Tucson First Week or Last Week of March
 

I had planned on going this year to Tucson, but plans changed. Anyway, I'm going to make my reservation soon for next year. Going the first week or last week of March seems to fit our schedule best. Might even go first week in April. Any advantages or disadvatages for those periods? Could go anytime in Feb too.

Good morning spirobulldog. I was in Yuma, Tucson and Demming NM the second week of February this year. Where are you coming from? It was great to get out of the central Oregon winter for 10 days. If you go, bring along your passport so that you can go into Mexico.

The weather should be nice any time in March. My son's birthday is the middle of March and we always had nice weather for his outdoor birthday parties when we lived in Tucson.

The weather isn't always nice in March. We have had some years when it has been downright nasty. Having said that, under "normal" conditions, ti will be warmer in Late March than in early March or in February. You can check out the "normals" and the "extremes" at this site:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/climate/tus.php

When we were in Tucson this Feb/March everyone kept telling us that late march early April is the most beautiful time.

I could even come later in April, but it appears to me that part of the Sonoran Museum scales back after the 1st or 2nd week in April. Like the main restaurant isn't open, etc. I'll probably come late March.

We may be the only people who would say this, but I wouldn't plan a trip based on the Sonoran museum. The crowds even on a very cold drizzly mid week day in February were horrible, the indoor exhibits impossible to see as a result, and one can be in the desert in much more satisfying ways all around Tucson. I know this is heresy, but my 2 cents.

Late March, all of April, beautiful times to visit. Tucson is an lutdoor ciry so you'll want to visit during good weather.
Jubilada, give ASDM another chance. We've only had crowds there a few times in many, many visits. It's run by a private foundation and they've done an incredible job explaining the various desert ecosystems, plants and animals.

I'll consider, but it was such a disappointment and pretty pricey. My friend who has lived in Tucson for several years says everyone who visits her complains of the crowds.
And in the end, the animals are in a zoo. a nice fancy zoo, but a zoo nonetheless.

It gets great reviews on everything I've read.

spirobulldog, February is the very busiest month in Tucson, with snowbirds, the rodeo and the golf tournament. So the crowds at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum would be much worse than in late March / early April. The Desert Museum is wonderful. Don't let one humbug dissuade you from going.

I'm not a humbug, I'm just recounting my experience, which was in February, so perhaps that is just a bad time to go. Must everyone enjoy the same places.

Snakes start coming out of hibernation in early April, so if it's warmer than usual they might start emerging in late March. I don't know if that would matter to you at all, just thought I'd throw it out there. I think they tend to be more active initially because they've been hibernating. It's not a huge deal, but it's a little easier to go hiking when you know they aren't out and about.

If you do go to ASDM, see if you can do a behind the scenes tour/program. We did the raptor flight program one year in January (?), got to see the raptors they used for their free flight program and spent a little time in the training flight cage working with them. It was a good experience.

I am for sure going to ASDM. They have several programs that I am probably going to do. Might even do the Hummingbird program.

Just check with me later to see what week I'll be in Tucson next year. It's guaranteed that it will be cold and rainy when I'm there. It doesn't seem to matter whether it is early or late in March so I don't think it matters much for you.

In addition to ASDM, I would highly recommend Kartchner caverns. They are definitely worth the drive.

Kartchner Caverns----The is a Big Room Tour and a Rotunda/Throne Room Tour. I wonder what the difference is and whether I should do one or both?

Both are incredible. If you have a whole day, you can actually do both. I think the Big Room gives you a great overview and is spectacular in it's grandeur while the Throne Room has individual formations that are breathtaking. I also enjoyed learning about the bat colony which you'll hear about in the Big Room but not as much in the Throne Room. Also, make sure you see the introductory film. You might be tempted to skip it but you'll miss alot of the story of the discovery which is fascinating.

Are you going to do any hiking, spirobulldog?

I have done both tours and I prefer the Rotunda/Throne Room for the variety of the formations. You also can still see the trail in the mud flat where the original discoverers made their way into the cave, using the same path every time they entered.

I have also done both in one day and to me that was too much time underground.

I would say early March, definitely. Even though we sometimes get a weird temp drop mid-late April, most of late March and April the temps heat up really fast, and with the cooler temps you can enjoy hiking & other outdoors activities without the fun of heat stroke haha

We were just visiting friends in Scottsdale (Phoenix) at the start of this month (April). I realize Phoenix and Tucson may not be exactly the same.

The weather was sunny and warm. Not overly hot.

Dry, Dry, Dry!!!!

Bring with whatever skin lotion and chapstick you have. My lips still aren't totally back to normal. But I live in South Florida.

I was hoping to spend part of a day in South Mountain Park but it was too far away (I wasn't driving). I did get to hike a bit at Pinnacle Peak when the others spent an afternoon at the mall.