Discover Tucson's Secrets: Top 9 Fun Facts That Will Make You Love This Arizona Gem!

1. Botanical Theater of Desert Plants

In Tucson, the plants have more character than most sitcom actors: stately saguaros playing leading roles, spiky ocotillos as eccentric sidekicks, and creosote bushes filling out the ensemble cast. Feast your eyes on this breathtaking botanical theater at the Sweetwater Preserve, where the desert's dramatic landscapes set the stage for picturesque hiking and biking trails, enveloped by mountain views in every direction.
Source => tripadvisor.com

2. Tucson Festival of Books & Literary Circus

Who needs a page-turner when you've got a book parade and literary circus in town? Strap on your reading glasses and book it to Tucson: The Tucson Festival of Books, one of the largest literary events nationwide, saw approximately 150,000 attendees at the University of Arizona, with about 400 authors – including Bernie Sanders and Tucson's own Linda Ronstadt – in attendance. The full-scale event returned in all its glory this year, boasting teen workshops, a book character parade, and a literary circus to reel in the younger generation and instill a love for reading.
Source => kold.com

Did you know Albuquerque's iconic Route 66 intersects with itself, causing a peculiar geographic conundrum? Discover how this led to the famous phrase "Wrong Turn at Albuquerque" and how modern technology is making it a charming relic.

=> Fun Facts about Albuquerque

3. San Xavier Mission: Adobe-skyscraper

What do you get when you cross ancient Spanish chutzpah with Arizona's rugged desert beauty? Quite possibly the world's first "Adobe-skyscraper": The San Xavier Mission in Tucson, Arizona isn't just a National Historic Landmark, it's the oldest intact European structure in the state. Assembled piece by piece in the late 1700s and completed in 1797, this grand old dame – boasting over 220 years of wrinkles, Spanish Colonial architecture, original statuary, and mural paintings – continues to attract visitors in droves from across the globe, eager to pay their respects to her enduring, alluring charm.
Source => sanxaviermission.org

4. UNESCO City of Gastronomy

Feeling hangry for some south-of-the-border flavors? Tucson, Arizona is the ultimate gastronomic playground, throwing a fiesta for your taste buds with a smorgasbord of delightful Mexican cuisine: From top-tier restaurants to quirky food trucks, Tucson takes culinary pride in its borderlands roots, earning recognition as the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the US. Join fellow foodies on a taste-mission through 12th Avenue, diving mouth-first into the region's Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food and savoring the diverse, delectable dishes of this flavorful city.
Source => visittucson.org

5. Tucson's Bat Superheroes

Holy guano, Batman! Tucson, Arizona is swarming with your bat buddies: In a mass migration each year, Mexican free-tail bats flock to the city's bridges, like the East Broadway bridge over the Pantano Wash and the North Campbell Avenue bridge over the Rillito, forming colonies that can number in the thousands; collectively, these winged vigilantes consume about 2 tons of insects and provide natural pest control all while enjoying legal protection.
Source => library.pima.gov

6. World's Largest Airplane Storage Facility

Where old planes go to die, but not quite: The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona, houses over 4,400 aircraft, making it the world's largest airplane storage, preservation, and parts reclamation facility. The facility also turns former fighter jets into aerial target drones and stores tooling for retired military aircraft.
Source => airplaneboneyards.com

7. Rattlesnake Bridge Adventure

In Tucson, there's a bridge that might make you feel like you've accidentally stumbled into a giant game of Snakes and Ladders: The Rattlesnake Bridge is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge designed to resemble a Western Diamondback, complete with a 20-foot-tall, 300-pound rattle. Spanning over Broadway Blvd. near downtown, this quirky landmark by artist Simon Donovan once had a close encounter with traffic but now stands proudly unscathed thanks to a high-tech warning system.
Source => kgun9.com

8. City Saving Stars & Wildlife

Gather 'round, stargazers and nocturnal critters, for Tucson, Arizona has created a cosmic masterpiece unlike any other: Since 2012, they've implemented an outdoor lighting ordinance, converting nearly 20,000 street lights to energy-efficient LEDs with adaptive controls. This has led to a monthly savings of $180,000 in energy consumption, a 72% reduction in street lighting output, and the creation of a safer environment for their stealthy wildlife as they lurk through the night.
Source => darksky.org

9. Birdwatcher's Desert Paradise

Who needs a tropical vacation when you can have a tweety-good time in Tucson, Arizona? Birds of a feather flock together in this desert oasis: Home to over 500 species of birds, including the cactus wren, greater roadrunner, and Gila woodpecker, Tucson's diverse natural habitats and migratory flyways make it a prime birdwatching destination, with numerous parks, preserves, and festivals dedicated to showcasing its feathered residents.
Source => visittucson.org