Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with Facebook
matcrazy1 Says: I found this gate to adobe building of La Pinata boutique an ironwork of exceptional beauty. I've got to know that it is mostly wrought ironwork that means handmade, forged by a blacksmith using an anvil. It had to cost a lot. The gate is forced with decorative, bright blue,...
matcrazy1 Says: Apart from the most common Kokopelli I could easily find a lizard used as a motif for artists in Tubac. The artistic lizards sold as gifts and decorative items in Tubac were to be supposed to follow rock carvings of Native Americans in the Southwest. Later on during my trip...
You could be the next dino discoverer!
matcrazy1 Says: There are a few ironworks put on Tubac Road 22 in front of the Chile Pepper. The most interesting are metal skeletons of two fighting dinosaurus. They really lived in that area about 100 million years ago. The Sonorasaurus was discovered in 1994, by an undergraduate student...
matcrazy1 Says: I called this strange and mysterious, blue, metal artwork, "Blue Warrior." It stands on the main Tubac Road, close to the Chile Pepper (shop, ice-cream, cafe). Pay attention to its massive postument. Well, desert areas are usually not only hot at daytime (and often cold at...
matcrazy1 Says: I could easily find some sort of very interesting silver jewelry and very beautiful pottery in numerous Indian shops of Tubac including Old Presidio Traders shop of probably the best choice. They were usually signed as Hopi jewelry and Hopi pottery. I had to ask a shop...
This car changed rural America
matcrazy1 Says: I've found this red, old automobile among Mexican pottery put on the ground. It was part of the outdoor display of the Country Shop. This light pickup truck - Chevrolet 3100 - was number one in sales among all pickups in the USA during every year from 1950 till 1955. I liked...
matcrazy1 Says: In a few Tubac's gourmet food stores and eateries I found jars with exotic for me names:1. Mesquite Bean Jelly2. Jalapeno Mint Jelly3. Pear Cactus JellyThe jars didn't look fancy but I gave a try to Pear Cactus Jelly which cost some $5. Well, it was jam, not jelly. I've got...
5 Opinions
1 Opinions
Shelby's Bistro: Very Popular Bistro
Basaic Says: One of the most popular places to eat in Tubac is Shelby's Bistro. They specialize in sandwiches, salads, pizza and pasta. They also have cocktails, beer, wine, and specialty coffees. Nice patio. Hours are 11 AM to 4 PM daily with dinner hours of 5PM to 9 PM Wednesday...
Nob Hill Gourmet Market and Fine Dining: Gourmet Market and Fine Dining
Basaic Says: This place has a touch of San Francisco and an ld world menu. There is also a market with fresh produce, a deli, take-out items, and gourmet items from around the world. If you have a taste for something different, give it a try, but bring your wallet it is not cheap. I did...
Around Tubac and US school bus show :-)
matcrazy1 Says: Tubac is a very small, easy to walk around, community with a few asphalted and a few gravel but flat streets (map here.)All streets or better to say roads are wide and lined with one-floor buildings.There is a lot of space to park a car in Tubac. There are parking lots (no...
matcrazy1 Says: You must have a car to get to Tubac which is located in southern Arizona, 24 miles (39 km) north of Mexican border in Nogales and 50 miles (80 km) south of Tucson. I drove I-19 (Nogales - Tucson) by car and took an exit 34. Look at Santa Cruz County map here.But the first...
The Country Shop: All Kinds of Arts and Crafts
Basaic Says: At The Country Shop you can find Southwestern and Mexican Arts and Crafts in a wide variety of media at fairly reasonable prices. It is one of the biggest stores in town. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11AM to 5PM, Sunday 1PM to 5 PM. Mexican pottery, dishes,...
The Chili Pepper: Want something hot?
Basaic Says: The Chili Pepper has a neat patio lined with chili peppers. Inside you can buy cappuccino and ice cream. They also have chili gifts, southwestern gourmet foods, kitchen linens, cookbooks, cards and chili jewelry. Buy the Habanero Jelly.
