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Major city · United States

Tubac

Go for one night or a half-day from Tucson: galleries, the 1752 presidio and Tumacácori mission 4 mi south. Two nights only if you shop or golf.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Oct–Apr
avoid Jun–Aug (monsoon heat, 38 °C+), and Jun–Jul when the Tubac Center for the Arts is closed
Airports
TUS · PHX
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Tubac is a one-street artists' colony on I-19 between Tucson and the Mexican border, and the oldest European settlement in what is now Arizona, founded as a Spanish presidio in 1752. The core — Plaza Road, Tubac Road, Burruel Street — walks in 20 minutes. The reason to sleep here rather than drive down from Tucson is Tumacácori National Historical Park, 4 mi south, and the quiet after the galleries close.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Tubac, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–5
  • Sit-down mealDinner, Sonoran Mexican$18–35
  • Museum or sight ticketLunch, gallery-row café$12–20
  • Budget bedChain motel, Green Valley or Amado, a night, per roomUS$90
  • Mid-range bedCountry inn or B&B double, a night, per roomUS$200
  • High-end bedCountry inn or B&B double, a night, per roomUS$280

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$165 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Art galleries and studiosTubac Presidio State Historic ParkTumacácori National Historical ParkAnza Days and La Fiesta de Tumacácori
Airports
TUS Tucson International (About 45 min north on I-19; rental car or shuttle, no bus to Tubac) · PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor (About 2 h 30 min by car; only worth it for cheaper fares)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Tubac: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

1°C

4 rd

Feb

21°C

2°C

4 rd

Mar

24°C

5°C

4 rd

Apr

28°C

8°C

2 rd

May

33°C

12°C

2 rd

Jun

38°C

17°C

3 rd

Jul

37°C

21°C

10 rd

Aug

35°C

20°C

10 rd

Sep

34°C

17°C

5 rd

Oct

29°C

11°C

3 rd

Nov

23°C

4°C

3 rd

Dec

19°C

1°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

No public transport. The village core is walkable in 20 minutes; a car is required for Tumacácori (4 mi south), Amado, Arivaca and Nogales. I-19 frontage roads link the exits.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Tumacácori National Historical Park

go

Door to door: 10 min

Car south on I-19 frontage road, 4 mi

Mission ruins, museum, gift shop; daily 9–17, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission $5 adults, free under 16, valid 7 days.

Nogales, Arizona

go

Door to door: 25 min

I-19 south, about 20 mi

Border town; the Mexican side is a separate crossing with its own rules and queues.

Patagonia, Arizona

go

Door to door: 1 h

Car via AZ-82 east

Birding and a small town centre; pair with Sonoita wine stops.

Tucsongo

Door to door: 45 min

I-19 north to I-10

Where most Tubac day-trippers sleep; saguaro park west of the city.

Green Valley

caution

Door to door: 20 min

I-19 north, about 15 mi

Retirement community with services and cheaper beds, little to see.

Oracle

caution

Door to door: 1 h 15 min

Car via I-19 and AZ-77 north

Biosphere 2 and Catalina highway views; a half-day, not a full one.

Casa Grande

skip

Door to door: 1 h 45 min

I-19 north to I-10 northwest

Too far for a Tubac day; it is a Phoenix-corridor stop.

Coolidge

skip

Door to door: 2 h

I-19 and I-10 north, then AZ-87

Casa Grande Ruins are a separate trip from Phoenix or Tucson.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Tubac village core

Walk to galleries, presidio and restaurants; inns and B&Bs, few rooms, book ahead in winter.

Tubac Golf Resort area (Otero Rd)

North edge of the village; resort, spa and golf, still a short drive from the plaza.

Amado and Green Valley

10–20 min north on I-19; cheaper chain motels, but you need a car for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$130–200 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Country inn or B&B double1 × 1 night × US$200US$200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$165US$330
Tumacácori admission, per adult2 × US$5US$10
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, per adult2 × US$5US$10
Rental car, one day1 × US$60 · checkUS$60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 · checkUS$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$64
Trip total≈ US$352 per person per day, bed includedUS$704

check

2026 estimate in US dollars, before sales tax; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–5
Lunch, gallery-row café$12–20
Dinner, Sonoran Mexican$18–35
Tumacácori admissionValid 7 days; annual park passes accepted.$5 adults, free under 16
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park$5 adults, $2 ages 7–13, free under 7
Guided Guevavi and Calabazas mission tourJanuary–March, second and fourth Saturdays; reserve in advance.$25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe for a small tourist town; the real risks are summer heat, monsoon flash floods and the desert on foot. Lock the car and keep water in it.
  • Summer heat: June–August highs above 38 °C; carry water and walk early.
  • Monsoon storms July–September bring flash flooding on washes and arroyos.
  • I-19 has no services between exits and US Border Patrol checkpoints north of Tubac; carry ID.
  • Many galleries keep winter hours only and close one or two weekdays: check before driving down.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Tubac Chamber of Commerce
+1 520-398-2704
Tumacácori NHP
+1 520-398-2341

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

TubacTubac

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Tubac Chamber of Commerce+1 520-398-2704

Embassy

No consulates in Tubac; nearest are in Tucson (Mexico) and Phoenix (several countries).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Tucson airport → Tubac, rental car: about 45 min on I-19 (check)
  • Tubac → Tumacácori NHP: 4 mi south, 10 min by car; no bus
  • Tubac → Nogales, AZ: about 20 mi south on I-19, 25 min

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Tubac. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Apr · avoid Jun–Aug (monsoon heat, 38 °C+), and Jun–Jul when the Tubac Center for the Arts is closed · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 8 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources