Archive for the ‘Tucson Arizona Attractions’ Category
April 16th, 2013 by Betty Ross
Saguaro National Park
A Celebration of National Park Week and Junior Ranger Day
Ever wonder what magical and mysterious happenings occur in the desert at night? Come explore the park after dark with your family, guided by Park Rangers, and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the desert night by moonlight.
Starting before sunset, meet at our Education Center in Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain (West) District for a welcome and introduction. Here you’ll learn the fun that lies ahead and how to enjoy the exploration safely. Safety concerns will be addressed, water bottles will be filled, and off you go. The leisurely exploration will cover no more than a mile, round trip, and will be paced for everyone’s comfort. You’ll explore a sandy wash with unique red-rock outcroppings, find a cool place for sunset, listen for the magical call of the Elf owl, and walk in the paw prints of bobcats and coyotes. As darkness falls around you, rangers will share stories about nocturnal park life and answer all those curious questions about the park after dark. Walking back out, we’ll be guided by the light of the waxing half-moon. Headlamps are available for comfort and safety if needed.
·Saturday, April 20th from 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Sunset is about 6:56 p.m. and full dark is about 7:45 p.m. There will be an almost ¾ waxing moon high in the sky after dark.
·The program is for families with children who are 7 to 18 years old. The terrain and conditions are not appropriate for younger children.
·The program is free, space is limited, and advanced reservations are required
·For detailed information, questions, or to sign up, please email chip_littlefield@nps.gov or, call at 520.733.5157
Night Walk at Saguaro National Park east
This easy, 2-hour walk provides opportunities for experiencing the desert at night. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water and a flashlight. Space is limited, so call the visitor center at (520) 733-5153 to reserve your spot.
Tags: activites, desertdove, Saguaro National Park, Tucson, wildlife
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January 25th, 2013 by Betty Ross
The Desert Dove Bed and Breakfast would be a great place to stay while taking in the Gem and Mineral Show. You can start your day with a cup of fresh ground coffee or your favorite tea and enjoy a wonderful breakfast. At the end of your long day of shopping you can relax in our hydrotherapy spa with a glass of wine and take in some stargazing!
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show 2013
Show Guide
For complete information on all the shows, check the 2013 Tucson Show Guide — Your Ultimate Guide to All the Tucson Gem, Mineral, Fossil, Jewelry, and Bead Shows! With 300+ pages of must-have show info, including dates, maps, and exhibitor lists, the Tucson Show Guide provides all you need to know in one easy-to-navigate guide.
Tags: activites, Area Guide, desertdove, tucson az bed and breakfast, winter getway
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February 17th, 2012 by Betty Ross
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum celebrates 60 years and new exhibits.
Desert Museum News
In the Sonoran Desert, February is the month when many raptor species begin the courtship and territorial displays that precede nest–building. On warm days, the hawks in the Raptor Free Flight program use the rising air currents to soar hundreds of feet above the desert floor, announcing their presence other avian predators in the vicinity. Catch the raptor Free Flight at 10:00 and 2:00 daily, now through April 15th!
Many of our guests at Desert Dove Bed and Breakfast in Tucson visit the Desert Museum. It is truly a wonderful place to spend time enjoying the outdoors and getting to know the desert and it’s wildlife, flora and fauna. The Desert Museum is one of the most beautiful places in Tucson. Stay the day and see the beautiful sunset …. the ‘Purple Mountain’s Majesty’ ….. gloriously majestic!
Tags: activites, Bed and Breakfast, desert, desertdove, museum, Tucson, winter getway
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January 7th, 2012 by Betty Ross
January 4, 2012
Boneyard Airplanes Become Art In Tucson 
By Mary Grady, Contributing editor
Six retired military airplanes have been transformed into “monumental works of art” for the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz., the museum announced this week. The “Round Trip” exhibit, set to open on Jan. 28, will feature former Air Force aircraft that had been stored for years in desert “boneyards.” Aircraft used as canvases include four DC-3s, a Beechcraft C-45 (a military version of the Beech 18), and a Lockheed VC-140 Jetstar (a 1960s-era jet used for military transport). The cockpit from a Boeing C-97 also was used as a canvas for the show. More than 30 artists from around the world took part in the project.
