and being a bit of a foodie went in pursuit of tamales. This is a no frills joint but if you like tamales this place is off the hook AMAZING http://tucsontamale.com
So I'm here in Tucson, what is there to do here? Its gorgeous and the weather is great!
I like the Cushing St Bar. On Saturdays they have live jazz. Small intimate place, good food and music on the weekends.
and being a bit of a foodie went in pursuit of tamales. This is a no frills joint but if you like tamales this place is off the hook AMAZING http://tucsontamale.com
Brief list: Congress Street for bars and restaurants, or dinner at Taco Blanco or North at La Encantada for a nighttime view of the city, hiking at Sabino Canyon, Catalina State Park, or Saguaro National Park, Old Tucson Studios, drive up to Mt Lemmon. Enjoy!
That's a good start. Downtown & 4th ave have a lot of eclectic places to shop and eat and cocktail. Plenty of colorful personalities, too. It's fun. Try Bison Witches or Brooklyn Pizza on 4th. For me, the star of Tucson's show is Sonoran-style Mexican food. El Charro downtown is good, but if you venture to the south side you'll find even better. Don't be afraid of the roadside taco stands... some of them are out of this world delish.
If you like nature/outdoorsy stuff check out the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. There's also a ton of good hiking around. As mentioned above, Mt. Lemmon is ~10k feet, pine forested and is less than a 1hr drive from the center of town. Ventana Canyon resort has a nice trail, too.
U of A brings in a lot of cool shows, exhibitions, sports, music and multi-cultural events. Main Gate Square just west of campus has a good vibe to it.
Good luck! I hope you have fun on your Tucson adventure. Let me l know if I can provide more specific suggestions.
Outstanding food and mandatory hugs. Poca Cosa on Pennington for dinner is excellent but higher priced.