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Arizona's second largest city, Tucson, is located at higher elevations and is therefore slightly cooler than its Sonoran Desert neighbor Phoenix. With a total population of about 850 thousand people, Tucson has always been at the crossroads of several routes, and its population has been the most diverse. Tucson's main tourist attractions are located not so much in the city itself, but around it: it is the ideal place to experience Arizona in its wild, natural form.

How to get to Tucson

Tucson International Airport serves several national airlines, although some choose to fly to Phoenix and then take ground transportation (particularly the Arizona Shuttle) to Tucson. Amtrak trains travel here on the Los Angeles - New Orleans line.

Search for flights to Las Vegas (closest airport to Tucson)

Entertainment and attractions in Tucson

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on Kinney Road is less a traditional museum and more a Biosphere II project. It is partly a zoo, partly a natural history museum, and partly a botanical garden. Here you can see a wide variety of inhabitants of the region, from tarantulas to brown bears, from scorpions to coyotes. In addition, the museum is located on the edge of Saguaro National Park, where you can see the most extensive thickets of saguaro cacti in the world.

3 things to do in Tucson:

1. Feel like a Western hero.
2. Enjoy your fill of cacti.
3. Visit an airplane cemetery and a deserted observatory.

Saguaro National Park is the most pristine and extensive cactus forest in the American West. The park consists of two unconnected parts to the east and west of the city. This place became a national monument in 1933. Huge saguaro cacti live here for 200 years, gaining up to 15 m in height and more than 10 tons of weight during this time. These are the same iconic cacti that we imagine when we think of the Wild West. Although other types of thorny plants grow in the national park, as well as desert flowers that cover the ground with a colorful carpet after rainstorms. Most of the park's animals prefer to hide during the day, but travelers still have a chance to see coyotes, owls, hawks, turtles, wild pigs, and foxes here.

Sabino Canyon is a picturesque desert gorge cut into the southern Santa Catalina Mountains, on the northern border of the city. You can get here by tram (about 9 stops), and from here by another tram to Bear Canyon, where the popular hiking trail to the Seven Falls begins. In order to enter the park, you need a National Park Pass, which is also valid for Mount Lemmon.

These places were inhabited 10 thousand years ago. The first Christian mission was founded in 1699, but it was not until 1775 that a permanent settlement appeared, and Tucson became part of the United States in 1853.

Mission San Xavier del Bac - the "white dove of the desert" - is where the city began. Inside the beautiful snow-white building in the middle of the hot desert you can still see beautiful paintings and murals. The mission was finally completed in 1797, when Arizona was still part of Spain.

Tucson's old film studio is a testament to the days when the city served as a permanent backdrop for Hollywood's Wild West films. It was originally built in 1939 for William Holden's Arizona. Since then, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, and John Wayne have made their mark here. The studio is still in operation and features a nostalgic theme park with pre-Prohibition era saloons, corseted cancan dancers, restaurants and gift shops.

One of the city's truly unusual attractions is El Tiradito. This is probably the only sanctuary in honor of a sinner in the entire country. In the 1880s the stepfather found the stepson with his stepmother and shot at him, so that the guy who ran out of the house fell dead on the road. Having died without repentance, they refused to bury him on church grounds, so the family buried the body right where the sinner fell. Flowers and candles are still brought to this place.

The Pima Aerospace Museum on Valencia Road boasts more than 250 historic aircraft. In addition, at the museum you can book a special tour of the aerospace storage center (also known as the “bone cemetery”), where more than 4,200 aircraft are collected. And in the Titan Rocket Museum, south of the city, in Sahuarita, an underground complex from the Cold War era, Titan-II, has been preserved.

Tohono Chul Park is a well-maintained and very pleasant place with a tea room, gift shop, bookstore and art gallery nestled among gardens and paths. In the park you can admire an extensive botanical exhibition of local plants and even buy some seedlings.

The Tucson Art Museum includes a complex of historic houses and permanent exhibits of art from Latin American and pre-Columbian cultures. It also hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and the Arizona Biennial. The University of Arizona Art Museum is located on campus on Olive Road and has a fairly extensive collection of works by American and European artists ranging from the Renaissance to the 20th century. The masterpiece of the collection is a 15th century Spanish altar. In addition, Tucson has the Museum of Contemporary Art (Church Avenue) and the DeGrazia Gallery in the historic San District. The latter is a complex of buildings designed and built by the famous 20th century artist Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia, and also houses a gallery of his paintings.