The show is part of an ongoing Boneyard Project, which launched last summer in New York with the “Nose Job” show, which gave the nose cones from about two dozen military aircraft to artists to use as “canvases.” The Arizona exhibit will include some selections from that show along with more than a dozen new projects that have not been previously exhibited. The Pima museum maintains a collection of more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe and houses more than 125,000 artifacts. The Round Trip show is open to the public from Jan. 28 through the end of May.
Only a short drive to the Air & Space Museum from the Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast in Tucson, AZ
Tags: activites, area, Area Guide, Arizona, desertdove, tucson az bed and breakfast
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November 22nd, 2011 by Betty Ross
Visiting Saguaro National Park
We are within walking distance of Saguaro National Park East! A walking path from Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast will take you directly to the Park. You may wish an early morning walk to the park before you enjoy a scrumptious homemade breakfast.
There is a 1/4-mile paved Desert Ecology Trail, located along Cactus Forest Drive. Short hikes will introduce you to the plant and animal life of the Sonoran Desert.
Many other trails along the scenic 8 mile drive are suitable for short hikes into the pristine desert environment. There are some 128 miles of trails wind through the desert and mountain country of Saguaro East. Saguaro East, also called Rincon Mountain District, encompasses an aging saguaro forest at the foot of the majestic Rincon Mountains, as well as an exceptional variety of other desert plants. The Park has a picnic area for your usage. We have trail maps available and you may, also, stop by the visitor center for all the information about the Park. The park is open daily.
Daily Programs
A Home in the Desert – 15-minute orientation program shown daily on the hour and half-hour in the auditorium. Learn about the resources that Saguaro National Park protects.
Sentinel of the Desert – a 53 minute video shown daily at 1:00 p.m. in the auditorium.
Saguaro East Programs – Rincon Mountain District Visitor Center (Saguaro East). Schedules are subject to change. Check at the Visitor’s Center for current schedules, or call (520) 733-5153. 3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson.
Tags: Arizona State Park, bed, Breakfast, desertdove, Saguaro National Park, Tucson, tucson az bed and breakfast
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August 31st, 2011 by Betty Ross
A 15- 20 minute drive from Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast will take you to Sabino Canyon where you will experience the beauty of one of the most unique Southwestern desert canyons on a tram ride. Sabino Canyon is a natural desert oasis located in Tucson’s Coronado National Forest and is home to spectacular desert landscapes and abundant wildlife.
This extremely popular recreation area for locals and many visitors who come to stay at Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast, this area provides their first close encounter with the Sonoran Desert and the fascinating variety of plants and animals that make it their home. The self-guided Desert Nature Trail at the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center provides an excellent way to get to know the plants that have adapted to living in this demanding environment.
Sabino Canyon tours offers a narrated, educational 45-minute, 3.8 mile tour into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The trams have nine stops along the tour with several restroom facilities and picnic grounds located near Sabino Creek. The tram turns around at Stop #9 and heads back down to the Visitor’s Center, at which point riders may remain on board and hike back down. Trams arrive on average every 30 minutes. During the winter and summer rainy seasons, pools of water form in rocky outcroppings that wind up among hillsides resplendent with palo verde trees, cholla and prickly pear cactus and graceful groves of ocotillo.
A variety of trails are available along the way for hiking that range from easy to challenging. The main road, one of two routes on which Sabino Canyon Tours operates its Sabino Canyon tram route, is mostly flat and paved. It can be easily navigated by visitors of all ages. The main road ascends from 2,800 to 3,300 feet and crosses Sabino Creek over 9 stone bridges. It is a favorite route for both hikers and bicyclists.
During the months of April, May, June, September, October and November, Sabino Canyon Tours offers evening rides three nights per month. For more information or to make your reservations, please call (520) 749-2327
Tram rides:
Adults $8.00, Children 3-12 $4.00
Day Pass $5, Week Pass $10, Annual Pass $20
Sabino Canyon has 89 picnic sites scattered throughout area Barrier-free accessible sites are available at Cactus picnic area and Bear Canyon overlook Cactus Ramada group picnic sites are available by reservation only. Toilet with barrier-free access is located at the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center. Vending machines (water and sodas) are located near the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center.
