Arizona’s Oldest European Settlement Now Attracts Thousands of Artists and Art Lovers

Tubac, Arizona

Just 45 minutes south of Tucson lies the town of Tubac. This place started as a Spanish fort (called a presidio) in 1752 and has grown into one of Arizona’s best art towns.

You’ll find over 100 shops and galleries housed in adobe buildings from the 1850s, with the towering 6,000-foot Tumacácori Mountains creating a stunning backdrop.

Here’s why it’s worth reserving one of your weekend trips for.

The Historic Presidio State Park

Arizona’s first state park opened in 1958 and holds amazing pieces of history within its walls. The original fort from 1752 still has adobe walls standing 8 feet tall after 270 years.

Below ground, you’ll find a fascinating 2,000-square-foot exhibit showing foundation walls and treasures discovered during the big dig of 1974. The park’s museum proudly displays Arizona’s first printing press: an 1859 Washington Hand Press.

Local history experts, dressed in clothes from long ago, give demonstrations every day to show visitors how early settlers lived. They share stories about the challenges between Spanish settlers and native peoples, while the park’s special garden grows the same plants and herbs the settlers used.

The Tubac School of Fine Art

Since Dale Nichols founded this art school in 1948, it hasn’t stop sharing the beauty of art with visitors. Master artists like Andrew Rush and Michael Chiago lead small groups through 4-day workshops in outdoor painting, pottery making, and working with metal.

Classes never have more than 8 students, so everyone gets plenty of attention. While you work, you can see 40 miles across the beautiful Santa Cruz Valley.

Choose from quick 3-hour lessons or stay for an in-depth 5-day course. The school changes its workshop lineup regularly, so there’s always something new to learn.

The Juan Bautista de Anza Trail

In 1775-1776, explorer Juan Bautista de Anza led 240 brave settlers on an incredible journey from Mexico to San Francisco. Today, you can walk the same 4.5-mile path they took from Tubac to Tumacácori, following the cottonwood-lined Santa Cruz River.

Watch for colorful birds like vermilion flycatchers, yellow warblers, and even the rare southwestern willow flycatcher. The trail keeps a gentle 2% slope, making it easy for most people to walk. Every quarter mile, you’ll find signs that tell stories about the historic expedition.

The Old Presidio Trading Post

Jim Walker opened this trading post in 1954 inside an adobe building from 1885. Today, it showcases beautiful crafts from local Native American artists.

Members of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui tribes bring new pieces often. The trading post’s collection includes 200 Tohono O’odham baskets, and it’s the largest private collection you’ll find in Southern Arizona.

Wisdom’s Café

Three generations of the Wisdom family have been serving delicious Sonoran food here since 1944, using recipes from founder Olivia Wisdom herself. Their famous fruit burros wrap local peaches, apples, and pears in handmade flour tortillas, then fry them until they’re perfectly golden.

The café tops these treats with honey gathered from desert wildflowers near Amado. Sit on the outdoor patio, surrounded by original 1940s metalwork and huge mesquite trees, and enjoy views of the 9,453-foot Santa Rita Mountains.

K. Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden

Kit Newby created this 2-acre art haven in 1973, making it Arizona’s largest outdoor sculpture collection. The garden cleverly mixes 45 large modern sculptures with native desert plants like saguaros, ocotillos, and barrel cacti.

Inside the 4,000-square-foot adobe gallery, you’ll find changing displays of both new and established Southwest artists. Once a month, you can meet these artists in person while enjoying wine from nearby Sonoita vineyards.

Historic Tubac Golf Resort

This beautiful 500-acre resort was once the Otero Ranch, dating back to 1789. Movie fans might recognize it from Kevin Costner’s 1996 film “Tin Cup.” The original Spanish colonial chapel still stands, showing off its hand-painted ceiling and 18th-century altar.

Play golf on 27 holes winding through ancient mesquite groves, or visit the 4,000-square-foot spa. Try their special “Desert Renewal” massage, which uses jojoba oil and sage gathered right from the resort’s grounds.

Tubac Center of the Arts

Since 1972, this 6,000-square-foot center has been the heart of Tubac’s art scene. Eight juried art shows each year bring together traditional Western pieces and modern artwork from across the Southwest.

Every Friday evening in spring and fall, the 200-seat outdoor theater hosts “Art in the Park.” Watch artists work while enjoying mariachi music and traditional Sonoran street food.

Santa Cruz Chile & Spice Company

Gene and Jane Wyatt started this spice company in 1943, working with 15 types of local chiles. Each year, they process 50,000 pounds of chiles using traditional stone mills.

Their famous “Tubac Fire” seasoning combines seven local pepper varieties, including wild chiltepin peppers – the only wild chile native to the United States. Visit their small museum to see historic chile-processing equipment and photos from the 1940s.

Tubac Pottery School

Famous ceramicist James Lovera established this school in 1969 to preserve traditional pottery methods. Students learn pre-Columbian techniques passed down through generations of Mexican artists.

You can join one of the workshops to discover how to use clay from the Santa Cruz River basin and fire pots in three traditional wood-burning kilns. The school’s gallery sells student and artist works, with 80% of sales supporting youth art education.

For the best experience, visit between October and April when temperatures stay between 65-85°F and desert wildflowers bloom.

Check event schedules before you come – there’s always something special happening in this artistic community. Every venue offers unique programs throughout the year, from gallery openings to seasonal workshops.