Where Summer Spends the Winter Just Outside Tucson, AZ

Surrounded by the beauty of the Sonoran Desert – but just off the beaten path – you can explore the beautiful wide-open of the American Southwest up-close and personal. Hike the mountain ranges around the Old Pueblo or stroll through wilderness preserves and parks. Your new home in the Tucson area boasts natural wonders from the cascades of Seven Falls at Sabino Canyon, the amazing cacti of Saguaro National Parks, the pine and aspen forests of Mt. Lemmon and the cool caves of Colossal Cave Mountain Park or Kartchner Caverns State Park.

From an amazing range of natural beauty to a full city at your disposal. Visit Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory or grab some culture in Tucson’s museums and galleries. The art and architecture of Mission San Xavier del Bac and a full display of vintage-to-modern aircraft are not to be missed at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

While you’ll call Pima county home, Tucson consists of six distinct districts, all connected by the 3.9-mile Sun Link Tucson Streetcar. You can roll your way through the heart of Tucson, from Main Gate Square at the University of Arizona, along Fourth Avenue, and across Downtown Tucson to Mercado San Agustin and back. Step off and on at streetcar stops to explore a wide range of shops and restaurants, for every style and taste!

When it comes to mountain biking, Tucson has created its own unique cycling culture and there’s nothing like it. Varied terrain, an abundance of trails (an almost ridiculous amount) and something for every skill level. In fact, Tucson’s predictable weather is an athlete’s dream come true and the area is a top-ranked Winter Training Capital city. With 350 days of sunshine a year here, who wouldn’t want to train here in the winter? With world-class pools, fields, gyms, equipment shops, and sports medicine experts, it’s a destination for the serious or the recreational athlete.

With a landscape of mountainous peaks in your backyard, you can access your southwestern getaway from the main road (Shaw Road) and hike in just a few hundred feet or get on an off road bike or ATV. The Diamond Bell Ranch community is a desert area with very dense vegetation, and yours is a mostly flat property. It’s like an adventure, sorting through the thorny Mesquite and Palo Verde trees. Iconic Joshua trees also dot the property along with a large number of Ocotillo, Prickly Pear, Cholla and Beehive cactus. It’s off the beaten path, for sure, but civilization is just around the corner in the bustling city of Tucson. Bonus, even though you’re off the grid, you have very good cell service!