Tucson is the 2nd largest city in
Arizona. It is
located 118 miles (188 km) Southeast of Phoenix.
As of 2005, the city's population was estimated as
521,605, and the metropolitan population as 931,210.
Take an off-road jeep tour through Sedona's Red Rocks, dine in an authentic 19th-century saloon in historic Tombstone, and hike alongside 900-year-old rivers of lava at Sunset Crater National Monument. With each day trip only a short distance away from Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaf, this book offers many ideas for backyard fun.
Highlighting the city's Spanish and Native American traditions, this guide details the infinite opportunities available for locals and residents alike to enjoy Tucson's arts, history, and natural heritage. With sections on relocation, neighborhoods, and retirement as well as restaurants, lodging, and attractions, this guide is perfect for both the newcomer and tourist.
Product Description: It was all routine even if hundreds of pounds of earth were pressing down on their heads, even though the ceiling might potentially collapse at any moment, even if they were surrounded by a sea of darkness and had no idea what lay in front of them. Award-winning author Neil Miller soon tells us that what lay in front of amateur spelunkers Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen was anything but routine. These young men had crawled into a virgin cave, a landscape untouched and unseen for hundreds of thousands of years. In cave terminology, this underground oasis was livingwater still seeped down the limestone walls, depositing minerals that slowly built up into stunningly beautiful formations. In a time when countless caves had been destroyed by vandals and looters who had defaced the walls and had broken formations, this pristine discovery was every cavers dream. While duplicating that moment might seem difficult, this fascinating account of the fight to preserve Kartchner Caverns lends us the same sense of awe and urgency. In an arresting tale spanning the twenty-five-year period in which Tufts and Tenen struggled to protect their find, Miller skillfully weaves together personal interviews, biographical information, political maneuvering, and geological facts. Presented in full color with dazzling photographs showcasing the natural wonder of the caverns, this is an invitation to take in the mysterious, stunning beauty of a cave as if discovering it for the first time. The triumph of the conservationists and the opening of Kartchner Caverns as a state park are known to anyone who has visited the caves as a tourist. But this narrative offers a chance to go beyond the guidebooks with its revealing look at this unspoiled natural wonder and the science of cave conservation. With as much depth and colorful detail as the caverns themselves, this page-turning account will captivate anyone interested in caves and the preservation of natural wonders.
Entertaining, opinionated, and thorough, The Best of Phoenix and Tucson features the best attractions, restaurants, and lodgings in Arizona's two largest cities. Beginning with an introduction to these popular Sunbelt cities, the guide continues with unauthorized histories, and then moves on to offer the authors' 250 ten-best selections for each city. These comprehensive, detailed lists cover the best tourist spots, hidden attractions, desert hikes and bike routes, hotels, desert resorts, and watering holes. A "Proud Paupers" chapter points out the ten best free attractions and the cheapest sleeps and eats.
Book Description: Hidden Arizona perfectly epitomizes the Hidden travel guide philosophy. It is written for the new generation of back-road explorers who aren't looking to be herded to the same Grand Canyon viewing spot as everyone else but instead prefer to explore out-of-the-way sites and hotels as well as adventure travel choices like rafting the Grand Canyon, boating on Lake Havasu, and hiking Sedona's red-rock gorges. With great detail and a discriminating eye, the author covers the popular spots (large sections are dedicated to the Grand Canyon, Phoenix, and Sedona) but also tells of "hidden" areas just down the road that other guidebooks overlook. Hidden Arizona highlights the state's Wild West heritage, leading visitors to dude ranches, ghost towns, and places to buy Indian crafts. Dining reviews focus on restaurants serving Southwest cuisine and authentic Mexican food. Suggestions for outdoor adventures abound, with descriptions of 67 parks and wilderness areas including information on camping, hiking, boating, and horseback riding.
Book Description: Enjoy a welcome change of pace and discover a world you may not know exists in your own backyard. Day Trips describes hundreds of fascinating, exciting (and many free of charge) things to do, most within a two-hour drive of Phoenix, Tucson, or Flagstaff. Tour the Colorado River on the Dixie Bell, a replica of an Old South stern-wheeler, in Lake Havasu City. Take a safari train ride at the Wildlife World Zoo in Peoria. Visit ancient ceremonial plazas and old pueblo villages on the Hopi Indian Reservation. Each day trip includes travel directions, destination highlights, other places to visit along the way, choice restaurants and lodging (including price ranges), shopping, and much more. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 336 pages, maps)
Product Description: Arizona Day Hikes is two books in one: a hiking guide featuring 100 of Arizona's best hiking trails and an authoritative guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon State's landscape. Dave Ganci provides a comprehensive overview of Arizona's three natural "provinces" - the Southern Deserts, the Central Mountains, and the Northern Canyons and Mesas - and shows the reader how to take a naturalist's approach to exploring scenic wonders. His knowledgeable discussions of landscapes, native species, and local conditions, accompanied by thirty line drawings, help hikers learn to identify and appreciate each region's geology, weather, plants, and animal life. Along the way, he teaches the best techniques for day-hiking and shows how the entire family can travel and enjoy each hike to the fullest. Trail descriptions are graded for difficulty and organized geographically, from the Tucson and Phoenix areas to regions surrounding Prescott and Flagstaff. Also included are hikes starting at both rims of the Grand Canyon. The trails profiled here range from a half-hour to several hours in length, and all are easily accessible by car, making Arizona Day Hikes a passport to some of the most rewarding hiking opportunities in the American West.
