If you’ve already done the big-name attractions, this list of underrated things to do in Tucson is where the real fun begins. Tucson is full of hidden viewpoints, local food spots, small mountain towns, and experiences most visitors completely miss. These quieter, more unexpected stops add just as much to your itinerary as the classics — sometimes more.
If you’re planning your first desert getaway, check out my Tucson for First-Timers guide for the essential stops before diving into the underrated ones.
One of the most underrated things to do in Tucson is riding the Mount Lemmon ski lift in summer. Most people drive the scenic byway and never realize they can float above the pines with cooler temperatures and panoramic desert-meets-alpine views. It’s peaceful, easy, and a great break from the heat.
Summerhaven is a tiny mountain village that feels worlds away from the desert, and Cookie Cabin is easily its highlight. They serve plate-sized cookies, pizza, and casual lunch options. Skip the sampler and get the full cookie — it’s softer and way more fun. This is an underrated stop that pairs perfectly with a day exploring Mount Lemmon. For a full scenic route, see my Mt. Lemmon Travel Guide.
Another one of the underrated things to do in Tucson is walking the short lakeside trail at Rose Canyon Lake. Most people don’t realize Tucson has an alpine lake at all, let alone one this accessible. It’s shady, quiet, and a perfect escape from the heat. Bring cash for the day-use fee if the station is open.
For a refreshing treat, skip Eegee’s and go straight to Raspaderia El Sahuaro. Their raspados — Mexican-style shaved ice layered with fruit, ice cream, and lechera — are easily one of the most underrated things to do in Tucson if you love cold desserts. My mango, pineapple, and peach blend was perfection.
Scented Leaf is one of the simplest, most underrated things to do in Tucson if you’re downtown. You can customize any drink, the staff helps you choose flavors, and the refill system is unbeatable: half off your second tea and your third free. It’s a great place to cool off between stops.
This tour is an underrated way to experience some of the best food downtown. You’ll try local restaurants, learn about Tucson’s history, and get dishes you wouldn’t find on your own. We loved our tour with Ellie — especially the tamale from The Monica and the elote pizza. For the full recap, see my Tucson Food Tour Review.
Mission San Xavier is iconic, but the hill behind it is far less visited — even though the view is stunning. It’s a quick walk with a panoramic perspective of the mission and distant mountains. On your way back to the car, stop for fresh fry bread from the vendors in the lot. The sweet version with honey, powdered sugar, and cinnamon is a great pick. For more photos and tips, check out my Mission San Xavier del Bac Guide.
Gates Pass is a popular sunset location, but the best view isn’t the tiny structure everyone crowds into. Walk to the right side of the parking lot toward the rocks and climb a bit for a wider view and fewer people. This is one of the underrated things to do in Tucson that completely changes your sunset experience.
Downtown Tucson’s boutique scene is creative, locally made, and totally overlooked. Three favorites to check out:
Southwest-inspired home décor and gifts.
Clothing and accessories curated by local owners.
A container-park collection of small shops and makers.
If you want unique souvenirs instead of touristy trinkets, these shops are the way to go.
One of the most underrated things to do in Tucson is using the free downtown streetcar to hop between lesser-known murals. These include:
Mural Alley across from The Monica
The Guitar Girl mural near Cushing Street
The colorful casita murals along Convento and Cushing
They’re bright, fun, and far less crowded than the Instagram-famous murals, making them ideal for photos. If you want a full list of mural stops, see my Mural Guide to Tucson.
No matter how you explore the city, these underrated things to do in Tucson add a completely different layer to your trip. They’re the quieter, more surprising experiences that help you see the desert from all angles — from the mountaintop breeze on Mount Lemmon to the colorful murals downtown and the local treats you won’t find on any standard itinerary. Mix a few of these into your visit and you’ll leave Tucson with a much fuller picture of what makes this city so special.
Sky Ranch Lodge, Sedona. Booked it for the location, stayed for the sunsets.
This is not a five-star resort with ten restaurants and a spa menu the length of a novel. It’s a family-owned boutique hotel on Airport Mesa that knows exactly what it’s good at: red rock views from basically everywhere and one of the best sunset spots in town, private, with maybe four other couples instead of a crowd.
We booked a Premier Rim Room and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Watched the sunset from our own patio one night and it’s still one of my favorite moments of the whole trip.
✨ Six acres of botanical gardens to wander morning and evening
✨ Pool + hot tub that hit exactly right after a day of hiking
✨ On-site food truck for easy breakfasts and lazy room service nights
✨ Complimentary shuttle so you’re not fighting Sedona parking
✨ Robes, slippers, and a staff that felt genuinely happy to help
Two stays in and I’d book it again without a second thought. This is where to stay in Sedona if you want it to actually feel like Sedona.
Thank you to @skyranchlodge for having us, link in bio for the full review 🌵
Four hours on a train through a canyon you can’t reach by car — such a fun experience! We picked the indoor seats with unlimited access to the open-air viewing car, which honestly felt like the only right call. You’re not stuck in an assigned seat the whole time we bounced between the two, snacks in hand, chasing the best light.
The scenery is the whole point. Red rock cliffs, the Verde River, a 734-foot tunnel, historic trestle bridges views most people visiting Sedona never see, because you literally can’t drive to them.
The charcuterie box that comes with your ticket is shockingly filling ✨ so skip lunch at the Copper Spike Café beforehand, save your appetite for dinner back in Sedona.
Four hours with no stops did start to feel long by the end, but the trade-off for scenery like this? Worth it.
Would I ride it again? Yes. Would I buy lunch first again? No.
Link in bio for the full review cost breakdown, what to pack, and exactly how early to arrive 🚂
I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
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