Southern Arizona - American Southwest - page 471

1 Otero Rd. (P.O. Box 1297), Tubac, AZ 85646. & 800/848-7893 or 520/398-2211. Fax [phone].
www.tubacgolfresort.com. 98 units. $189-$259 double; $239-$339 suite. Children 17 and under stay free
in parent's room. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($25 fee). Amenities: 3 restaurants; 2 lounges;
babysitting; concierge; 27-hole golf course; exercise room; 2 Jacuzzis; outdoor pool; room service; full-
service spa; tennis court. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, hair dryer, Internet.
WHERE TO DINE
In addition to the restaurants mentioned below, Stables, at the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa,
serves good steaks.
Dos Silos MEXICAN Set amid the green lawns and gardens of the Tubac Golf
Resort, this restaurant takes its name from the two old silos that tower over the patio.
Good Mexican food and a fun atmosphere make this my favorite area restaurant. The
fish tacos and margaritas are both excellent and together make the perfect meal. There's
also decent guacamole, and the ceviche is another good bet.
Tubac Golf Resort, 1 Ave. de Otero, Tubac. & 520/398-3787. Reservations only for parties of 8 or more.
Main courses $10-$15 lunch, $15-$22 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-9pm.

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Shelby's Bistro AMERICAN Located behind a small shopping plaza and across a
little footbridge, this casual place has a very pleasant patio and is a great spot for lunch.
The lunch menu is a mix of pastas, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas; in the evening, there's
prime rib, lobster, and steaks. Try the Sonoran spice-rubbed pork chop.
In Mercado de Baca, 19 Tubac Rd. & 520/398-8075. Reservations not necessary. Main courses $9.25-
$33. AE, MC, V. Sun-Tues 11am-4pm; Wed-Sat 11am-4pm and 5-9pm.

Wisdom's Cafe Finds MEXICAN Located between Tubac and Tumacácori (look for
the giant chicken statues out front), this roadside diner is a Santa Cruz Valley institution,
in business since 1944. With a cement floor and walls hung with old cowboy stuff, it feels
like a cross between a cave and an old barn. The short menu includes tostadas, tacos, and
enchiladas made with turkey. Be sure to save room for a fruit burrito (Mexican fruit
pie).
1931 E. Frontage Rd., Tumacácori. & 520/398-2397. www.wisdomscafe.com. Reservations not neces-
sary. Main dishes $4.50-$16. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11am-3pm and 5-8pm.

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3 PATAGONIA & SONOITA

Patagonia: 18 miles NW of Nogales; 60 miles SE of Tucson; 171 miles SE of Phoenix; 50 miles SW of Tomb-
stone
A mild climate, numerous good restaurants, bed-and-breakfast inns, and a handful of
wineries have turned the small communities of Patagonia and Sonoita into a favorite
weekend getaway for Tucsonans. Sonoita Creek, one of the only perennial streams in
southern Arizona, attracts an amazing variety of bird life and, consequently, also attracts
flocks of bird-watchers from all over the country.
Patagonia and Sonoita are only about 12 miles apart, but they have decidedly different
characters. Patagonia is a sleepy little hamlet with tree-shaded streets, quite a few old adobe
buildings, and a big park in the middle of town. The town's main draw, especially for bird-
watchers, is the Nature Conservancy preserve on the western edge of town. Sonoita, on the
other hand, sits out on the windswept high plains and is really a highway crossroads, not a
town. The landscape around Sonoita, however, is filled with expensive new homes on small
ranches, and not far away are the vineyards of Arizona's wine country.