{"id":3215,"date":"2022-05-02T10:35:31","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T10:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=3215"},"modified":"2022-05-02T11:22:27","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T11:22:27","slug":"what-to-do-and-where-to-eat-in-tucson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/what-to-do-and-where-to-eat-in-tucson\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do and where to eat in Tucson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sharing some of my top recommendations for what to do and where to go in Tucson, AZ!<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How\u2019s the week starting off for you? I\u2019m teaching my weekly aerobics class (such a blast!) and the Pilot is off work today. I\u2019m excited to have a proper daytime parent date with him. We\u2019ll probably go wild and head to Lowe\u2019s for plants and then chill in the hot tub? I can\u2019t wait. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

For today\u2019s post, I\u2019m sharing updated Tucson recs! I wrote a post with Tucson recommendations a couple of years ago<\/a>, but unfortunately, some of the things on the list are non longer our faves, or have closed down. Also, lots of new spots have opened up! I\u2019m sharing some ideas on where to eat, what to do, and where to hike, if you find yourself in the Old Pueblo looking for some ideas. Tucson is a foodie\u2019s paradise and we have SO many amazing local restaurants.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

What to do and where to eat in Tucson<\/h2>\n

Where to shop?<\/h3>\n

La Encantada (definitely check out Creative Kind for gifts, candles, and fun stationary from local artisans)<\/p>\n

The giant outlet mall<\/p>\n

4th Avenue for more vintage and thrift finds<\/p>\n

St. Phillip\u2019s plaza has some local boutiques<\/p>\n

MSA Annex – one of my favorite \u201ctourist\u201d shops is Why I Love Where I Live, with AZ-themed shirts, hats, and stickers. It\u2019s where I got my beloved cactus baseball cat that I wear all the time.<\/p>\n

Best Tucson restaurants<\/h3>\n

Breakfast\/brunch:<\/h4>\n

– Weekend brunch: DEFINITELY go to the Blues and Brews buffets at Loew\u2019s or the brunch buffet at Hacienda del Sol. They\u2019re both absolutely lovely with gorgeous views and tons of offerings \u2014 just make sure to get reservations.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

– If you\u2019re looking for something low-key, go down to the Mercado San Augustin and grab the best Mexican donut of your life from La Estrella bakery. Sit on the courtyard and enjoy it with a coffee from Presta next door.<\/p>\n

– Prep and Pastry has an amazing brunch and they have two locations<\/p>\n

– Cup Cafe downtown<\/p>\n

– Snooze (I\u2019m so pumped we finally got one!)<\/p>\n

Lunch and dinner:<\/h4>\n

– Beyond Bread. This is a Tucson treasure and I highly recommend it for sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, and pastries. My go-to is the Kalid\u2019s Curry (chicken curry salad) on the gluten-free wrap with vinegar slaw.<\/p>\n

– Culinary Dropout. Think elevated versions of American classics, and lots of tasty cocktails and appetizers<\/p>\n

– Saffron. My fave Indian spot in Tucson!\"What<\/p>\n

– Nook- a cute modern spot downtown<\/p>\n

– Zayna\u2019s Mediterranean Food. Everything is always fresh and delicious. The falafel plate is my fave.<\/p>\n

– Eclectic Cafe. We\u2019ve been going to Eclectic Cafe forever and will get takeout sometimes because the girls love it, too. They truly have something for everyone and the food is consistently good.<\/p>\n

– Cowboy Cookout at Tanque Verde Ranch (Saturday nights!) with live country music, grilled meats, prickly pear margaritas, and a full buffet<\/p>\n

Healthy\/vegan:<\/h4>\n

– CharroVida – it\u2019s like Mediterranean meets Mexican food, with a focus on using healthier oil options, fresh, local produce, and sustainable meat and fish<\/p>\n

– Goodness – bowls, sandwiches, breakfast, smoothies, kombucha on tap<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

– Tumerico – one of my top restaurants in all of Tucson. The menu varies depending on the season and what\u2019s fresh at the market, and they make everything in-house, including the sauces, salsa, and tortillas.<\/p>\n

– Nekter (for acai bowls and smoothies)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

– Beaut Burger (vegan burgers \u2014 so so good)<\/p>\n

– Choice Greens – a build-your-own salad bar<\/p>\n

– The Little One. They blast Mexican music, the owner will stop by and give you a hug, and the menu varies each day. The frescas also change each day – I highly recommend getting one, or an horchata, to go with the meal! It\u2019s cash-only, so make sure you have some on hand. (Also worth mentioning here that they\u2019re only open for breakfast and lunch)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Mexican Food in Tucson!<\/h4>\n

