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Arizona

Crossroads of Culture: Nature, History & Cuisine in Tucson

Program No. 25146RJ
From the Sonoran Desert to its status as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, discover Tucson’s crossroads of culture through an active exploration of its food, history and people.
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Native American StudiesSmall GroupNature & EnvironmentCity DiscoveriesNew
Length
7 days
Rating
New
Activity Level
Starts at
2,799
Special Offer
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
7 days
6 nights
What's Included
15 meals ( 6B, 4L, 5D )
4 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
6 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:00 p.m The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Transportation for program-related activities will be via motorcoach unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Walking about 3 miles throughout the day; uneven sidewalks; periods of standing totaling up to 3 hours in museum, and shops.Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 15 miles total, approximately 1 hour throughout the day with stops.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
A local expert will lead a discussion about the history of Arizona, from its earliest Native American inhabitants to the American soldiers and settlers who followed. We'll also hear about the unique history of Tucson. We'll then head out by motorcoach and explore the Arizona History Museum with a docent. Following our visit to the Arizona History Museum, we will walk a short distance to our lunch destination.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll make our way to a local bakery; "Barrio Bread is a community supported bakery grounded in the grains and traditions of the Sonoran Desert." We will learn how renowned baker Don Guerra began Barrio Bread in his garage and today it is a Tucson landmark. Barrio Breads bake with flour that has been freshly milled from organic grains of the Southwest, many of them “lost” heirloom grains cultivated by partner farms. Then we'll board the motorcoach for a short drive to Monsoon Chocolate to learn about the challenges of making chocolate in the desert. Monsoon creates craft chocolate in small batches at the factory in the historic Santa Rita Park neighborhood of Tucson, using cocoa beans from all over the world. Following our chocolate experience, we will depart via motorcoach for our dinner destination.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 65 miles one way, approximately 2.5 hours roundtrip. Walking up to 4 miles total on dirt paths, some inclines; approximately 3 hours; periods of standing totaling up to 1 hour at museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Setting out via motorcoach, we’ll make our way to the Amerind Museum and Texas Canyon Nature Preserve, located in Dragoon. Run by the Amerind Foundation, the museum's mission is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Native American cultures and their histories. The Texas Canyon Preserve is located right next to the museum, with 8 miles of walking trails through the spectacular boulder formations of Texas Canyon. We will enjoy a a short hike of about 1.5 miles through Texas Canyon before lunch.
Lunch:
Boxed lunches at the museum picnic area.
Afternoon:
After lunch we’ll have a special conversation with a curator at the AmerInd Museum, before heading out to explore the museum with a docent. There will also be time for independent explorations following the docent presentation. We will return to Tulsa in the late afternoon.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Tucson. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 4.5 miles throughout the day; varied terrain including uneven sidewalks; periods of standing totaling up to 2 hours during field trips.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After breakfast, we'll be joined by a local expert who will lead a presentation on the Arizona/Mexico border. This is a subject that has been in the news almost continuously for years. We will learn about the work on the ground from a local expert. Then we will board the motorcoach for a short drive to the "barrio viejo", Tucson's historic old town. Our Group Leader will lead a walking exploration in the area, discussing Tucson’s multi-cultural heritage and unique architecture. That will be followed by a docent-led visit to the Presidio San Agustin del Tucson. The Presidio is over 11 acres, supported by 12 foot high walls constructed entirely from adobe bricks. The Spanish and Mexican population of Tucson lived within the defensive walls of the Presidio for over 80 years between 1775-1856, two years after Tucson became part of the US. After exploring the Presidio, we will depart on foot for a docent-led exploration of the Tucson Art Museum of Art. The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and boasts a collection of nearly 12,000 works of art which include art from over 3,000 years of history. Their exhibitions feature original and traveling shows focusing on Art of Latin America, Art of the American West, Indigenous Arts, and Modern and Contemporary.
Lunch:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Tucson. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will enjoy a free afternoon to explore Tucson on your own.
Dinner:
At a popular local restaurant.
Evening:
After returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening will be at leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 4 miles throughout the day; periods of standing totaling up to 1 hour at the Gardens and Cultural Center; gravel paths and dirt roads. Driving to the Tohono Cultural Center is about 130 miles roundtrip, approximately 3 hours total.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll begin the day boarding the motorcoach for a short drive to Mission Garden. Mission Garden is "a living agricultural museum of Sonoran Desert-adapted heritage fruit trees, traditional local heirloom crops and edible native plants." We will enjoy a docent-led exploration of the Gardens followed by some time for independent explorations. Then we will board the motorcoach for the Carriage House where we will have a presentation and conversation with a local chef on Farm to Table, sustainable cooking techniques. After the chef's talk, we'll enjoy a cooking demonstration and lunch at the Carriage House.
Lunch:
At the Carriage House.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will travel by coach to the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum. The Tohono O'odham Cultural Center and Museum is owned and operated by the Tohono O'odham nation. Their mission is to preserve and protect O'odham culture, instill pride in their community and promote understanding through educational programs. We will have a docent-led visit of the Center followed by time for independent explorations of the grounds. We will return to Tucson in the late afternoon.
Dinner:
At a popular local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Driving about 20 miles roundtrip, approximately 3/4 hour total. Walking about 4 mile throughout the day; varied terrain, dirt trails, some inclines; periods of standing totaling up to 3 hours at museum and park.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Setting out after breakfast, we’ll travel to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is part zoo, part aquarium and part botanical garden. But most of all, it is a place to learn about and appreciate the Sonoran Desert, from the plants and the animals that inhabit it. We will have a docent tour of the museum and then enjoy some time for independent explorations.
Lunch:
At Ironwood Terrace on the grounds of the Arizona-Living Desert Museum restaurant.
Afternoon:
Next, we'll transfer to the Red Hills Visitor Center at Saguaro National Park where we will continue learning about the amazing Sonoran Desert. We'll have some time to explore the Visitor's Center before we take a short hike through a grove of large saguaros and a cool desert wash. Great Horned Owls can often be seen in the cliff above this wash. We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
While gathered with our Group Leader, we’ll engage in a program wrap-up and share some of our favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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