If you've read my Spruce Street Suspension Bridge review, you'd already know my partner is an urban…read moreplanner/transit advocate. Whenever we go somewhere new, we always check out that city's metro system or unique infrastructures. He wasn't with me on this trip so I decided to surprise him with a tale of my adventures to the Rattlesnake Bridge (this bridge has a rattlesnake tail...yes I sent him the picture to accompany the tale). I found this spot on Yelp and it was an adventure finding it in person. There is no parking next to it, so I had to park at Iron Horse park and walk around until I found an entrance to it. Note: If you're coming from that side, the ramp to the bridge is closer to the main street. I think my favorite part of the bridge was the rattlesnake tail at the end. It's fun to be able to say I've been inside a snake.

This is what happens when true creativity, art and community improvement come together! The…read moreRattlesnake Bridge is a unique, functional piece of art that is as pleasing to look at as it is to use! There's a lot of road construction at his silver fanged head so we started at the back end and walked through, it's pretty cool to be in the belly of a snake!! It's not the best neighborhood area and there are folks that have decided to call the area home so be aware of your surroundings just like anywhere else nowadays! Perhaps the Tucson Art Academy could take an interest and clean it up, after all, it is an artists creation!

Scratched, time-worn religious sculptures stand within the shade of the Congress Street Bridge,…read moreforming a lovely, peaceful sculpture garden. Quite miraculously, they've survived decades of floods, droughts, and vandalism. They exist because during World War I, a man named Felix Lucero lay seriously injured on a battlefield in France. Wounded and in agony, he proposed a deal with God: If he survived, he'd use his natural skills as a sculptor to create religious statues. After returning home from the war, Lucero set about making good on his word. In the late 1930s, he lived in Tucson, Arizona, in a shack beneath a bridge. From there, he began creating beautiful works of art. While in Tucson, Lucero spent years crafting detailed statues of religious figures out of sand and debris from the Santa Cruz River, which he then slathered in a protective coat of plaster. He created iconic Biblical scenes, including the Last Supper, Joseph and Mary, and Jesus on the crucifix. Though Lucero died in 1951, his work is still standing--which is amazing, considering the statues weren't built from lasting materials and have faced frequent vandalism over the years. Many are damaged, but they still stand tall. Dedicated locals have worked to salvage and repair the sculptures after each vandalism incident, and in the 1980s moved them to form this sculpture garden near the very bridge Lucero once lived beneath.

Really cool place! I've never seen anything like it. Lovely to reflect on the life of Jesus here…read moreand see amazing sculpture art.

We did a short walking tour and visited the pop up martini bar of the new upgraded Presidio tonight…read more- it has some beautiful upgrades with new benches, murals, and walking path areas! There's also a great view of the tallest mural in Arizona here!

We love museums and this one is great. It tells a story of Old Tucson. A really good visitor Center.read more

So many murals, and so little time. My girlfriend mapped out the walk-through downtown and into…read moresixth Avenue, stone, up to fourth Avenue where we could see murals. I didn't know that there are approximately 2000 in all of Tucson. But there is a high concentration down here and you can find the locations if you look at google for the "mural trail" for Tucson. it was so fun just to walk around downtown and all around the sixth Avenue to fourth Avenue area and discover murals of many to honor and respect all the cultures here in Tucson. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

There are independent shops all over Tucson, but nowhere is quite as cozy as Old Town Artisans…read more With history dating back to the 19th century, Old Town further evolved into a quaint marketplace where different vendors- each with their own physical shop, operate under this big space with nice prices. My kid and I weaved in and out of the shops and even one or two eateries. There's a record shop, souvenirs, handmade Tucson products, ceramics, Native items and more. There's even a courtyard where you can lounge a bit and listen to live music. While my kid and I didn't spend too much time in each shop, Old Town A's ambiance is warm and inviting and were greeted by friendly owners eager to share the history about each of their wares.

Old Town Artisans has long been a downtown Tucson treasure. I hadn't ventured out there in a while…read morebut I'm glad I did. I'm loving the new outdoor seating addition. You can enjoy dining inside the courtyard at Jojos, or you can great a pasta or gelato from ceres and dine on the closed street that now offers plenty of seating surrounded by trees and murals. It's a vibe and I can't wait to enjoy it more as the temps go down. Locals and tourists alike wi find a shop they love and certainly something to eat and drink that they'll love.

