Culture in Tucson, Arizona - Part Four

November 11, 3:10 PMKansas City Cultural Travel ExaminerLysa Allman-Baldwin

Previous Next

4 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Kansas City Cultural Travel Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

El Charro Cafe serves traditional Sonoran and Tucson-style Mexican food.

It would be impossible to talk about Tucson without talking about the cuisine and places to relax the mind, body and spirit.

Gastronomic Adventures

A wide variety of gastronomic adventures awaits travelers in Tucson. From southwestern to barbecue, Greek, sushi, Mexican, Italian, seafood, Texas-style grilling and more, you will find it here.

One of the most popular restaurants in town is El Charro Café, reportedly the oldest continuously family-owned Mexicano restaurant in the country (since 1922), for traditional Sonoran cultural style and innovative Tucson-style Mexican food.

Offering a unique perspective of the contemporary southwestern experience, Sabra Mediterranean Restaurant serves kosher, high quality authentic food Mediterranean dishes, while Terra Cotta Restaurant features beautifully and artfully plated imaginative, award-winning signature creations made with fresh local ingredients.

For great macro brewed beer and tasty entrees be sure to visit Gentle Ben’s Brewing Company, Southern Arizona's oldest and largest brewery and restaurant and if you’ve got a taste for the Tuscan hills, head to Zona 78, the city’s premiere destination for artisan pizza, organic foods and an eclectic,
world-class selection of fine wines & spirits.

Robust, sushi and Teppan-style Japanese food are the highlights at Sakura Japanese Restaurant, while Le Rendez-vous has garnered numerous awards for their fine French cuisine.

These are just a few of the many fantastic restaurants dotted all over the city.

Much More than Just a Place to Stay

Like the food, there is no shortage in the number, or variety, of accommodation offerings in Tucson. Whether you prefer an affordable hotel, luxury resort and spa, rustic guest ranch or intimate bed and breakfast inn, you will find something that not only meets, but also exceeds your needs and desires.

Some of the more well-known resorts and spas include the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, Esplendor Resort at Rio Rico, Canyon Ranch and Westin La Paloma, while hotels encompass the La Quinta Inn, Best Western Royal Sun Inn & Suites, Four Points By Sheraton, and The Hotel Arizona.

Snuggled at the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, I highly recommend the Westward Look Resort, a fantastic getaway offering complete seclusion from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Indoors and out, the sprawling 80-acre property is infused with a southwestern style that aptly enhances the natural desert mountain surroundings. Hiking, horseback riding, tennis and a spirit-cleansing labyrinth are a few of the outdoor adventure offerings, while indoors guests can enjoy fine dining and casual fare at the resort restaurant or bar and grill.

A trip to the Sonoran Spa is much more than a respite, rather a soul enveloping experience enhanced by a wide array of massage therapies, body treatments, manicures and pedicures and other services for both men and women using all-natural desert botanicals.

For an intimate B&B’s experience, try El Presidio Bed & Breakfast, the Adobe Rose Inn Bed & Breakfast or The Big Blue House - Tucson Boutique Inn, among numerous others. One of the most unique of these is Dunn’s Way Bed and Breakfast Inn, a comfortable, spacious, seven-plus acre hideaway located about 15 minutes west of downtown in the Tucson Mountains.

An incredible respite and wonderful experience, Dunn’s Way has earned several accolades and awards over the years including “Best Kept Secret,”  “Best Customer Service” and “Outstanding Bed & Breakfast of the Southwest.”

Return to “Normal life”

As you can see, I have very fond memories of this Tucson paradise embracing a wealth of natural beauty, history, culinary and lodging escapades and so much more. For more information about all to see, do and experience in Tucson, contact the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau, 888-2-Tucson, www.visittucson.org