From food to bicycling to generosity, the Old Pueblo was recognized nationally several times in 2018. Tucson's neighbors were also among those recognized this year. Forbes said one of the most luxurious hotels in the world is in Marana, The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, Bisbee's St. Elmo made a list of historic dive bars, Apple Annie's in Willcox was said to be the best place in the world to eat apple pie, and Oro Valley was recently recognized for being one of the most romantic spots in Arizona along with Tucson.
Below are 11 times Tucson was given a national shout-out.
New York Times gives a big shout-out to Tucson
The New York Time’s Frugal Traveler spent some time in Tucson in February.
In an article published in March, titled "Tucson is a City that Encourages you to Explore," columnist Lucas Peterson praised the Old Pueblo's easy access to spectacular nature and tasty Mexican food. The
trip included a stop at the Fiesta de Vaqueros rodeo, checking out the
thousands of sandhill cranes at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area some 100
miles east of the city and watching the sunset from Windy Point Lookout
on Mount Lemmon.
You can read the article
here.
Washington Post gives a shout-out to 3 Tucson eateries
In another of
national attention given to Tucson's food scene, the Washington Post
gave a nod to three of Tucson's well-known eateries. In the travel column titled "Where to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tucson,"
John Briley writes that "if you’re seeking real Mexican food or
innovative American chefs, fear not. You won’t leave disappointed." For breakfast, he recommends Prep & Pastry for the locally sourced dishes and pastries. For lunch, Boca Tacos y Tequila,
where he tells readers to try a sampling of the restaurant's 100 brands
of tequila. And last but not least, finish it off with phyllo-wrapped
chicken at 47 Scott.
Food and Wine says these are Tucson's 10 best restaurants
As "the kind
of place that's been conserving heirloom seeds since the early '80s and
producing self-made success stories like Barrio Bread owner (and
heritage grain whisperer) Don Guerra," it came as no surprise to Food
and Wine magazine when Tucson exploded on the scene a few years ago.
The
list includes classics like Tacos Apson and El Guero Canelo, but also
includes some less traditional spots, including Chef Alisah's European
and Bosnian Cuisine and somewhat newcomers, Welcome Diner and Presta
Coffee.
Read more
here.
Tucson's Desert Museum recognized as a top museum nationwide
Once again, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum made TripAdvisor's annual list recognizing the top 25 museums in the country. This
year, Tucson's beloved desert museum came in 18th place — the same rank
as last year. The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York took gold for first place this year.
New York Times gives another nod to Tucson in its '36 Hours' series
The New York Times gave another nod to the Old Pueblo in September. In case you missed it, The New York Times explored Tucson for 36 hours — and wrote about the experience.
"Foodies,
cyclists and the aesthetically inclined will find much to like in this
desert city, home to a new bike-share system, adobe architecture and
restaurants that reflect a mix of cultural influences," the story,
written by Elaine Glusac, says.
Read more
here.
Expedia names Tucson as one of the most fun cities in the US
Expedia recognized Tucson as one of the 14 most fun cities in the nation.Actually, the travel company said Tucson is one of 14
cities that "give you the worst case of FOMO," aka fear of missing out.
"When
it comes to traveling, we found that there are entire cities out there
that will give you a case of FOMO," the list reads. "Don’t let that
scare you away though; a good FOMO flare up simply means there are so
many things to do and places to see, that you’ll have a hard time
choosing between all the epic events and attractions." Among the cities, the list features Boston, New Orleans, Austin, and none other than the Old Pueblo.
Bicycling magazine names Tucson as one of the best bike cities in the country
A national bicycling magazine named Tucson as one of the best bike cities in the country.
Out of 50 cities, Tucson ranked No. 24. Seattle took first place. The site,
bicycling.com, ranks cities on a 100-point system based on safety, friendliness, energy, and culture.
"The
ones that top our list have built systems and a riding culture that
benefits everyone — from the kid who rides to school to the retiree who
takes a weekend trip to the grocery store," the list reads.
Read more
here.
TripAdvisor names Tucson in top 7 cities to add to your travel bucket list
Tucson was
named one of seven rising cities that should be on your 2019 travel
bucket list. Lucky for us, we live in the Old Pueblo and don't have to
add it to our bucket list. TripAdvisor recognizes Tucson's weather and outdoorsy activities, but also takes notice of the "share of history and culture."
"With
a history that goes back much further than many of its southwestern
neighbors, Tucson boasts turn-of-the-century architecture, historic
neighborhoods, museums and the Mission San Xavier del Bac," the list
says.
Read more
here.
Tucson named one of 52 places to visit in 2019Travel company Fodor's mentioned the Old Pueblo in its newest "Go List," which includes 52 places across the globe to visit in 2019. Other
spots on the list include Rapid City, South Dakota; Palau, Micronesia;
Berlin, Germany; and Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Here's what Fodor's had to say:
"If
savoring long glistening days of sunshine, epic sunsets, and rugged
mountain ranges in every direction aren’t your thing, then you probably
won’t like Tucson. But then again, what self-respecting traveler doesn’t
want those, not to mention charming adobe architecture painted in
vibrant colors, wide-open spaces blanketed in saguaro, and hearty
helpings of Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes?"
Read more
here.
El Güero Canelo makes TripAdvisor's list of best restaurants in the US
The popular travel website TripAdvisor,
just released its annual Travelers Choice Restaurants awards, and guess
who made it this year?! Tucson's own James Beard winning El Guero Canelo clocked in at No. 19 in
the new "Fast Casual" category, which also includes restaurants like
Five Guys, In 'N Out, Shake Shack and Portillo's Hot Dogs (the winner).
Read more
here.
Tucson named one of 10 most generous cities in US
The Old Pueblo was just named one of the country's most generous cities.
Tucson landed in the sixth spot in a national list curated by GoFundMe, an international fundraising platform. The list is based on donations per capita through the GoFundMe site.
Steamboat Springs, Colorado took first place.
Read more
here.
I saw this article in the Arizona Daily Star. Papa and I are very happy about our decision to retire and live in Tucson full time. There are plenty of things we enjoy that weren't included in the article... Tucson Book Festival, Tucson International Mariachi Festival, Tucson Rodeo Parade, Wa:k Pow Wow Inter-tribal Festival, The Center for Creative Photography at UA, plus lots of UA events from music to plays to films and talks, sunny skies about 300 days a year, mountain views in every direction, and so much more!
