Tucson Encompassing a 500-square-mile valley, Tucson is Arizona's second-largest city and offers every amenity imaginable. Easily accessible by the Tucson International Airport, the city is served by major airlines with connections to U.S. and international cities. Nonstop air service is available to 17 major destinations throughout the nation and to Mexico. Shuttle service is available to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (a 90-minute drive). Surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson is a perfect hub for nature lovers who are set on exploring Arizona's varied terrain. One of the city's most unique features is nearby Mt. Lemmon, which boasts, of all things, a ski resort. Located in the Santa Catalina Mountains, it is the southernmost ski resort in the nation. In summer, Mt. Lemmon attracts hikers to its cool elevations. Spreading out from the Santa Cruz River Valley, Tucson's landscape spans cactus-studded deserts, subterranean habitat and, at times, snow-capped mountains. Home to the world's most recognizable cactus, Saguaro National Park showcases the majesty of the saguaro. Forests of huge saguaro cactuses populate the park, and visitors can choose from more than 150 miles of hiking trails. Visited by more than a million tourists a year, lush Sabino Canyon has a narrated nine-mile round-trip tram ride that crisscrosses Sabino Creek. Closed to private vehicles, the recreation area provides a glimpse of desert beauty, where visitors can visit on foot, on horseback or via shuttle. The highly acclaimed Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum contains naturalistic enclosures for desert denizens such as mountain lions, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. Tucson Botanical Gardens exhibits various desert habitats. Scientists are testing the techniques of building self-sustaining environments under huge greenhouse-like structures just northeast of Tucson at Biosphere 2, near Oracle. Visitors can roam the futuristic project on daily guided tours or explore the past east of Tucson at Colossal Cave Mountain Park. The cave, which was used for centuries by settlers and Native Americans, is home to 11 species of bats and various crystal formations. Consistently admired for its nature-friendly atmosphere, Tucson was named one of the top three cycling cities in North America, according to Bicycling magazine. Sightseeing tours can also be arranged in hot-air balloons, in jeeps and on horseback. A diverse blend of cultures, Tucson has Native American, Spanish and pioneer influences that are still evident. One of the city's most famous historic edifices glows brilliantly against the rugged desert backdrop. Built by Jesuit missionaries in the 18th century, the Mission San Xavier del Bac, or the "White Dove of the Desert," is considered the finest example of Spanish mission architecture in the U.S. The mission is used for Mass on Sundays; proper etiquette is to avoid visiting during those hours. In downtown Tucson, the Barrio Historico district features beautifully painted, historic adobe homes, some converted to business use. Tucsonans celebrate the city's cultural origins throughout the year. From powwows and mariachi festivals to Old West theme parks, the city's heritage is alive and well. Celebrating its earliest inhabitants, San Xavier hosts a powwow annually, while Hispanic traditions fill the air during Bank One Tucson's International Mariachi Conference. Hundreds of movies and television episodes have been filmed at Old Tucson Studios, a theme park dedicated to the Old West, complete with gunfights and stunt shows. A vibrant arts and entertainment scene thrives in Tucson. Musical, dance and theater companies perform regularly in the city, including Ballet Folklorico Arizona, Arizona Opera Company and the Arizona Theatre Company. Visitors can also enjoy art walks in the city's downtown Arts District from September through May. The walks show off many of Tucson's 150 art galleries, one of which is De Grazia's Gallery in the Sun, an architectural marvel as well as an artistic showcase. In addition, the Tucson Museum of Art presents art festivals, traveling exhibitions and concerts. With more than 40 courses to choose from, golf is Tucson's number-one sports attraction. Winter's fair skies make January through April the prime season, with slightly lower rates in fall and late spring. Bargain hunters can find excellent rates in the summer. The PGA presents the Chrysler Classic of Tucson (Tucson Open) each year in February, and the LPGA Welch's/Circle K Championship golf tournament is played every March. Spectators enjoy a host of events in Tucson. Major League Baseball spring training brings the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, the Chicago White Sox and the Colorado Rockies to town. Tennis fans will enjoy the El Conquistador Tennis Classic, which comes to town in December with the USTA Super National Tennis Championships and the Copper Bowl Junior Tennis Championships in January. The Tucson Rodeo Grounds hosts the Fiesta de los Vaqueros rodeo in February and the Desert Thunder Pro Rodeo, the third-biggest PRCA/WPRA rodeo in the country, in October. Racing fans welcome NASCAR at Tucson Raceway Park, while NHRA racing is held at the Southwestern International Raceway. Tucson regularly receives accolades for its pampering resorts. The city was rated number one for hotels and spas in the 2001 edition of Zagat's Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas. Set in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains are resorts such as Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Omni Tucson National, the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador, the Westward Look, the Westin La Paloma and The Lodge at Ventana Canyon, providing spas, golf, tennis, restaurants and exercise facilities. Scheduled to open in December 2004, the new Marriott Star Pass Resort will add 575 resort rooms to Tucson's accommodation choices, plus a 20,000-square-foot spa and 27 holes of Arnold Palmer-designed championship golf. Guests indulge in world-renowned spa resorts with programs for complete physical, mental and nutritional rejuvenation. In Travel + Leisure magazine's eighth annual World's Best Awards Readers' Poll, Tucson's Miraval Life In Balance Resort & Spa was ranked the number-one destination spa in the nation, and Canyon Ranch Health Resort was ranked third. Bed-and-breakfasts are scattered throughout the city, many in historic buildings, some with horse facilities and some that are tucked into secluded desert coves within the city. Providing an up-close-and-personal experience of the West are the local guest ranches. Tanque Verde Guest Ranch, spread over a square mile of beautiful desert next to Saguaro National Park, and Lazy K Bar Guest Ranch each provide a Western experience with horseback rides and cattle drives while still pampering guests with tennis, spas, pools and gourmet dining. Tucson has a host of major shopping venues, one of which is the new La Encantada shopping center. The pedestrian-friendly mall has about 40 shops. Local and independent shopping venues are abundant as well. In the heart of downtown Tucson is the Old Town Artisans marketplace, housed in a restored 1850s adobe building. This treasure trove of works by local artists ranges from pottery to Native American jewelry to paintings. Across the street, the Tucson Museum of Art gift shop specializes in affordable local creations. Nearby is the Presidio district and other surrounding historic buildings. Serving a wide range of cuisine, Tucson is home to more than 3,000 eateries. Local specialties tend to favor Arizonan-style Mexican fare, although steakhouses cater to traditional cowboy tastes. Award-winning restaurants include the four-diamond Trattoria (Northern Italian), the well-known Café Terra Cotta and the four-star Janos at Westin La Paloma (French-Southwestern). Chef-owner Janos Wilder received the 2003 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest. Tucson is also home to the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in the country, El Charro Café. On a more modern scale, Tucson also has a number of high-tech offerings. The Pima Air & Space Museum and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base preserve aircraft, and the only TitanII missile left intact is on view at the Titan Missile Museum. Space buffs enjoy the University of Arizona's Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, which houses a 16-inch telescope in an outdoor observatory.