Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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also are educational. You can learn about creating a garden for birds or for butterflies, and
then see what sort of crops the Native Americans of this region have traditionally grown.
A sensory garden stimulates all five senses. A toy train layout and a tropical butterfly
house (open fall through spring) make this a surprisingly good place to bring the kids.
2150 N. Alvernon Way.
&
520/326-9686.
www.tucsonbotanical.org. Admission $7 adults, $3 children
4-12. Daily 8:30am-4:30pm. Closed New Year's Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Dec 24-25. Bus: 9 or 11.
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS BOTH REAL & REEL
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Called the White Dove of the Desert, Mission
San Xavier del Bac, an active Roman Catholic church serving the San Xavier Indian
Reservation, is a blindingly white adobe building that rises from a sere, brown landscape.
Considered the finest example of mission architecture in the Southwest, the beautiful
church was built between 1783 and 1797, and incorporates Moorish, Byzantine, and
Mexican Renaissance architectural styles. The church, however, was never actually com-
pleted, which becomes apparent only when the two bell towers are compared. One is
topped with a dome, while the other has none.
Colorful murals cover the interior walls, and behind the altar are elaborate decora-
tions. To the left of the main altar, in a glass sarcophagus, is a statue of St. Francis Xavier,
the mission's patron saint, who is believed to answer the prayers of the faithful. A visit to
San Xavier's little museum provides a bit of historical perspective and a chance to explore
more of the mission. To the east of the church, atop a small hill, you'll find not only an
interesting view of the church, but also a replica of the famous grotto in Lourdes, France.
There are often food stalls selling fry bread in the parking lot in front of the church.
1950 W. San Xavier Rd.
&
520/294-2624.
www.sanxaviermission.org. Free admission; donations
accepted. Daily 8am-5pm. Take I-19 S. 9 miles to exit 92 and turn right.
Old Tucson Studios
Kids
Despite the name, this is not the historical location of
the old city of Tucson—it's a Western town originally built as the set for the 1939 movie
Arizona.
In the years since, Old Tucson has been used during the filming of John Wayne's
Rio Lobo, Rio Bravo,
and
El Dorado;
Clint Eastwood's
The Outlaw Josey Wales;
Kirk Doug-
las's
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral;
Paul Newman's
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean;
and, more recently,
Tombstone
and
Geronimo.
Today, however, Old Tucson is far more than just a movie set. In addition to serving
as a site for film, TV, and advertising productions (call ahead to find out if any filming
is scheduled), it has become a Wild West theme park with diverse family-oriented
activities and entertainment. Throughout the day, there are staged shootouts in the
streets, stunt demonstrations, a cancan musical revue, and other performances. Train and
kiddie rides, restaurants, and gift shops round out the experience.
201 S. Kinney Rd.
&
520/883-0100.
www.oldtucson.com. Admission $17 adults, $11 children 4-11.
Daily 10am-4pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Dec 24-25, and occasional special events. Take Speedway Blvd.
west, continuing in the same direction when it becomes Gates Pass Blvd., and turn left on S. Kinney Rd.
ART MUSEUMS
Center for Creative Photography
Have you ever wished you could see an original
Ansel Adams print up close, or perhaps an Edward Weston or a Richard Avedon? You
can at the Center for Creative Photography. Originally conceived by Ansel Adams, the
center now holds more than 80,000 master prints by more than 2,000 of the world's best
photographers, making it one of the best and largest collections in the world. The center
mounts fascinating exhibits year-round and is also a research facility that preserves the
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