Things to do / Travel Guide
Southern Arizona's more than 300 sunny days per year attracts more than recreation-seekers. The region is also home to several interesting scientific sites, some of which you won't find anywhere else in the world.
Mystery Castle
If you've ever dreamed about building your own castle, you can get some ideas for how to do it at the Mystery Castle built by Boyce Luther Gulley in the 1930s and 1940s in Phoenix. The design of this 18-room, 8,000-square-foot castle is a combination of American West and scrap yard, since Gulley used just about anything he could get his hands on to construct it. A 25-minute guided tour, will tell you all about the castle's history.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
In 1927 the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base was dedicated by Charles Lindbergh as the United States' first municipal airport. Nowadays the base is an airplane graveyard, holding over 5,000 airplanes. The mostly Vietnam-era bombers, transports, and fighters stretch on and on for blocks. Tours are available, but call ahead to reserve your space.
Biosphere 2
Biosphere 2, located 30 miles northeast of Tucson, is a futuristic mini-world that was built in the early 1990s. Visitors can tour the inside of this sealed and self-contained giant domed-structure that attempts to replicate the planet's ecosystems. You'll see where the original “biosphereians” lived, the farm area where they grew their crops, and the kitchen where they cooked their meals. After passing through an air lock, you'll visit the wilderness areas of Biosphere 2, which include tropical and desert environments.
Kitt Peak National Observatory
The Kitt Peak National Observatory, located in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, 56 miles southwest of Tucson, has 22 telescopes that scan the universe from their perch on this 6,900-foot summit. Although you can't look through the telescopes that collect scientific data (most modern telescopes don't even come equipped with an eyepiece anymore), the Observatory's Visitor Center has its own observatories and Nightly Observing Programs that will allow you to stargaze. Daytime visitors to the Visitor Center will learn how telescopes work, and a self-guided tour will allow you to pass by some of the most interesting ones. Whether you go there during the day or night, remember that the air is much cooler at the summit, so bring along a sweater or jacket.
If you want to take a step back to the Cold War, try the Titan Missile Museum, the only publicly accessible Titan II missile site in the nation. This site is just a half an hour from Tucson, and it's possible to explore all 8 levels of the underground silo complex that reaches 140 feet underground. Real Titan Crew Members will act as your guides.
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