Attractions & Activities
Ideally situated in Southern Arizona, Tubac provides a numerous activities for young and old alike.
Now On Display: Javelinas de Tubac Outdoor Art Exhibit
Golf in Tubac
Every year thousands of people come to Southern Arizona for the year-round golf, and with no less than ten public courses within thirty minutes, Tubac is an ideally situated destination. The Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, designed in 1959 by a group including the late Bing Crosby, offers an exceptional 27 hole championship course that skirts the riparian perimeter of the lush Santa Cruz River.
Hiking and Camping
The mountains and dirt roads around Tubac offer hikers numerous opportunities to experience the desert up close. Summer temps sometimes exceed 100°, so always bring plenty of water. In Tubac, camping is available at the Tubac Trailer Tether, (520) 398-2111, and the Flying W RV Ranch/Sunflower Camp, (520) 398-9148.
Attractions around Tubac
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Located in Tubac’s Old Town, the park’s museum offers a fascinating look at the history of the Santa Cruz Valley and Arizona’s first printing press. The park is Arizona’s first state park and marks the location of Arizona’s first European settlement. An underground archaeological site displays the adobe presidio ruins. The furnished 1885 Schoolhouse, Otero Hall and Rojas House are all on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is open 7 days from 9 AM to 5 PM. Living history and printing press demonstrations take place frequently from October thru March. For more information call (520) 398-2252.
The Tubac Center of the Arts is located at the main intersection in Tubac, offering nationally juried art exhibitions, opportunities for artists to exhibit their work, art workshops, lectures, a performing arts series, special events and a unique gift shop.
A few minutes south of Tubac
Located just 4 miles south of Tubac on the East Frontage Road, the Tumacacori National Historical Park is not to be missed. The main unit of the park preserves the remains of the Spanish mission church San Jose de Tumacacori and the associated cemetery, mortuary chapel and portions of the convento. An adobe visitor center and museum displays exhibits. The adjacent patio garden features plants of the mission period. Open everyday 8 AM to 5 PM, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For information call (520) 398-2341 or visit online.
30 minutes northeast of Tubac
Our crystal clear night skies draw astronomers from all over the world. The Observatory offers tours and popular evening programs. The Visitors Center, located in Amado at the base of Mount Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains, features displays and exhibits on astronomy and astrophysics, natural science, and cultural history. Public access to the telescope arrays atop Mount Hopkins is limited to guided tours via a shuttle bus from the Visitor Center. These daytime tours are popular and by advance reservation only, so call ahead, 520-670-5707, or visit online.
25 minutes south of Tubac
About twenty miles south of Tubac, Peña Blanca lake is a pleasant spot for hiking, fishing and bird watching. Picnic and lakeside camping sites available. For more information visit the Coronado National Forest website.
25 minutes north of Tubac
Take a tour of a cold war era relic! The fascinating tour through the Titan missile silo is often led by folks who were there when it was an active military installation. In Green Valley, about twenty miles north of Tubac. For more information, call (520) 625-7736 or visit online.
30 minutes north of Tubac
Copper mining is part of the region’s growing economy, and the Asarco Mineral Discovery Center gives visitors to the area a chance to learn first hand where their pennies come from. Its fascinating! For more information call (520) 625-7513 or visit online.
Where the Birds Are
Tubac rests along the Santa Cruz River where high desert scenery mixes with a lush riparian cottonwood forest. The results make this location an exceptional one for birders seeking many of Southern Arizona’s lesser observed birds. Of special interest for birders is the Anza Trail, which winds a leisurely pace from the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park through the cottonwoods on its way to the Tumacacori National Historic Park, just three miles south.
Nearby Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains with easy access from Green Valley is a world-renowned area for birding. Just a short drive from Tubac is the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve along Sonoita Creek, one of the few remaining permanent streams and the richest riparian habitat in the region. Ramsey Canyon Preserve near Sierra Vista is a short and scenic day trip from Tubac.