Popular hotels in Tucson

Tucson Events

For two weeks each winter, Tucson transforms into a bustling international market where gems, minerals and fossils are bought and sold. The "Stone Show" is not a single fair in one place: more than 1000 participants are scattered across 50 different venues, and at the same time the city hosts a variety of shows and exhibitions for the general public, where you can see anything, including gold bars and dinosaur bones.

One of Tucson's biggest holidays is the All Saints' Day Procession, a nearly 3-mile parade that begins at dusk. The bright and colorful holiday is based on the Mexican Day of the Dead and takes place on the first Sunday in November.

The annual festival of lights takes place in Winterhaven. The lights turn on on several dozen buildings. Usually the holiday begins in mid-December and ends a few days before the New Year. The festival is very popular, so traffic is difficult these days.

Neighborhoods of Tucson

The Kartchner Caves are located 15 km south of the city. The state park opened here in 1999 and features a stunning cave system in the limestone cliffs that is ranked among the ten most beautiful in the world. The caves were discovered in 1974 and kept secret until 1988, which allowed them to be preserved in almost pristine condition.

Kitt Peak National Observatory is an hour's drive southwest of Tucson. Fans of astronomy should not miss this place, and neither should photography lovers. There are several astronomical telescopes and one large solar telescope, and tours can be arranged.

A popular tourist destination is Summerhaven, a small community on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It sits at an altitude of almost 2,500 m and was originally used by the Fort Lowell military as a camp to fight the Apaches in the 1870s and 1880s. There are several shops, a gallery of handmade items and even a gingerbread house where you can treat yourself to homemade cookies and pizza. In 2003, the terrible Aspen fire caused considerable damage to Summerhaven, but the place is still popular: people go to Summerhaven for skiing in the winter, and to escape the heat in the summer.

The sun is the source of life on the planet. Its rays provide the necessary light and warmth. At the same time, ultraviolet radiation from the Sun is destructive to all living things. To find a compromise between the beneficial and harmful properties of the Sun, meteorologists calculate the ultraviolet radiation index, which characterizes the degree of its danger.

What kind of UV radiation from the sun is there?

Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun has a wide range and is divided into three regions, two of which reach the Earth.

• UVA. Long-wave radiation range
  315–400 nm

  The rays pass almost freely through all atmospheric “barriers” and reach the Earth.

• UV-B. Medium wave range radiation
  280–315 nm

  The rays are 90% absorbed by the ozone layer, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

• UV-C. Shortwave range radiation
  100–280 nm

  The most dangerous area. They are completely absorbed by stratospheric ozone without reaching the Earth.

The more ozone, clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere, the less the harmful effects of the Sun. However, these life-saving factors have a high natural variability. The annual maximum of stratospheric ozone occurs in spring, and the minimum in autumn. Cloudiness is one of the most variable characteristics of weather. The carbon dioxide content also changes all the time.

At what UV index values ​​is there a danger?

The UV index provides an estimate of the amount of UV radiation from the Sun at the Earth's surface. UV index values ​​range from a safe 0 to an extreme 11+.

• 0–2 Low
• 3–5 Moderate
• 6–7 High
• 8–10 Very high
• 11+ Extreme

In mid-latitudes, the UV index approaches unsafe values ​​(6–7) only at the maximum height of the Sun above the horizon (occurs in late June - early July). At the equator, the UV index reaches 9...11+ points throughout the year.

What are the benefits of the sun?

In small doses, UV radiation from the Sun is simply necessary. The sun's rays synthesize melanin, serotonin, and vitamin D, which are necessary for our health, and prevent rickets.

Melanin creates a kind of protective barrier for skin cells from the harmful effects of the Sun. Because of it, our skin darkens and becomes more elastic.

The hormone of happiness serotonin affects our well-being: it improves mood and increases overall vitality.

Vitamin D strengthens the immune system, stabilizes blood pressure and performs anti-rickets functions.

