Deep in the Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Arizona, is a stargazing paradise. The city’s high elevation and dry climate mean it enjoys crystal-clear skies for much of the year. Additionally, the Tucson-based DarkSky International has helped enforce regulations that minimize light pollution, making it an ideal place for viewing the Milky Way, planets, and deep-space objects.
Recently, the city unveiled another reason for celestial seekers to flock there: a new Tucson Astro Trail. Available to view via a mobile app, the trail is a curated collection of the best dark-sky attractions, ranging from state and national parks where the constellations twinkle brightest to world-class astronomy institutes.
“This trail makes it easy for everyone to experience the best Tucson has to offer in terms of dark skies whether they’re serious astronomers or casual stargazers,” Felipe Garcia, Visit Tucson’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “Tucson is one of the astronomy capitals of the world, and we want everyone to find a way to connect with the stars here.”
Here’s everything travelers need to know about Tucson’s Astro Trail and how else to round out a trip to the southern Arizona city.
Tucson by night
All told, Tucson’s Astro Trail features five observatories, a planetarium, a laboratory, an aviation and space museum, two state parks, and one national park.
Some highlights include Saguaro National Park, which was certified as the newest Urban Night Sky Place in late 2023—a distinction given to sites near large urban areas whose planning actively promotes authentic nighttime experiences. The protected land offers myriad opportunities for appreciating the cosmos, from stargazing at popular areas Signal Hill and Javelina Rocks to joining a ranger-guided night hike among the iconic towering cacti or attending a star party with local astronomers.
A highlight of the Astro Trail is an overnight telescope program at Kitt Peak National Observatory.
Photo by Ruoyu/Unsplash
There’s also Kitt Peak National Observatory, on the Tohono O’odham Nation, about an hour from downtown Tucson. This observatory boasts the most extensive array of telescopes in the world and offers a variety of stargazing programs, including a private overnight experience during which guests are assigned a telescope to use all night long. Additionally, the Mt. Lemmon Skycenter grants access to two of the largest public telescopes in the Southwest as well as a SkyNights StarGazing Program, Astronomer Nights, and an immersive Astronomy Camp.
The University of Arizona campus has three trail stops: Steward Observatory, Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, and the Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory. The latter is located underneath the school’s football stadium and manufactures the world’s largest and most advanced telescope lenses. Other sites include the Pima Air & Space Museum, Mount Graham International Observatory, Oracle State Park, Kartchner Caverns State Park, and the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory.
Travelers can sign up for a mobile passport on Visit Tucson’s website or use a printed guide. Visit Tucson also offers stargazing itineraries to help travelers plan their celestial journey.
Tucson by day
Tucson offers plenty for travelers to do by day, too. Visitors can explore the dramatic rock formations of Sabino Canyon or wander through the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which offers an immersive look at the region’s wildlife, blending a zoo, a botanical garden, and a natural history museum into one.
As stunning as Tucson and its surroundings are at night, visiting historical sites such as the 18th-century Mission San Xavier del Bac by day won’t disappoint.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
History buffs may want to visit Mission San Xavier del Bac, a stunning 18th-century Spanish colonial church—the oldest in the United States. At the same time, art lovers can pick their way through myriad galleries, including Philabaum Glass Gallery & Studio (the only all-glass gallery in southern Arizona) and Blue Lotus Artists’ Collective (a nonprofit gallery dedicated to supporting and uplifting Black artists).
Where to eat in Tucson
Visitors won’t go hungry in Tucson. The culinary scene here is built upon thousands of years of Mexican and Native American traditions (which you can learn more about at Mission Garden, a living agricultural museum showcasing various cultures’ influences on Tucson’s palate). It is part of what led to Tucson being designated as the United States’ first UNESCO World City of Gastronomy in 2015.
If you don’t mind another trail, Visit Tucson also launched its America’s Best Mexican Food Field Guide in 2024, spotlighting the best tacos, moles, tortas, and beyond. One of the most popular stops is El Charro Café, the more than 100-year-old institution credited with inventing the chimichanga. Another is Tumerico, a vegetarian hot spot showcasing locally sourced ingredients with a Sonoran twist.
For something James Beard recommended, head to El Güero Canelo for its famous Sonoran hot dog (a bacon-wrapped link served on a roll topped with beans, tomatoes, and jalapeño salsa) or Barrio Bread for artisanal loaves made with heritage grains. If you can’t get enough of all things interstellar, Sky Bar is a solar-powered café by day and an astronomy bar by night, with telescopes on the patio and astronomers on hand on select weekend nights.
Lean into the celestial theme with a stay at Tanque Verde Ranch, which offers guided stargazing.
Courtesy of Tanque Verde Ranch
Where to stay in Tucson
The Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, a luxury mountaintop wellness resort with panoramic views of the desert and night sky, offers complimentary stargazing on select nights for guests with a Mount Lemmon SkyCenter program guide.
Tanque Verde Ranch, located on 640 acres of desert in the Rincon Mountains and adjacent to Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest, offers guided stargazing. The Tuxon, a motor-lodge–style hotel in downtown Tucson, also offers monthly stargazing events.
