Nightlife

Tucson after dark is a much easier landscape to negotiate than the vast cultural sprawl of the Phoenix area. Rather than having numerous performing-arts centers all over the suburbs as in the Valley of the Sun, Tucson has a more concentrated nightlife scene. The Downtown Arts District is the center of the action, with the Temple of Music and Art, the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, and several nightclubs. The University of Arizona campus, a mile away, is another hot spot for entertainment.

The free Tucson Weekly contains thorough listings of concerts, theater and dance performances, and club offerings. The entertainment section of the Arizona Daily Star ("Caliente") and the Tucson Citizen's "Calendar" both come out each Thursday and are good sources of information for what's going on around town.

The Club & Music Scene

Jazz -- To find out what's happening on the local jazz scene, contact the Tucson Jazz Society (tel. 520/903-1265; www.tucsonjazz.org). This organization's website lists various jazz nights at restaurants all over Tucson. Some of those restaurants include Old Pueblo Grill, 60 N. Alvernon Way (tel. 520/326-6000), with live jazz on Sunday nights; and Acacia at St. Philip's Plaza, 4340 N. Campbell Ave. (tel. 520/232-0101), with live jazz Thursday through Saturday nights, plus a jazz brunch on Sunday.

Mariachi -- Tucson is the mariachi capital of the United States, and no one should visit without spending at least one evening listening to some of these strolling minstrels.

The Bar, Lounge & Pub Scene

Cocktails with a View -- Most of the best views in town are at foothills resorts; luckily, they don't mind sharing with nonguests. The lounge at Anthony's in the Catalinas also has a great view.

Gay & Lesbian Bars & Clubs -- To find out about other gay bars around town, keep an eye out for the Observer, Tucson's newspaper for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community. You'll find it at Antigone Books, 411 N. Fourth Ave. (tel. 520/792-3715; www.antigonebooks.com), as well as at the bars listed here.