Why is the sun dangerous?

When sunbathing, it is important to understand that the line between the beneficial and harmful Sun is very thin. Excessive tanning always borders on a burn. Ultraviolet radiation damages DNA in skin cells.

The body's defense system cannot cope with such aggressive influence. It lowers immunity, damages the retina, causes skin aging and can lead to cancer.

Ultraviolet light destroys the DNA chain

How the Sun affects people

Sensitivity to UV radiation depends on skin type. People of the European race are the most sensitive to the Sun - for them, protection is required already at index 3, and 6 is considered dangerous.

At the same time, for Indonesians and African Americans this threshold is 6 and 8, respectively.

Who is most influenced by the Sun?

People with fair hair
skin tone

People with many moles

Residents of mid-latitudes during a holiday in the south

Winter lovers
fishing

Skiers and climbers

People with a family history of skin cancer

In what weather is the sun more dangerous?

It is a common misconception that the sun is dangerous only in hot and clear weather. You can also get sunburned in cool, cloudy weather.

Cloudiness, no matter how dense it may be, does not reduce the amount of ultraviolet radiation to zero. In mid-latitudes, cloudiness significantly reduces the risk of getting sunburned, which cannot be said about traditional beach holiday destinations. For example, in the tropics, if in sunny weather you can get sunburned in 30 minutes, then in cloudy weather - in a couple of hours.

How to protect yourself from the sun

To protect yourself from harmful rays, follow simple rules:

Spend less time in the sun during midday hours

Wear light-colored clothing, including wide-brimmed hats

Use protective creams

Wear sunglasses

Stay in the shade more on the beach

Which sunscreen to choose

Sunscreens vary in their degree of sun protection and are labeled from 2 to 50+. The numbers indicate the proportion of solar radiation that overcomes the protection of the cream and reaches the skin.

For example, when applying a cream labeled 15, only 1/15 (or 7 %) of the ultraviolet rays will penetrate the protective film. In the case of cream 50, only 1/50, or 2 %, affects the skin.

Sunscreen creates a reflective layer on the body. However, it is important to understand that no cream can reflect 100% of ultraviolet radiation.

For everyday use, when the time spent under the Sun does not exceed half an hour, a cream with protection 15 is quite suitable. For tanning on the beach, it is better to take 30 or higher. However, for fair-skinned people it is recommended to use a cream labeled 50+.

How to Apply Sunscreen

The cream should be applied evenly to all exposed skin, including the face, ears and neck. If you plan to sunbathe for a long time, then the cream should be applied twice: 30 minutes before going out and, additionally, before going to the beach.

Please check the cream instructions for the required volume for application.

How to Apply Sunscreen When Swimming

Sunscreen should be applied every time after swimming. Water washes away the protective film and, by reflecting the sun's rays, increases the dose of ultraviolet radiation received. Thus, when swimming, the risk of sunburn increases. However, due to the cooling effect, you may not feel the burn.

Excessive sweating and wiping with a towel are also reasons to re-protect the skin.

It should be remembered that on the beach, even under an umbrella, the shade does not provide complete protection. Sand, water and even grass reflect up to 20% of ultraviolet rays, increasing their impact on the skin.

How to protect your eyes

Sunlight reflected from water, snow or sand can cause painful burns to the retina. To protect your eyes, wear sunglasses with a UV filter.

Danger for skiers and climbers

In the mountains, the atmospheric “filter” is thinner. For every 100 meters of height, the UV index increases by 5 %.

Snow reflects up to 85 % of ultraviolet rays. In addition, up to 80 % of the ultraviolet reflected by the snow cover is reflected again by clouds.

Thus, in the mountains the Sun is most dangerous. It is necessary to protect your face, lower chin and ears even in cloudy weather.

How to deal with sunburn if you get sunburned

Use a damp sponge to moisten the burn.

Apply anti-burn cream to the burned areas

If your temperature rises, consult your doctor; you may be advised to take an antipyretic

If the burn is severe (the skin swells and blisters greatly), seek medical attention

(G) (I) Mayor

Jonathan Rothschild

Based First mention Square Center height Official language Population Density

1022.5 people/km²

Agglomeration

843 168

Timezone Telephone code Postal codes Official site

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