Karin Newby Gallery: Gallery for Fine Arts
Basaic Says: One of the better galleries in Tubac is the Karin Newby Gallery. She has paintings, sculptures and other forms of art from some of the leading artists in the area. The pictures show the sculpture garden. The large animal sculpture is $75,000. My favorite is the Native...
matcrazy1 Says: A lot of sun makes people amuzing and happier. A lot of heat makes them slower. It's well seen in Tubac. When I was in Tubac on a lazy, sunny, business day in April 2003 there were probably more shop keepers than visitors in town. Hmm... there are almost 1,000 Tubacans (is...
matcrazy1 Says: HEAVY SHOPPINGIf you are a visitor to Tubac and especially if you are non-American and travel by air keep in mind how large and heavy shopping you do. I travelled by car and air but despite that Urszula, my wife, wanted to buy a huge, almost as tall as I, pottery in shape of...
Helpfulness
I always feel very uncomfortable when I get to know that I skipped something very unique or interesting on my way especially when I travel very far from my home. Due to lack of both time and information it happened to me in Tubac. I didn't visit Tubac Cemetery located at northeastern end of the community.
But first of all I skipped Tumacacori National Historical Park that is located at exit 29 of I-19 that is only 5 miles south of Tubac (exit 34). It’s the site of a Franciscan mission built in 1795 that was regularly besieged by the Apache Indians. The park is open 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The entrance fee is $3.00 per person.
I have also never heard of Titan Missile Museum 35 miles north of Tubac (exit 69 off I-10 to W. Duval Mine Rd in Sahuarita). It's the only publicly accessible Titan II missile site in the USA, a base restored from the Cold War times: a museum + one hour guided tour including a simulated launch of the missile at the launch control center ($17.95 per person).
Unique Suggestions: Well, you may visit only ruins of the Franciscan church at Mission San Jose de Tumacacori. The ruins of the two other nearby missions can be visited only as part of a reserved ranger guided tour during the fall and winter months. So, mayve I didn't loose that much.
Fun Alternatives: Keep smiling and drive to Tombstone and Bisbee as I did. It's a fascinating drive with great places to visit on the way. Or don't follow me and visit the above mentioned sights I skipped.
Updated Feb 18, 2007
Patagonia and watching wildlife
matcrazy1 Says: Patagonia is a little, lazy southern town (pop. below 900) where I stopped for a while driving Route 82 from Nogales towards Tombstone. Well, I noticed only a few stores, gas station and restaurant/bar along the main road. Hmm... I was still at the beginning of my US long...
matcrazy1 Says: I drove from Tubac via Nogales, Patagonia and Sonoita towards Tombstone (Route 82 - pictures 2-4). As soon as I noticed the sign Welcome to Kartchner Caverns State Park (it was in Huachuca City - what a name!) I decided to give it a try as I love caves. As soon as I arrived...
Helpfulness
Favorite thing: Strolling around Tubac with its Presidio (Spanish fortress) and over 90 shops, galleries and boutiques is like walking around art and history museum. You easily find a lot of beautiful art of four different cultures which influenced that area: Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American, both modern and old style art. I think, this unique, creative and old community has its own soul. It's a must see whenever you get to southern Arizona.
Fondest memory: My foundest memory is a large silver-turquoise ring my wife bought in Tubac and quite often wears it until now. Whenever I look at her hand with this ring I have to remember Tubac, Arizona and the USA. Sweet memories :-)
Both silver and turquoise are local materials in southern Arizona. Tubac once was the largest city in Arizona thanks to nearby silver mines. The Southwest United States, including southern Arizona, has been a significant source of turquoise since pre-Columbian times.
Updated Feb 19, 2007
Sponsored Links
Art and history under the southern sun :-)
Tubac was a total surprise for me: an unique, empty, lazy place located nowhere but full of both fascinating history and Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American art, including some art I...
Visit Historic and Artful Tubac
Although Native Americans occupied the area for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived, the town of Tubac traces its origin to the establishment of the Presidio at Tubac in 1752. Make sure if...
Build your own Tubac page
Sponsored Links
Comments