With family coming to town, we figure you can do one of two things.
Hide in your closet with all the wine or get out of the house and enjoy this lovely weather together.
Assuming you'll go for option number two, we have some ideas.ย
Sabino Canyon
Visitors to Sabino Canyon, including (from left) Bu Meh, 16, Mi Meh, 15, and Elizabeth Meh, 16, enjoy a cooling-off.
We love Sabino this time of year. So, show it off to your visitors. They'll love it too.
Pack a picnic and make a day of hiking the trails and enjoying the sound of water flowing through the creek. Trails range from super easy to fairly difficult.
For an easy hike, we recommend the dam. There's a nice beach area to sit for a while and fun rocks to climb. There's also a cool gift shop and visitor's center where you can learn all about the area.ย
The canyon is an easily found on the northeast side of town atย 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road, near Kolb and Sunrise. It costs $5 to park.ย
Ramsey Canyon
Wild creatures, such as this deer, remain a constant in leafy Ramsey Canyon.
If you want to feel like it's fall, take a short road trip to Sierra Vista/Hereford and visit Ramsey Canyon.ย
There's a stream and water-loving plants like sycamores, maples and columbines mixed with cactus, yucca and agaves.
It's on a nature preserve and there's a short, easy hike the whole family can do. You can also go on a guided walk.ย
The canyon is closed on Thanksgiving, but you could go on Friday, Saturday or Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ramsey Canyon is located atย 27 E. Ramsey Canyon Road in Hereford about 85 miles southeast of Tucson.ย
Catalina State Park
If you want to see beautiful desert scenery, go to Catalina State Park.
It's at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains and has nearly 5,000 saguaros and more than 150 species of birds.
There are eight trails here that vary in length and difficulty. Make sure to pick up a free trail guide at the visitor center when you arrive.ย
If you want an easy hike, try the Canyon Loop Trail, a 2.3-mile loop through the foothills. It's mostly flat but there is a spot in the middle with about 90 stairs. It'll take you about an hour and a half to walk the loop.ย
If you're looking for something a little challenging with the prospect of water at the end, hike to Romero Pools on the Romero Canyon Trail. It's almost three miles to the pools and gains about 900 feet in elevation. It'll take you about two hours each way.ย
Catalina State Park is located at 11570 N. Oracle Road
Bonus: Road trip idea
A cardon cactus from Baja California looks similar to a saguaro, but its arms typically start lower on the plant.
If you want to show your family more of Arizona without having to drive super far, check out this itinerary to the Copper Corridor, where you'll visit Oracle, Globe and Superior.
You'll find cool and quirky stops like the World's Smallest Museum, great restaurants and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which is the oldest and largest botanical garden in Arizona.ย
Go here and read about Andi and Sam's adventure on this road trip for details and ideas.