I loved the art so I give two stars instead of one, but my rating is only so low because of the…read morestaff member who made my group feel unwelcome. It's important to note that our group was visibly made up of women of color, and we are all mostly hispanic and indigenous. For the first hour, we encountered staff members and security who just seemed like they were doing their jobs normally. No staring, no following, just observing and moving within their sections. But as we moved into the last section before the gift shop, we encountered a staff member who left a bad taste in our mouths. He was on his phone and ignoring the other (white) people in his section, but as soon as we walked in he stared really intensely at us and immediately stood up. He spent the next 45 minutes following us from room to room, making intense eye contact with us and keeping his arms crossed. If one of us moved out of his line of sight (I moved behind a pillar briefly) he moved quickly to see what we were doing. I understand he was keeping museum property safe, but we were following proper museum etiquette and nothing we were doing warranted that reaction. We kept our voices lowered, moved slowly, didn't get too close to items, etc. People of color are used to being treated with suspicion in many spaces, so I can assure you we know what it looks like when someone is keeping an eye on us. I thought it was in poor taste, though, to treat us, Mexican and indigenous women, like that, especially when we were in an art gallery viewing art by Latin American and indigenous artists. It gives the wrong impression and made us feel unwelcome when we were there to view and celebrate our own art and culture. I'm not writing this out of spite, but hopefully the museum can make sure their staff members do not continue to treat people of color differently than all people should be treated...especially when they display our art.

This museum was much bigger than I expected! Multiple floors of various exhibits spanning art and…read morehistory. There's an impressive collection of Meso American artifacts. There's also a wide range of art from various time period, plus contemporary + modern art. This museum's centennial was in 2025, and there are special pieces at the museum that were donated for the centennial. Don't forget to check out the outdoor sculpture garden! There's also a signpost outside the museum exit that people stick their admission stickers on, if you want to be part of the art. ;) I have some feedback though-- the gift shop does not have any magnets for the museum which was surprising. I also didn't see any postcards that were specific to the museum. They had generic Arizona and Tucson gifts, but the only museum-specific souvenirs my friend and I found were a few stickers.

Public art is bountiful in the Old Pueblo. It's likely you've passed by this structure before...but…read moremight not know what it's all about or where it came from. This mighty Griffin was designed by Creative Machines, which is based in Tucson! Creative Machines is an organizations that brings artist, fabricators and engineers together to design and install public art all over the country. The backstory is that in the 1930's Griffins onced perched over the Carnegie Library, which is now home to Tucson Children's Museum. They disappeared during a renovation or were removed. This structure pays homage to the Griffins of the Carnegie Library. The Griffin is located on Scott Avenue illuminates beautifully at night and makes for a fun photo while exploring the downtown area!

I love public art! Another cool work from Creative Machines to check out when exploring downtown…read moreTucson. Make sure to check out his footprints along the way. Story has it, that before the Carnagie Library was remodeled in 1938, they used to have griffins, but somehow one got away when they were removed. Hence the footprints. Bright red LED lights illuminate Toby's heart at night.

SO excited about the newest addition -- the Tucson Chocolate Factory!…read moreEvery bite is insanely delicious, rich, and bursting with flavor... the kind of chocolate that makes you immediately want more. And DO NOT skip the Dubai Chocolate Cup -- it's next-level amazing and an absolute showstopper. A must-visit for any chocolate lover!

I love the Proper Shops! I think this was a really brilliant use of a space that had previously…read morenot been able to find an identity in downtown's revitalization process. It is a large-ish space dedicated to local artisans. There are all types of art and items here to browse and purchase. Some spaces rotate, which is cool to showcase multiple people and keep things fresh (so I have a reason to stop in every time I walk by). I don't look at all the pricing, but most stuff seems pretty reasonable. Everyone is nice, I even chatted with the owner once who was very kind and passionate about the shops. I would recommend Proper Shops to anyone and I love that it exists downtown!

What's good ol' Paul Bunyan doing in Tucson? Is he a snowbird like the rest of the Midwest and East…read moreCoast folk that settle here over the winter months? And what's he doing right in front of a hot rod shop? Maybe he came down here to get some parts for his souped up 1932 Ford Roadster. In any case, I got a kick out of seeing this quirky little bit of Tucson. It's nothing too Earth shattering but if you're in the area it's worth a quick stop.

This is a great old 60's statue that everyone glares at when they pass it. It's been around a long…read moretime. Fun stuff for you dumb road buffs. He has a big axe so watch out commies!