ARIZONA NEWS

Food, Folks and Fun in Tucson

By Ryan Finley,
Contributor

Despite the crush, visitors to the area can enjoy themselves in Tucson if they know where to go.

Let’s face it: the tournament is big business. According to Tucson Open officials, the tournament impacts Southern Arizona by adding more than 12.2 million dollars to the area’s economy. Here’s a way to avoid chipping in for more than your fair share of those millions.

Up early and looking for something to do before going to the tournament? Fear not.

There is a lot to do in the city of Tucson before 9 a.m.: just ask the city’s locals. In the summertime, with the weather often reaching the 100-degree mark before noon, many people run errands and spend time out of the house in the early morning.

One possible place to enjoy a morning walk or jog is the campus of the University of Arizona. A mainstay in the Tucson area since the late 1800s, the “U of A” is the heartbeat of the city of Tucson, which, despite its size, is very much a college town.

The campus, located from Speedway Dr. to 6th St., is home to 30,000 students, many of whom are transplants from other states.

The school is home to the nationally-renown Arizona Wildcat basketball team, which is in season during the Tucson Open.

• TGM Quick Look: All About Tucson • Preview: Touchstone Energy Tucson Open • GolfArizona.com coverage of the PGA Tour • Past articles by Ryan Finley

The city of Tucson is home to some of the nation’s best Mexican food. Mexican food restaurants lie on just about every block in the city. From the expensive to the simple, most all Mexican food in Tucson is authentic and, yes, tasty.

There’s virtually no wrong answer in the food department.

Macayo’s, a Phoenix-based chain restaurant, serves authentic Sonoran-style food at relatively cheap ($8-$12) prices. In the city of Tucson, there are two Macayos’- one located on Broadway and the other on Oracle, just past Ina Road. The trademark Macayos dish is the famous Baja Burro, which consists of a deep fried burrito covered in a spicy cream cheese sauce.

Even less expensive is Nico’s Taco Shop, with various locations throughout the city. Super cheap ($3-$5) and authentic, Nico’s portrays Mexican food through the eyes of locals. Fresh and spicy, Nico’s is an ideal place to catch a quick lunch that is far from traditional fast food.

Whether it’s enjoying Tucson’s natural beauty or enjoying the hard work of some of the city’s 500,000 inhabitants, Tucson will prove itself to be a city beyond comparison.