Tucson Information

Tucson and Pima County have 5 school districts, as well as many charter schools.  The public school districts are:

1.  Tucson Unified School District – The largest school district serves about 47,000 students though 89 schools.

2.  Amphitheater School District – Amphi serves 13,000 students through 25 schools.  Amphi covers a portion of Tucson and extends into Pima County and Oro Valley.

3. Catalina Foothills School District –  Catalina Foothills serves 5000 students through 8 schools and covers the area north of the Rillito River up to the Catalina Mountains.

4. Marana Unified School District – MUSD serves 12,000 students through 18 schools and covers the northwest area of Pima County and the town of Marana.

5. Flowing Wells Unified School District – Flowing Wells serves 6000 students through 10 schools and covers the west side of Tucson and Pima County.

6. Vail School District –  Vail School District has 21 schools and covers the southeast portion of Tucson and Vail.

7.  Sunnyside Unified School District – SUSD serves 17,000 students through 22 schools and covers southern Tucson and Pima County.

8.  Tanque Unified School District – TVSD has 4 schools and covers the northeast Pima County area.

Tucson is a golfer’s delight.  With our mild winters and spectacular fall and winter weather, golf is truly a year round sport in Tucson.  

With dozens of public and municipal golf courses in and around Tucson, there’s something for golfers of every skill level.  Every March, the PGA Champions Tour visits Tucson. 

For that special golf retreat, Tucson also boasts some of the nation’s top resort courses.  One of the most recent courses is the Sewailo Golf Club at the Casino Del Sol Resort, designed by Ty Butler/Notay Begay and has 40,000 native plants and 14 lakes.  Other top resorts include JW Marriott Starr Pass Golf Club, The Lodge at Ventana Canyon,  The Golf Club at Dove Mountain, La Paloma Country Club, Skyline Country Club, Stone Canyon Club, Omni Tucson National and The Gallery Golf Club.

Everywhere you turn, you can see the rich southwest culture of Tucson and the Sonoran Desert.  Many of the annual events center around the diverse cultural influences found here.

In 2017, Tucson was named one of nine cities worldwide to be honored as World Festival & Event City.  Our diverse culture, heritage and values are celebrated with year round entertainment.

For one weekend in March, the University of Arizona Mall is transformed into a bookworms paradise.  The Tucson Festival of Books brings together book lovers and authors.  Discover new authors, resources for writers and participate in book panels, all while enjoying the beautiful spring weather in Tucson.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show draws thousands of dealers and shoppers from all over the world during late January – mid-February.  Over 50 different locations throughout the city become a treasure hunters paradise.  As one of the oldest and largest Gem and Mineral shows in the world, an unrivaled variety of minerals, fossils, jewelry and lapidary crafts delights the crowds.

On the first weekend in November thousands of people take to the streets downtown for the All Souls Procession.  A time to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones lost, the All Souls Procession is a combination of creative art and costumes inspired by the Dia de los Muertos holiday celebrated in Mexico.

What review of Tucson Events could be complete without La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo, one of the top 25 pro rodeos in the United States.  Since 1925, the Tucson Rodeo has returned Tucson to it’s cowboy roots.  For 2 weeks in late February, champion cowboys and cowgirls showcase their skills.  On Thursday of Rodeo Week, people line the streets to watch the world’s longest non-motorized parade, made up of horse-drawn coaches, traditionally outfitted riders, folk dancers and marching bands.

Here are a few things you may not know about Tucson:

1.  Tucson Still Has Real Cowboys Here – Where else does the entire town celebrate a week long rodeo, as well as the largest non-motorized parade.

2.  Tucson Dates Back More Than 4000 Years – The Hohokam Indians settled along the banks of the Santa Cruz and Rillito Rivers thousands of years ago.  Traces of their existence has been found in the form of pottery and adobe pit houses and can be seen in the Arizona State Museum.

3.  Peddle Power Paradise – Tucson has been recognized as the nation’s Best Bike Town.  The annual “El Tour de Tucson” ride is a 107 mile circuit of the city and county.  And you can drive very far without encountering bicyclists any time during the year.

4.  The Vatican Has An Observatory in Tucson – Among the nearly two dozen observatories in and around Tucson is the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, housed atop Mt. Graham.  Tucson also boast the KITT Peak Observatory complex, the world’s largest collection of optical telescopes.  And the University of Arizona is world renown for it’s mirror lab, which produces the largest and most advanced telescope mirros in the world.

5. Tucson Has A Ski Resort – Located atop Mt. Lemmon you will find the town of Summerhaven and the Mt. Lemmon ski area.  While it’s open year round, most of the activity there is centered around hiking.  During winter, there may be occasional snow that is enough to strap on your skis, but it’s also not uncommon for the road up to be closed to all but residents and 4 wheel drive vehicles.

6.  Within an Hour Drive You Can Pass Through 5 Ecosystems – A drive up Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway starts in the Sonoran Desert where majestic Saguaro cactus dominate the landscape.  As you climb higher you pass through upper Sonoran Zone you begin to see sparse oak woodlands.  Above 6000 feet is where the dense Ponderosa Pine forest takes over.  As you reach reach the summit, you enter the Canadian Zone, named for the dense Fir Forest which resembles many areas of Canada.

7.  Bear Down and Watch Basketball – While tailgating at the stadium on a fall day is a popular event, nothing compare the the Wildcat Basketball.  McKale Center is always packed and anything other than a PAC 12 title is a disappointment.

8.  Everyone Gets Excited About Rain – The topic of monsoons starts in early spring and goes through September.  When will it start, how strong with the monsoons be and, when they do start, everyone is excited.