What does a full Saturday in downtown Tucson look like? It might start with a sunrise climb up Tumamoc Hill, carry on with brunch on Congress Street, and end with a ride across town on the streetcar.
At The Gallery on Fifth in downtown Tucson, AZ, every stop on that list is a stroll, a quick drive, or a streetcar ride away. Congress Street sits a few blocks north, so the first meal of the day is easy to reach on foot. By sunset, you can be back home on Fifth Avenue after a full day out.
Dinner and Drinks Along Congress Street
The historic Hotel Congress has welcomed guests since 1919. Its building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Off its lobby, the Cup Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Grab a patio table for weekend brunch, when a Bloody Mary bar joins the menu. After dinner, the Century Room inside the hotel keeps the evening going with live jazz. Club Congress, the hotel's music venue, has hosted touring bands since 1985.
A block west, HUB Restaurant and Ice Creamery pairs upscale comfort food with house-made scoops. It has been a downtown staple since 2011. Order a full dinner, then save room for a scoop to enjoy on the walk home. The flavors rotate, so every visit can bring a new one to try. Both spots sit within walking distance of The Gallery on Fifth, so a night out on Congress Street can start and end on foot.
Desert Hikes at Tumamoc Hill and Sabino Canyon
Tumamoc Hill rises west of downtown, and its paved road climbs about 700 feet over a mile and a half. The University of Arizona keeps it open to walkers every day from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. as long as you stay on the road. The lower stretch is gentle, and the upper section gets steeper, with benches along the way when you need a breather. Today, the hill is an 860-acre ecological reserve and a U.S. National Historic Landmark, home to a desert research lab since 1903.
Summer mornings are the best time to make the climb, before the desert heat sets in. Bring water and a flashlight for an early start, and you can catch the sunrise over the city from the top. If you drive, park along Anklam Road near the base. In spring, wildflowers line the road on the way up.
For a full day outdoors, Sabino Canyon sits on Tucson's northeast side in the Coronado National Forest. Private cars have been kept off its road since 1978, so visitors ride an open-air electric shuttle called the Sabino Canyon Crawler. The round trip takes about an hour, with an audio tour and nine stops where you can hop off to explore the trails. Along the way, the road winds into the Santa Catalina Mountains and crosses Sabino Creek on a series of stone bridges.
Plan to buy a day pass before you head in, since the recreation area requires one. Sabino draws more than a million visitors a year, so weekday mornings make for a quieter ride. Pack a lunch, ride to the top, and hike back down along the creek at your own pace.
Riding the Sun Link Streetcar Around Downtown
The Sun Link Streetcar makes getting around downtown easy. Its 3.9-mile route connects five districts, from Mercado San AgustÃn on the west side to the University of Arizona on the east. Rides are currently free, so you can hop on for a single stop or ride the whole loop. Downtown stops along Congress Street put the streetcar a few blocks from The Gallery on Fifth. Check Sun Tran for schedules and any fare updates before you ride.
Each of the 23 stops features its own public art, which turns the wait into a tour of local work. Ride west to Mercado San AgustÃn for a slower afternoon, or head east toward campus to visit museums or catch a game. Streetcars carry bikes, wheelchairs, and scooters. With a bike on board, you can ride to Fourth Avenue for a few hours of browsing and pedal home for dinner.
Start Exploring Downtown Tucson From The Gallery on Fifth
After a day of exploring, our rooftop entertainment deck gives you a front-row seat to the sunset over downtown Tucson, AZ. Fire up the barbecue on the grill deck, and the mountains you hiked that morning sit right there on the horizon. The social lounge downstairs makes an easy spot to compare notes with neighbors on their favorite trails.
These picks are a starting point, and downtown Tucson has plenty more for you to find on your own. Schedule a tour of The Gallery on Fifth in Tucson, AZ, and take in the downtown views you will come home to after each outing.