Especially for Kids in Tucson

In addition to the museums listed, two of the greatest places to take kids in the Tucson area are the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson Studios. Kids will also get a kick out of the Sabino Canyon tram ride, the Reid Park Zoo, Flandrau Science Center, and the Pima Air & Space Museum.

They'll also enjoy Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd. (tel. 520/296-4551), a Wild West-themed shopping and dining center. It has a full-size carousel, a miniature train to ride, the Museum of the Horse Soldier (open daily 1-7pm; $2.50 admission), shootout shows, and a family steakhouse. A day pass with unlimited rides and admissions costs $12. Basically, it’s a sort of scaled-down Old Tucson. Right next door you’ll also find Golf n’ Stuff, 6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd. (tel. 520/296-2366), which has two miniature-golf courses, bumper boats, go-karts, batting cages, laser tag, a climbing wall, and a videogame arcade. An all-park pass is $22 per person.

The city of Tucson operates 17 public pools that are available to visitors for a daily rate of $2 adults, $1 children; weekly and annual passes are also available. See www.tucsonaz.gov/parks/pools-and-splash-pads for information. Pima County operates additional pools outside the city limits, with daily admission $3 adults, $1.50 seniors, and $1 children. See www.webcms.pima.gov for information. Of the county parks, Brandi Fenton Park (3482 E. River Rd.) is perhaps the most scenic, and though it has only a splash pad and no pool, it’s always full of kids.