Discovering Ottoy in One Day

  1. 9:00AM: Visit the Saguaro National Park East
    25 minutes (15.4 miles) from Tucson

    Spend your morning exploring the stunning landscape of the Saguaro National Park East. This park is home to the world's largest cacti and is a great spot for hiking, photography, and birdwatching.

  2. 12:00PM: Lunch at El Charro Café
    20 minutes (9.2 miles) from Saguaro National Park

    El Charro Cafe is the oldest Mexican restaurant in the United States and serves up delicious traditional dishes. Try their carne seca or the shrimp tacos for a taste of the local cuisine.

  3. 2:00PM: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
    13 minutes (7.7 miles) from El Charro Cafe

    The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a combination of a zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum. You can see desert animals, including wolves, mountain lions, and Gila monsters. They also have a hummingbird aviary, butterfly garden, and cactus garden.

  4. 4:30PM: Mission San Xavier del Bac
    24 minutes (12.8 miles) from Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

    Also known as the White Dove of the Desert, Mission San Xavier del Bac, is a historic Spanish Catholic mission. This stunning church is a National Historic Landmark and has stunning frescoes, sculptures, and paintings.

  5. 6:30PM: Old Pueblo Grille
    20 minutes (10.5 miles) from Mission San Xavier del Bac

    End your day with dinner at Old Pueblo Grille, which offers Mexican fare and margaritas. Try their signature dish, chiles en nogada, it's a stuffed poblano pepper with a walnut cream sauce.

Time and Costs Estimates

  • Saguaro National Park East (3 hours, $30 per vehicle)
  • El Charro Cafe (1 hour, $20 per person)
  • Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (2 hours, $25 per adult)
  • Mission San Xavier del Bac (2 hours, free admission)
  • Old Pueblo Grille (1.5 hours, $25 per person)
  • Total Estimated Costs: $100 per person

Useful Tips

If you have more time, consider visiting the Biosphere 2, an ecological research center, or the Reid Park Zoo, home to over 500 animals. If you have less time, skip the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and head straight to Mission San Xavier del Bac. Remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen as it can get hot in the desert!

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