Tags: Coronado National Forest, Sabino Canyon, Tucson
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August 31st, 2011 by Betty Ross
A day trip from Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast, easy access to I -10. A 1 hour drive will take you to Kartchner Caverns.
A well kept secret since its discovery in 1974, Kartchner Caverns, 12 miles south of Benson, Arizona, was announced to the world in 1988. Still virtually pristine, this massive limestone cave has 13,000 feet of passages and two rooms as long as football fields. Finally opened as a state park November 12, 1999, this underground wilderness will remain protected while offering visitors a rare tour through multi-colored cave formations. The temperature inside the caverns averages 68°F year round, with the humidity at 99%.
Kartchner Caverns State Park is open seven days a week from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm MST. Cave tours are scheduled every 20 minutes starting at 8:40 am to 4:40 pm each day. The park is closed on Christmas Day, and no tours will be taken after noon on Christmas Eve Day.
Cavern Tours
Rotunda/Throne Tour: October – July
Ages 0-6 : FREE
Ages 7-13: $9.95
Ages 14+: $18.95
Rotunda/Throne Tour: August – September
Ages 0-6: FREE
Ages 7-13: $8.95
Ages 14+: $16.95
Big Room Tour
Ages 0-6: N/A*
Ages 7-13: $12.95
Ages 14+: $22.95
The Rotunda and Throne tour Length: 1/2 mile Time: 1 1/2 hours.
* Children 6 and under are not allowed on this tour.
Depending on your tour time, you may have time to enjoy the nearby Tombstone. “The town too tough to die”.
Tags: activites, Arizona State Park, desertdove, Kartchner Caverns, Tucson, tucson az bed and breakfast, winter getway
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August 31st, 2011 by Betty Ross
A 1 hour drive from Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast will take you to the Desert Museum. A favorite Tucson attraction for many of our guests here at Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast. Learn all about desert vegetation and wild life. The Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place!
The Harris‘ Hawk … Come experience the thrill of free flying birds of prey at the Raptor Free Flight. Raptor Free Flight is a dynamic bird of prey flight demonstration that occurs in the open desert showcasing natural behaviors of native birds. Unlike other bird flight shows, the Raptor Free Flight focuses the attention on the birds and how they behavior in nature.
Hours of Operation
Open every day of the year!
- October – February 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (no entry after 4:15 pm)
- March – May 7:30 am – 5:00 pm (no entry after 4:15 pm)
- June – August
- Mon-Fri: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm (no entry after 2:15 pm)
- Sat: 7:30 am – 10:00 pm (no entry after 9:15 pm)(Summer Saturday Evenings)
- Sun: 7:30 am – 5:00 pm (no entry after 4:15 pm)
- September 7:30 am – 5:00 pm (no entry after 4:15 pm)
Galleries and Dining
The Ironwood Gallery is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm. Please call 520-883-2702 or 520-883-3024 to check gallery hours for the day you plan to visit. The Ironwood Gallery may occasionally be closed for special events.
The Ironwood Terraces, a self serve grill, offers a complete menu including children’s items and is open everyday. Special menus are available for tour groups, school groups, and special events.
The Ocotillo Café offers fine dining, and is open seasonally for lunch in winter and for dinner on Summer Saturday Evenings. Lunch: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Dec to April. Opening and closing dates will vary. Please call 520-883-2702 for information. Dinner: Saturdays, June – August. Chefs utilize the freshest ingredients available to create our Arizona-Sonora regional cuisine. Please call for reservations 520-883-5705.
Phoebes Coffee Bar and the Cottonwood snack shop offer hot and cold drinks, pastries, sandwiches, ice cream and other snacks.
Picnics – There is a small picnic area near the Museum entrance.
Rates
September – May: $13 Adults, $4.25 Kids 6-12
June – August: $9.50 Adults, $2.25 Kids 6-12
Summer Saturday Evenings: Admissions after 4:00 p.m. ONLY $6.00 ($2.25 for 6-12)
Children 5 and under are ALWAYS free!
