Things to do in Sells

Saguaro National Park is named after the massive saguaro cactus, one of the most recognized succulent plants in the world and a symbol of the American West. These tall, fleshy plants grow to 50 feet (15 meters) and can live for more than 150 years.

Take the family on a daytrip to the Wild West and come face to face with gunslingers. Experience stunt shows, movie set tours and family rides. Old Tucson Studios is a working movie set that’s also been turned into a Western theme park.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum that showcases the flora and fauna of southern Arizona and the Sonoran Desert. More than 200 animal species and 1,200 plant types grow or live in simulations of natural habitats.

Founded by a Jesuit priest in 1692, Mission San Xavier del Bac is believed to be the oldest European-style building in Tucson. The carved facade and two brilliant white towers of this active Roman Catholic church are a stark contrast to the surrounding hills and desert. Inside the church are dozens of paintings, frescoes, carvings, statues and ornaments.

Towering above the Sonoran Desert are the distinctive white domes of Kitt Peak National Observatory. This scattered group of buildings just outside Tucson might look unassuming but they are home to the world’s largest collection of optical telescopes. Visit the observatory to enjoy panoramic views from the summit, climb inside a working telescope and learn about astronomy.