 |
|
|
User Rating: (Rate It!)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
WEST TUCSON. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is one of Tucson's star attractions, with good reason. Part zoo, part natural history museum, and part botanical garden, the facility is set on 21 acres and is home to numerous animals that roam freely within invisibly-fenced enclosures. After checking out the exhibits in the main visitor center, wander along two miles of paved pathways, where you can catch sight of endangered species such as the Mexican wolf, thick-billed parrot, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, and the Gila topminnow; and not-so-endangered critters like leafcutter ants, black bears, river otters, bighorn sheep, coatis, beavers, coyote, javelinas, black-tailed prairie dogs, termites and roadrunners. And don't miss the captivating cactus garden or the Hummingbird Aviary!
User Rating: (Rate It!)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
EAST TUCSON. A 55-acre sanctuary situated right in the city – it's not only a haven for wildlife, it's a peaceful retreat for people, too. A mile-long loop trail passes all manner of desert plant life – mesquite, desert hackberry, fishhook barrel cactus and catclaw acacia to name a few – which harbor a wide variety of birds and other critters like cottontails and gila monsters. If you're planning to stroll through around midday, pack a lunch. The Desert Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden is an especially entertaining spot for a picnic.
User Rating: (Rate It!)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. In 1966, the fledgling Nature Conservancy bought its first Arizona property, the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. It's one of the few places in the state where older growth forest persists, helped by the remaining cienegas, or desert wetlands. Along with the abundance of plant life, the preserve shelters a huge variety of more mobile wildlife. Some 300 species of birds have been catalogued here throughout the year, not to mention javelinas, coatimundis, coyotes, desert tortoises, mountain lions, bobcats, white-tailed deer, toads, frogs and rattlesnakes. The best way to appreciate the preserve is via a guided walk, offered every Saturday morning at 9am.
|
Reid Park Zoo
1100 S Randolph Way, Tucson, AZ 85716 · 520-791-4022
|
User Rating: (Rate It!)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
EAST TUCSON. This well-planned, 17-acre zoo features all of your zoo favorites, including polar bears, jaguars, ostriches and much more. The Aviary exhibit, with its array of birds, is a popular destination, as is the South American exhibit. With more than 500 rare animals, the zoo is active in helping endangered species such as Siberian tigers and ruffed lemurs.
User Rating: (Rate It!)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
FOOTHILLS. Tohono Chul Park is a wildlife refuge within the metropolitan area of Tucson. Covering 48 acres, the park is designed to educate visitors about this desert area via demonstration gardens, greenhouse and the unique geology wall. Visitors enjoy the pleasant tea room, the greenhouse shop and the small but informative museum.
User Rating:
(Rate It)
My Suitcase: (Add to My Suitcase)
NORTHEAST. Set in the heart of the city, the Tucson Botanical Gardens offers plenty of winding pathways taking visitors past floral exhibits, greenhouses, classrooms for instruction, and a superb exhibit on xeriscaping, a concept of planning yards and gardens using minimal water in the desert climate. Don't miss the iris garden, the herb garden, the unique tropical exhibit or the well-stocked gift shop. NOTE: BUTTERFLY MAGIC IS CLOSED UNTIL OCTOBER 2007.
If you're a nature or animal lover, this category is custom-fit for your interests. Our selections center around zoos, aquariums, and nature reserves – places where you can enjoy the beauty and wonder around you.
|
|
Find everything you need to
know about Tucson.
|
|
Print this Page
Email this Page
Click here to share it »