Located at: 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85743
Tags: Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
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August 31st, 2011 by Betty Ross
We are within walking distance of Saguaro National Park East! A walking path from Desert Dove Bed & Breakfast will take you directly to the Park. You may wish an early morning walk to the park before you enjoy a scrumptious homemade breakfast. There is a 1/4-mile paved Desert Ecology Trail, located along Cactus Forest Drive. Short hikes will introduce you to the plant and animal life of the Sonoran Desert. Many other trails along the scenic 8 mile drive are suitable for short hikes into the pristine desert environment. There are some 128 miles of trails wind through the desert and mountain country of Saguaro East. Saguaro East, also called Rincon Mountain District, encompasses an aging saguaro forest at the foot of the majestic Rincon Mountains, as well as an exceptional variety of other desert plants. The Park has a picnic area for your usage. We have trail maps available and you may, also, stop by the visitor center for all the information about the Park. The park is open daily. Daily Programs A Home in the Desert – 15-minute orientation program shown daily on the hour and half-hour in the auditorium. Learn about the resources that Saguaro National Park protects. Sentinel of the Desert – a 53 minute video shown daily at 1:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Saguaro East Programs – Rincon Mountain District Visitor Center (Saguaro East). Schedules are subject to change. Check at the Visitor’s Center for current schedules, or call (520) 733-5153. 3693 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson.
Tags: activites, Area Guide, Arizona State Park, desertdove, Saguaro National Park, winter getway
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August 29th, 2011 by Betty Ross
A scenic trip to Mt Lemmon from Desert Dove will take about a 1 hour drive. The scenic road will take you through several different ranges. Several turn outs with beautiful views.
The hiking trails of the Coronado National Forest sky islands offer near unmatched variety. Elevation determines not only the air temperature, with lowlands warmer than highlands, but also the types of plants and animals encountered. The warm climate and desert plants for which Arizona is known occur only at lower elevations, while pine, fir, and spruce cover the highest mountain tops, with grasslands and oak woodlands between.
Hikers can explore the desert lowlands during the winter, then come back in summer to wander through cool high-elevation Ponderosa pine forest during the summer months. Fabulous mountain views.
A ski resort in open when snow has fallen. Few people think of snow and skiing when they think of Tucson, cactus, desert, and diamondbacks more readily come to mind. The Santa Catalina Ranger District, however, is home to the southernmost ski area in the United States, which is perched near the 9,157-foot summit of Mt. Lemmon.
The chair lift is in operation all year round, taking visitors to a high overlook from which they can enjoy views of the Santa Catalinas, the city of Tucson, the San Pedro Valley, the Reef of Rocks, and the distant mountains near Globe and Phoenix. These scenic views, combined with the many trails and overlooks in the area.
Iron Door Restaurant
10300 E Ski Run Rd. (520) 576-1321
Sawmill Run Restaurant (520) 576- 9147
12976 North Sabino Canyon Parkway, Summerhaven
The summit is 9,157 feet (2,791 m) above sea level, and receives approximately 180-200 inches (4,600 mm) of snow annually.
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter is a new public program initiative by the University of Arizona to make the world of astronomy and other sciences more accessible to Southern Arizona and its visitors by moving science off campus with hands-on-programs high atop Mt. Lemmon.
The following fees apply to all Coronado National Forest fee areas:
$5 per vehicle per day
$10 per vehicle per week
$20 per vehicle per year (valid for one year from date of purchase)
A Catalina Mountain Pass is good at any fee area on the Coronado National Forest. Purchase a Day Pass at Sabino Canyon in the morning, and use it later that afternoon to visit Mt. Lemmon. An Annual Pass can be used at Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, or at South Fork in the Chiricahua Mountains. Conversely, passes purchased at Madera Canyon or South Fork can also be used at any other Coronado National Forest fee area. More information on the Passes and Fees or call 520-388-3800.
Tags: activites, Area Guide, Arizona State Park, mt lemmon, tucson az bed and breakfast, winter getway
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Saguaro National Park
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