Tucson Museums
Fort Lowell Museum features the
reconstructed commanding officers' quarters, with
artifacts and pioneer furnishings showing life in a
frontier western army post. The museum is located at 1900
North Craycroft Road (520-885-3832).
John C. Fremont House (151 S.
Granada Ave.) is in the Convention Center complex in
downtown Tucson. This restored 1880 adobe home was the
residence of Arizona Territorial Governor John Fremont.
The house contains period furnishings and a fine
collection of American antiques. It's open Wednesday
through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. For information, call
(520) 622-0956.
The two restorations are managed by the
Arizona Historical Society, which also has its
main museum at 949 E. Second Street. The museum has a
research library, as well as a Mining Hall,
Transportation Hall, and a collection of
nineteenth-century music boxes and phonographs. It is
open Monday&endash;Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For
information, call (520) 628-5774.
Old Pueblo Museum is in the
Foothills Mall at Ina and La Cholla (520 - 742-2355).
This museum features permanent and changing exhibits on
Southwestern history, culture, and natural science.
Tucson Resorts
As is the case with Phoenix, Tucson is home
to several deluxe resorts, in addition to a half-dozen
fine guest ranches. Most of the resorts are built around
golfing. These golf resorts and spas are located outside
the main built-up area in the foothills overlooking the
desert landscape.
Lowe's Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000
N. Resort Drive
At the top of the luxury list is this fabulous hotel.
With 398 units, this golf and tennis resort at the foot
of the Catalina Mountains has everything: two pools,
whirlpool, saunas, bicycles, steam room, tennis (10
courts), two dining rooms, restaurant, and lounge.
The Westin La Paloma is in the
super-deluxe category, located at 3800 Sunrise Drive, 11
miles northeast of the city. With Spanish-colonial
architecture, the resort has almost 500 units and is set
in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains. Room rates
run from just over $200 to more than $520. Each room has
a private balcony, and there are tennis courts,
whirlpools, and a fine restaurant.
Canyon Ranch Spa (8600 Rockcliff
Rd.) is a renowned fitness resort, also in the Catalina
Mountains. Expect to take part in a spa program if you
stay here, with swimming, tennis, racquetball, cycling,
hiking and a choice of optional health and beauty
treatments, with a minimum 4-day stay.
The newest deluxe vacation destination in
the area is the Sheraton Tucson El Conquistador,
north ofTucson at 10000 Oracle Road. With 45 holes of
golf, 31 tennis courts, and 434 rooms, this resort rates
among the top places to play and relax in Arizona. For
information, call.
Guest ranches include the Wild Horse
Ranch & Resort
6801 North Camino Verde. Visitors to this historic resort
stay in adobe-style casitas, next to cactus gardens,
green lawns, palms, and waterfalls, streams, and ponds.
Activities include horseback riding, nature hikes, tennis
and other games, swimming, barbecues, bird watching, and
gold panning in Ranch Wash. Children will love the
petting zoo.
The White Stallion Ranch is found 20
miles northwest of town via Interstate 10 at 9251 W. Twin
Peaks Road. With the Tucson Mountains nearby, the ranch
features horseback riding, a swimming pool and whirlpool,
tennis, a dining room, and lounge. Rooms are in cottages
and in the main lodge. The ranch operates on the American
plan (three meals with lodging). As with other guest
ranches, the White Stallion schedules cookouts, hayrides,
dances, and entertainment. For information, call.
The historic Tanque Verde Ranch
dates back more than 100 years and has a cottage complex
plus indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a sauna and
horseback riding. The restaurant here is open to the
public by reservation (520-296-6275). To get there take
Speedway Blvd. and drive east for 18 miles.
