The Best City in the Southwest - Tucson

Of course I'm going to choose Tucson as the best city in the Southwest because it's where I live. What I like best about Tucson is the winter weather here. To me, it is ideal and as a native New Yorker, it's also a nice relief. I don't miss the coldness and inconvenience of the snow and ice. We rarely get a thin layer of snow flurries here and as soon as the sun comes back out (within minutes) it disappears. Our coldest daytime degrees here is about 65, in December and January. Nights are in the high 30s. I don't own a winter coat. It's never too cold to go sight-seeing, sit outside and/or do outside activities. As a matter of fact most of us choose the winter months to do outdoors activities because our summers are hot. Outdoors activities are very popular here, such as: swimming, golf, horseback riding, mountain climbing, bicycling and hiking. "Snowbirds" love to come here during their winter months because ours are extremely pleasant. Tucson is located in Southern Arizona, in the Sonoran Desert, which is why the air is so dry here.

The scenery in Tucson is awesome. No matter which way you turn your head in Tucson you see beautiful mountains: Santa Catalina Mountains are to the north and northwest; Santa Rita Mountains to the south and southeast; Rincon Mountains to the east; Tucson Mountains to the west; and Tortolita Mountains on the northwest side. We seldom have an overcast so the mountains are always in sight.

If you live in, or visit the Foothills areas of Tucson, it is not uncommon to see beautiful desert animals just walking, or laying around. One time I was watering our rose bushes and there was a bobcat watching me about 200 feet away and meowing. Just a few weeks ago a bobcat was on our brick wall watching my daughter, as she did some yard work. After my daughter was done, the bobcat spread its leg down the wall and went back to sleep. I've seen baby bobcats climbing the tree and frolicking in my yard and on my roof. Their mother was very close by watching them. While I was pulling weeds one day four (4) black Javelinas (wild pigs) came into the area where was I working. We also have mountain lions, coyotes and deer here. Although it is tempting to interact with these beautiful animals, it is recommended not to get close to any of them.

Two of my favorite tourist attractions here is Trail Dust Town, located on the east side of town on Tanque Verde Road, between Grant Road and Pima Street and the Pima Air & Space Museum located on East Valencia Road. Trail Dust Town is a small replica of a cowboy town, with a saloon, a great steak restaurant, a carousel, miniature train, a museum and small shops. Gunfights are put on several times each day and last Halloween we went to the haunted house they set-up there. We had a fun night, so close to home. The Pima Air & Space Museum has over 250 planes and helicopters from as way back as World War I. I loved being able to look inside of Air Force One, which was the plane used by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. We have a lot of other museums here in Tucson too, including the Arizona State Museum, on the University of Arizona campus, which has the world's largest collection of southwest Indian pottery. At the Malls and Tucson Convention Center you can purchase a Tucson Attractions Passport Book for only $15.00, which will allow you one (1) free admission, when one (1) is purchased, to many of our tourist attractions here. As a resident, I purchase a book every year. It is well worth it.

Shopping is great here. Throughout Tucson, we have 4 Malls and too many other stores to count. Parking lots are huge so parking is very easy, without any stress. Not very many people here know how to parallel park because unless we go downtown, in central neighborhoods, or near the University area, we never have to do it. In 28 years, I've only parallel parked here once - last month.

The cost of living is very fair here in Tucson, compared to other cities worldwide. Stores have very competitive and very reasonable prices, with coupons always being circulated several ways through the mail, in store circulars, in local magazines and newspapers and online. We have many discount stores here in Tucson. My favorite is the Dollar Tree, where everything is $1.00. For tourists, you can stay at a really nice hotel here for only $59.00 per night. For future residents, you can purchase a condominium here in the beautiful Foothills for as low as $89,000.

I recommend you come to Tucson for a visit. You may not want to leave.