Discover top sights and family-friendly things to do near the Tucson airport

From the beautiful architecture of San Xavier del Bac Mission to the hundreds of vintage aircraft at the Pima Air & Space Museum, many of Tucson’s most popular attractions are a short drive from the Country Inn & Suites, Tucson Airport. Families can find plenty of things to do nearby, such as riding the carousel and feeding giraffes at Reid Park Zoo. To learn about the area’s amazing desert landscape, tour the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum or experience it firsthand with hikes through Saguaro National Park and Sabino Canyon. Visiting to cheer on the FC Tucson or Tucson Saguaros on their home turf? You can reach Kino Sports Complex in about 10 minutes. After the game, get cleaned up in your room before scoring some of the city’s best Sonoran hot dogs at a south side eatery.

Select what to see in a map

  • Culture
  • Family
  • Nature

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

15.78 mi / 25.39 km from the hotel
This inviting complex celebrates the beauty of the Southwestern desert with a natural history museum, a botanical garden, an aquarium, and a zoo.

Sabino Canyon

13.98 mi / 22.49 km from the hotel
Wander through palo verde trees, cholla, and various other desert foliage when you visit this natural oasis in the Coronado National Forest’s desert canyon.

Saguaro National Park

15.11 mi / 24.31 km from the hotel
This park takes its name from its iconic saguaro cacti, the largest in the nation. Hike along the trails or plan a camping trip to see these plants that have become a symbol of the American West.

The Gaslight Theatre

8.12 mi / 13.07 km from the hotel
At this entertainment venue, you can dine, drink, and laugh until your side hurts. The Gaslight Theatre hosts musical comedies almost every night of the week.

The University of Arizona

7.11 mi / 11.44 km from the hotel
Prospective students and visiting families can tour this well-known research university, home to over 47,000 students. Don your Wildcats gear and participate in all the game-day action.

Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum

6.88 mi / 11.07 km from the hotel
In the heart of Tucson, these reconstructed adobe walls and tower are on the site of an 18th-century Spanish fort. See the remains of a dwelling built more than 2,000 years ago and a restored 1880s row house now home to exhibits and a gift shop.

San Xavier del Bac Mission

4.67 mi / 7.51 km from the hotel
Called the “White Dove of the Desert,” this Spanish Colonial church was completed in 1797. Attend Mass or tour the interior and on-site museum to take in the beautiful architecture.

Pima Air & Space Museum

3.86 mi / 6.22 km from the hotel
See around 400 aircraft, including helicopters, fixed-wing planes, and a replica space capsule that was used in the movie Apollo 13, at one of the world’s largest air and space museums.

Reid Park Zoo

5.42 mi / 8.72 km from the hotel
Spend the day at Reid Park Zoo learning about more than 500 diverse inhabitants, from macaws and flamingos to rhinos, monkeys, lions, zebras, and giraffes.

Tucson Botanical Gardens

8.23 mi / 13.25 km from the hotel
This serene oasis in the middle of the city features 17 distinct areas, including a shade garden, a wildflower garden, a Zen garden, and a butterfly greenhouse.

Tucson Museum of Art

6.84 mi / 11.01 km from the hotel
The Tucson Museum of Art houses a rich blend of modern, contemporary, Western American, folk, and Latin American art in its permanent collection. It also hosts a variety of rotating exhibits.

Madera Canyon

27.22 mi / 43.8 km from the hotel
This scenic area in the Santa Rita Mountains draws enthusiasts from around the globe hoping to spot rare birds like the elegant trogon. Look out for more than a dozen hummingbird species as you picnic, hike through woodland, or scale craggy peaks.