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When I booked my first trip to Tucson, I had no idea what to expect. I was headed there for TravelCon, and since most of my time would be spent at the convention center, I figured—why bother renting a car?
Turns out, downtown Tucson is incredibly walkable. It’s colorful, historic, easy to navigate, and—bonus—you can hop on a free streetcar to explore even more. So if you’re wondering what to do in downtown Tucson without a car, here’s everything I saw, did, and loved.
Table of Contents
How to See Downtown Tucson
Free Tucson Streetcar
Downtown Tucson has free public transportation on the Sun Link Streetcar! This free streetcar also loops through other key areas like the Mercado, University of Arizona, 4th Avenue, and Main Gate Square. There are 23 different stops along the route and they run about every 15 minutes. It was so easy to just hop on and off whenever I wanted.Â
The only thing I didn’t realize is that the streetcar only stops if someone wants to get on or off. It doesn’t automatically stop at every stop. Obviously, the driver stops when they see someone waiting to get on. But if you want to get off, you need to push the “stop” button when approaching your stop. Don’t worry though, the driver announces what the next stop is so you know when to push the button.
Walk Along the Turquoise Trail
When you walk around downtown, you’ll notice a turquoise line painted along many of the sidewalks. That’s the Turquoise Trail! It’s a 2.5 mile trail that weaves you through over 25 points of interest in just a couple of hours.
The different points of interest are numbered along the route but there really aren’t any informational signs at the stops. You’ll need to pick up a printed map at the Presidio Museum or download a PDF of the map from their website if you want to know details about what you’re looking at.
What to Do in Downtown Tucson
Colorful Murals
There’s no escaping the murals of downtown Tucson. There are hundreds of them, and they are everywhere you turn! I just love a downtown with a vibrant street art scene. Be sure you scout out Arizona’s tallest mural, the 153-foot tall Desert Colossus!Â
Hotel Congress
With a giant “Hotel Congress” neon sign rising above the roof of the hotel, this is one of the most iconic buildings in all of Tucson.
Back in 1934 the Hotel Congress caught fire and a few of the guests paid the firemen to carry their very heavy suitcases out of the burning building. The firemen recognized those men to be none other than the notorious bank robber John Dillinger and his gang!
Transportation Museum
The Tucson Amtrak Station has a small, free museum located in the historic section of the old train depot. The museum has a collection of artifacts and memorabilia spanning the evolution of transportation.
Make sure you walk outside though and head over to the train tracks. You’ll find life size bronze statues of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp and a steam locomotive from 1900 that’s really fun to check out.Â
St Augustine Cathedral
Not only is this one of Tucson’s most iconic landmarks, but it’s been around since 1776, before Arizona was even a state. Even if churches aren’t your thing, don’t leave without going inside to take a look at some of the most incredibly realistic 3D painted murals you’ve ever seen! Â
Pima County Historic Courthouse
Another spot worth visiting in downtown Tucson is the Pima County Historic Courthouse. What first caught my eye was its gorgeous tiled dome—I love the pop of color! While it no longer functions as a courthouse, it now houses the Arizona Mineral and Gem Museum and the Tucson Visitor Center.
Stop by the Visitor Center to browse the free and unexpectedly large museum of Tucson history. Then head upstairs to see the historic courtroom where “Public Enemy Number 1”, John Dillinger was arraigned after his capture at the Hotel Congress.
Colorful Adobe Homes
The largest concentration of adobe homes from the 19th century is right here in Tucson’s Barrio Viejo (old neighborhood). Low slung roofs, thick adobe walls, wood and iron accents, and those bright pops of color…classic adobe architecture. I love it!
If you follow the Turquoise Trail, there is a section near the convention center that runs along the edge of Barrio Viejo.Â
The Sinner’s Shrine
This is one of the most unique things I saw on my visit to Tucson. A Catholic shrine…for a sinner! It’s even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Back in the 1870s a man was killed in a love affair gone wrong. Since he died in sin, he couldn’t have a proper burial. So the community built this shrine so he wouldn’t be forgotten.Â
FAQ For Visiting Tucson
Wrap-Up: You Don’t Need a Car to Have a Good Time Here
Honestly, I was a little worried that skipping a rental car would limit what I could see, but it didn’t at all. Between the Turquoise Trail and the streetcar, I was able to explore the best of downtown Tucson on foot and feel totally safe doing it solo.
If you’re headed to Tucson for a conference or just want a chill couple of days downtown, you can absolutely make it work without wheels.