend Las Cazuelitas that someone in the Hilton forum recommended. Cheap-ish eats (quailfies for iDine if it matters). I like the parilla (mixed grill) and recommend the guacamole prepared at your tableside.
As for cheap eats, I recommend Las Cazuelitas that someone in the Hilton forum recommended. Cheap-ish eats (quailfies for iDine if it matters). I like the parilla (mixed grill) and recommend the guacamole prepared at your tableside.
Aug 22, 2006, 2:09 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
Programs: AA, UA, WN, HH, Marriott
Posts: 7,290
We're back and here's a quick summary. Drove to Tombstone - about 1 1/2 hrs east of Tucson. We enjoyed the town and the museum. I think you get a good idea of the OK Corral story and a feel for some pretty "wild west" activities that occurred there. Boothill Cemetary was a little disappointing as there are no original gravestones - all modern and carefully hand-lettered.
Visited the Desert "Museum" - combination botanical garden and zoo featuring (of course) the Sonoran Desert community. Beautifully laid out, easy to get around, and the animals are in some of the most natural settings I've seen in a contained setting. The aviary is remarkable - the birds ignore people completely and you can stand a foot away from a tree with some of the most interesting and colorful birds I've ever seen.
Old Tucson movie set - not much to see. Maybe because it was the summer off-season.
Two excellent restaurants - Zin Bistro (moderate) and Dish (expensive).
Westin La Paloma - generally good stay but a few problems (see trip report in Starwood forum).
Visited the Desert "Museum" - combination botanical garden and zoo featuring (of course) the Sonoran Desert community. Beautifully laid out, easy to get around, and the animals are in some of the most natural settings I've seen in a contained setting. The aviary is remarkable - the birds ignore people completely and you can stand a foot away from a tree with some of the most interesting and colorful birds I've ever seen.
Old Tucson movie set - not much to see. Maybe because it was the summer off-season.
Two excellent restaurants - Zin Bistro (moderate) and Dish (expensive).
Westin La Paloma - generally good stay but a few problems (see trip report in Starwood forum).
Oct 8, 2006, 11:13 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CP-ASEL,AMEL,G-IA in Tucson, Arizona, United States
Posts: 1,124
Originally Posted by mpetrik
I looked for a decent map online for this area and could not find it...is the damage such that you do not recommend seeing this area? Or it is more localized so that a decent portion of the recreation area is still open?
Tucson restaurant recommendations
Nov 4, 2009, 2:55 pm
#22
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
If anyone ever runs out of reading material in Tucson...or likes used bookstores in general, I reccomend a stop here:
http://www.bookmans.com/
http://www.bookmans.com/
Nov 5, 2009, 12:33 pm
#25
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: CLT
Posts: 7,249
How can any true FTer talk about going to Tucson and not talk about the Pima Air and Space Museum/Bone yard?
That's the only touristy thing I did there. You can see all the old military planes where they are stored for future use or recycled.
That's the only touristy thing I did there. You can see all the old military planes where they are stored for future use or recycled.
Nov 5, 2009, 1:06 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Here are some of my favorites I've found after living here 7 years.
Cafe Poca Cosa: 110 E Pennington St (Downtown) . Do not waste time by having the server explain the entire menu to you. Just order the Plato Poca Cosa. It's a heaping plate full of Southern Mexican food goodness. Call and get reservations well in advance. The wait staff/hostess (at night) are pretty stuck up. I know the owner, Suzanna, and she's a great person and a fantastic cook.
Guadalajara Grill: 1220 E. Prince (Midtown). Good Mexican food, great fresh salsa. Get the Mole.
Neo of Melaka: 1765 E. River (Foothills). Fantastic Malaysian, Chinese and Thai food. They're remaking this place though, so I'm not sure what it'll be when they reopen it.
Seri Melaka: 6133 E. Broadway (East side). Sister place of Neo. Same goes with them. Great Malaysian food.
