Located in the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is flanked by five different mountain ranges and the Santa Cruz River. The city is known for the restored stately 19^th century mansions of the El Presidio Historic District, and is home to the University of Arizona. Golf enthusiasts will never run out of options with over 40 courses throughout the area. More local highlights include:

• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – This 98-acre museum includes a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, and art gallery. Nearly 85 percent of the museum is outdoors, and you’ll find two miles of walking paths through desert habitats, 230 animal species, and 1200 types of plants.
• Pima Air & Space Museum – This museum spans 80 acres and features over 300 aircraft, including a Wright Flyer. There are five indoor exhibit hangars, two of which are dedicated to World War II planes.

For a truly unique Old West experience, you’ll want to visit the Old Tucson Studios. Dubbed “Hollywood in the Desert,” it was a movie set built by Columbia Pictures in 1939 that encompassed 50 buildings in its recreation of an 1860s Tucson town. Today the movie studio and theme park feature Old West shows, stagecoach rides, and a chance to pan for gold.