IF YOU VISIT TUCSON

November to March is the peak time to visit Tucson. United and Southwest airlines fly into the city. Some points of interest:

San Xavier del Bac Mission

Founded as a Catholic mission in 1692 by Father Eusebio Kino, San Xavier is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona. Filled with colorful murals and statuary, the church is about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation. The Native Americans of the Sonoran Desert continue to worship in the mission, which is called the “white dove of the desert.” 1950 W. San Xavier Road; sanxaviermission.org

Sonoita wineries

About an hour southeast of Tucson is Arizona’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA), a wine-growing region in the towns of Sonoita and Elgin. For more information, including lodging and dining, see sonoitavineyards.com.

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

The natural beauty of Tucson is on full display at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains (the Coronado National Forest). Closed to vehicles, the canyon can be accessed by an open-air tram that takes visitors on a onehour round trip through some of the most stunning wilderness in Tucson, open year-round for walking and hiking.

Saguaro National Park

Hands down, the most awe-inspiring vistas in Tucson can be found in the western section of the park, the Tucson Mountain District, home to the mighty saguaro cactus, one of the iconic symbols of the American West. About 20 miles west of downtown, the park features miles of hiking trails graced by thousands of acres of towering cacti. Go at sunset for the best photography opportunities. 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail; nps.gov/sagu/index/htm

The Tuxon Hotel

Opened this summer, this boutique hotel offers 112 rooms set around an interior pool tricked out with daybeds and private cabanas. Grab a bicycle from the hotel’s bike shed and set out on “The Loop,” a 131-mile bikefriendly trail just two blocks from the hotel. 960 S. Freeway Road, 520-3722853; thetuxonhotel.com (rooms, $96)