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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Tucson

40 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

Updated April 25, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Tucson

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Tucson

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Taste of Tucson

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The people of Tucson have been eating off the land for 4,100 years. From grains to livestock to produce introduced by missionaries in the 1600s, this UNESCO City of Gastronomy is home to some of the oldest farmland in North America. What once was old is new again in The Old Pueblo where ancient flavors are found in nearly every dish — trendy to traditional.

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Explore Tucson, Arizona

Museums 9
Architecture 5
Collections 5
Deserts 5
Art 4
Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

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Podcast: The Mirror Lab

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
The cacti’s fruit are also known as tunas.

How an Arizonan Company Turns Cacti Into Candy

Prickly pear gummies are a taste of the Sonoran Desert.
by Bevin Dunn
Joe Orman stands below 4 Square, one of the first crested saguaros he discovered.

Arizona's Most Unusual Cacti Have Their Own Fan Club

The Crested Saguaro Society is on a quest to document the Sonoran Desert's strangest succulents.
by Kerry Wolfe
These rescuers are transporting a six-foot saguaro on a day with temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

When Cactus Destruction Is Imminent, These Rescuers Come Running

The Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society is closing in on 100,000 salvaged plants.
by Leslie Nemo

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