– El Charro. We looooove El Charro and it\u2019s in our regular rotation. They have my favorite chips in all of Tucson – this is important haha – and while I never try anything new, I\u2019m very happy with my staples. I always get the two chicken tacos with shredded chicken, charro beans, rice, and a giant margarita.<\/p>\n

– Calle Tepa. Calle Tepa is also in our regular rotation. It\u2019s a casual Mexican spot and the service is always FAST, which makes it awesome for kids. They have a huge menu and I especially love their salsa bar.<\/p>\n

– Tumerico (vegan) – mentioned this one above. DEFINITELY try this one if you find yourself in Tucson!<\/p>\n

– Blanco. Blanco has incredible guacamole and drinks, and it\u2019s also located at La Encantada, which makes it ideal to pair with an afternoon of shopping, then follow up with gelato from Frost.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

– Seis Kitchen. I recommend the Mercado location because you can enjoy it on the patio!<\/p>\n

– We do love Guadalara Grill, but the past couple of times, the service has been very, very slow, so I don\u2019t recommend it as often as I used to. El Charro and Calle Tepa have AMAZING food and super fast service.<\/p>\n

We haven\u2019t tried these but have heard amazing things about Rosa\u2019s and Rollie\u2019s, too<\/p>\n

Date night (I recommend having reservations for all of these!):<\/h4>\n

– BATA. We went to BATA when it first opened and can\u2019t rave about it enough. The food is extremely unique, the cocktails were the best I\u2019ve had in Tucson, and it\u2019s a perfect date-night spot.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

– Terraza Garden Patio and Lounge at Hacienda del Sol. They often have live music on the patio, twinkly lights, and wonderful food.<\/p>\n

– Tito and Pep<\/p>\n

– Augustin Kitchen<\/p>\n

– Vivace – an Italian spot with gorgeous foothills views<\/p>\n

– Postino – a wine bar with customizable toasts and toppings, charcuterie, giant salads, and panini<\/p>\n

– Maynard’s<\/p>\n

Tucson hiking spots<\/h4>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019re fortunate to have SO many trailheads here in Tucson! Check out All Trails for one that meets your personal levels and distance preference, but here are some of my top hikes:<\/p>\n

Sabino Canyon<\/p>\n

Tumamoc Hill<\/p>\n

Finger Rock<\/p>\n

Catalina<\/p>\n

Best ice cream, dessert, and cold treats:<\/h4>\n

We love the Hub ice cream downtown (they always have a vegan flavor that\u2019s to die for!), Frost for gelato, and Bahama Bucks for shaved ice. If you\u2019re in Tucson, you also HAVE to try an eegee! There are locations with drive-thrus everywhere. The July flavor of the month is my fave (watermelon) and I also love the iced Teegee, which is lemon eegee with iced tea. Definitely get some fries and ranch to dip them; you won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Lovin\u2019 Spoonfuls has my FAVORITE desserts in Town \u2014 they\u2019re all vegan, too!<\/p>\n

Also Cafe a la Cart has insanely amazing desserts and pastries<\/p>\n

Monsoon Chocolate for local, handcrafted chocolate bars<\/p>\n

Tucson local spots to explore with kids:<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Botanical Gardens<\/strong><\/p>\n

Desert Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n

Defy trampoline park\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Splash pad <\/strong>(we have great ones at Brandi Fenton and Udall park)<\/p>\n

Take a horse lesson at Tanque Verde Ranch or TRAK\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sabino Canyon<\/strong> (you can take the tram if it\u2019s too hot to hike)<\/p>\n

Pima Air and Space Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trail Dust Town\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rocks and Ropes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mini Time Machine Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you been to Tucson? What are some of your local favorite recommendations? We can share the love and help each other out in the comments!<\/p>\n

xoxo<\/p>\n

Gina<\/p>\n

The post What to do and where to eat in Tucson<\/a> appeared first on The Fitnessista<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sharing some of my top recommendations for what to do and where to go in Tucson, AZ! Hi friends! Happy Monday! How\u2019s the week starting off for you? I\u2019m teaching my weekly aerobics class (such a blast!) and the Pilot is off work today. I\u2019m excited to have a proper daytime parent date with him.\u2026
\nThe post What to do and where to eat in Tucson appeared first on The Fitnessista.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3215"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3215"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3225,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3215\/revisions\/3225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}