Athens on 4th Ave: 500 N. 4th (Midtown). Great Greek food.
Grimaldis Pizza: 446 N. Campbell (University/Midtown). A branch of the Grimaldis in Brooklyn. Great, greasy pizza. The people are much nicer than the ones in BK.
Mi Nidito: 1813 S. 4th (South side). Great Mexican food. It's open until 2a on Fri/Sat and it's always crowded. There are armed security guards, since the neighborhood is a little rough, but the food is delicious. Expect to hear only Spanish from most people in the place, but they speak English as well.
Enjoy! January is a great time of year here.
Cafe Poca Cosa: 110 E Pennington St (Downtown) . Do not waste time by having the server explain the entire menu to you. Just order the Plato Poca Cosa. It's a heaping plate full of Southern Mexican food goodness. Call and get reservations well in advance. The wait staff/hostess (at night) are pretty stuck up. I know the owner, Suzanna, and she's a great person and a fantastic cook.
Guadalajara Grill: 1220 E. Prince (Midtown). Good Mexican food, great fresh salsa. Get the Mole.
Neo of Melaka: 1765 E. River (Foothills). Fantastic Malaysian, Chinese and Thai food. They're remaking this place though, so I'm not sure what it'll be when they reopen it.
Seri Melaka: 6133 E. Broadway (East side). Sister place of Neo. Same goes with them. Great Malaysian food.
Athens on 4th Ave: 500 N. 4th (Midtown). Great Greek food.
Grimaldis Pizza: 446 N. Campbell (University/Midtown). A branch of the Grimaldis in Brooklyn. Great, greasy pizza. The people are much nicer than the ones in BK.
Mi Nidito: 1813 S. 4th (South side). Great Mexican food. It's open until 2a on Fri/Sat and it's always crowded. There are armed security guards, since the neighborhood is a little rough, but the food is delicious. Expect to hear only Spanish from most people in the place, but they speak English as well.
Enjoy! January is a great time of year here.
Nov 11, 2009, 11:10 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL DM & 5MM, WN
Posts: 1,451
I am in TUS every two months and love their many fine restaurants. The El Charro restaurants (there are four of them scattered around town, one at east Broadway and Wilmot) have a unique Mexican dish called carne seca, a shredded, slightly dried type of meat that is delicious. In Tucson, I have been told it comes "from around Monterrey" but when down there a Mexican colleague told me "you mean like they have in Tucson" (!)
Gavi on east Broadway at Pantano is excellent Italian food, jammed into a tiny storefront. A newish Greek place is Opa! on N. Campbell that is very good.
The tea room at Tohono Chul park on north Oracle at Ina is a delightful lunch place in a stunning little private desert park. Also good for "period" eating is the bar and the restaurant at the historic Arizona Inn, out in the desert pre-WWII but now just a block from the University hospital.
Gavi on east Broadway at Pantano is excellent Italian food, jammed into a tiny storefront. A newish Greek place is Opa! on N. Campbell that is very good.
The tea room at Tohono Chul park on north Oracle at Ina is a delightful lunch place in a stunning little private desert park. Also good for "period" eating is the bar and the restaurant at the historic Arizona Inn, out in the desert pre-WWII but now just a block from the University hospital.
Nov 27, 2009, 8:44 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: MR Gold, DCL Silver, RSSC Silver
Posts: 775
Dec 5, 2009, 6:36 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 137
eats
I am traveling from NC to Tucson next week. I have only been there once in 2007. A local person recommended a place to me and the food was so good. I can't remember the name and would like to go back. All I recall is that it was in the downtown area, not a very "safe looking" area, the building looked like it was originally a 7-11, the tables had small tvs attached (very old, but worked). Do you know it? Also, I am staying at Loews Ventana, based on suggestions in the forum and a good rate. I have written down the suggestins for places to eat. Are any of the above in that area or do you have any suggestions?