Bill44

We are planning a 7 day stay in Tucson in April/May. We are seniors seeking information on the best area of Tucson in which to stay. We want quality lodging in an interesting, safe and attractive area with easy access to restaurants, etc. Night life is not an interest. We will be taking day trips to the surrounding area. Any tips will be much appreciated.

tomfuller

Are you coming with your own car or are you coming to Tucson by air or train and renting a car? My most recent trips to Tucson have been on Amtrak arriving in the morning and having Enterprise bring me a car at the train station. My research leads me to believe that most of the quality hotel rooms are over $100/night up to $284/night. The best deal I saw was the Super 8 west of I-10 off 22nd near the Convention Center.
Are you sure you want to spend an entire week in the Tucson area?
If you have never seen them, try to visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Flagstaff.

Bill44

Thanks., but we have done northern Arizona. We want to see the southern half now. We will fly in and rent a car. We can't decide if we should stay in one of the luxury B&Bs downtown or one of the resorts in the foothills. We won't be there to play golf and lay by a pool.

tom_mn

Tucson is a bit of a funny city in that the freeways can’t be used effectively for getting around so be prepared for 30 minute long city streets driving trips no matter where you stay. Attractions are far flung also. A downtown BnB may be a good option if you don’t want a resort for golf or lying by the pool.

tomfuller

I agree - downtown BnB. The Sonora Desert Museum and the Saguaro National Park (2 sections) are good to visit. I'm headed to southern Arizona tomorrow but not going through Tucson. I'm headed for Yuma for a geocaching event and will also walk across the border into Los Algodones for some dental work. Be sure to bring your passports even if you don't intend to visit a Mexican border town.
If you want to go a little farther from Tucson, visit Organ Pipe Cactus NM south of Why AZ. If you are interested in history, visit Tombstone and the Queen Mine near Bisbee.

J62

Since as noted above Tucson is spread out and you'll need to drive regardless, consider staying in a comfortable AirBnB or VRBO in a residential area.

If you are there to scope out future places to live, there are locations points north/west/east/and south. South, at Sahuarita/Green Valley/Tubac is quite popular with options spanning a wide range of prices and amenities.

If you are there just for fun, then consider something closer to one of the main arteries - I-19 N/S, or I-10 E/W so you don't have a 20-30min drive just to get to the highway.

snsw0144

Tucson, the Ritz Carlton is in the Dove mountain, the hotel has many guided tours to choose from, all of which are hiking in the mountain

mlgb

I've spent more time driving through Tucson than staying there, with only the occasional overnight. There are no shortage of places to eat or takeout, no matter where you stay, unless you thought you would walk to them (which wouldn't work in some places). I sort of like the north Tucson foothills. Even if you are not golfing, sometimes golf condos have better views than hotel rooms. I might look for an Airbnb up there.

Someone else mentioned Green Valley etc. That can be unpleasantly hot in April/May.

DaveS

We did four nights end of April a few years ago. Picked a Priceline 4.5* Express deal in Ventana Canyon area and got the Westin La Paloma Resort at a great price. Beautiful property, great views, convenient to Sabino Canyon and Mt. Lemon, easy enough to get to other sites like Saguaro National Park as well.

mlgb

DaveS, my reason for including a Tucson overnight last May was to go up to Mt. Lemon, what a great road!

HappyTrvlr

You will either stay downtown or in the Foothills to access good places to stay and dine or downtown. For easy access to Sabino Canyon, stay in the Foothills which also has some of the best dining in town. They offer shuttles but most visitors tend to hike into the canyon. If you want a nice resort, no golf, Hacienda del Sol is a beautiful property with good dining. Dining in Foothills: Tavolinos, North, Vivace, Wild Garlic and more.
There are all the chain hotels downtown plus the historic Arizona Inn. Dining downtown includes Feast, Maynard’s, Kingfisher, Prep and Pastry( casual great breakfasts), Tito and Pep, and El Charro, the original, oldest Mexican restaurant in US.
Plus many small ethnic places, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, African etc. which we love.
Tucson was named by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy. www.visitTucson.org
Prices for hotels will be high season February through April.
The huge International Gem Show is yearly, the first two weeks of February, a time to totally avoid visiting Tucson.
We lived in Tucson for over twenty years but now visit for four months in winter and are in New England most of the year.

PrairieHikerI

When exploring south of Tucson, you might want to check out Madera Canyon and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve for some of the best birding in the US and Mission San Xavier del Bac (1797).

HappyTrvlr

Yes, wonderful hiking. There are some excellent hiking areas protected by the Nature Conservancy south of Tucson.

Bill44

Many thanks for the tips. Most helpful.

MichelleY

Our favorite excursions around Tucson were the Titan Missile Museum, Kartchner Caverns, ride up Mt. Lemmon, Saguaro National Park West and Desert Museum. We also did trips to Tombstone and Bisbee. We preferred Bisbee.

HappyTrvlr

Bill44, from your description of what you are hoping to find, I think you would be happy staying in The Foothills. Good hotels and restaurants, easy access to Sabino Canyon.

Saif123

Tucson, AZ has many great areas to stay in, but for seniors seeking a safe, interesting, and attractive area with easy access to restaurants and day trips, I would suggest looking into the Catalina Foothills neighborhood. This area is known for its upscale resorts and breathtaking views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It has a variety of high-end restaurants, shops, and galleries, making it an ideal place to stay for those seeking quality lodging and easy access to local amenities. The Catalina Foothills are centrally located, providing convenient access to day trips to the surrounding areas, including the Sonoran Desert, Sabino Canyon, and Saguaro National Park.

Bill44

Thanks for this information. I think the Catalina Foothills will be our choice.

HappyTrvlr

Bill,
Make dinner reservations ahead at Vivace, Tavolino, Wild Garlic, Ginza.