Tucson Presidio Museum

Walking Tours

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Tucson Presidio Museum offers the best Tucson Area Walking Tours

Pre-registration is required. Click a date below to register!

Cancellation policy: Cancellations received at least 24 hours in advance of the tour will receive a refund (minus a small transaction fee). Those received less than 24 hours in advance will not.

Pet policy: Friendly dogs on a leash are allowed on all walking tours.

If you have questions about our walking tours or group rates, please reach out to info@TucsonPresidio.com.

Barrio Viejo (Old Neighborhood)

Explore Tucson’s oldest neighborhood and the largest collection of Sonoran row houses in the United States. For over a century, Barrio Viejo (Old Neighborhood) was the heart of Tucson’s social, economic, and cultural life. This 120-minute, 1-mile walk features stories about the people, businesses, architecture, and cultures that gave birth to the modern culture of Tucson. Pre-registration is required.

Optional Add-On: For an additional $15, join your guide for a post-tour conversation and a cheese crisp at the historic El Minuto Café. (No alcohol served at El Minuto Cafe.)

Begins and ends at Rosendo S. Perez Park, 424 S. Main Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Public Art Tour

Celebrate Tucson’s rich history and vibrant public art scene on this guided 1.5-mile walking tour through downtown. Beginning at the Tucson Presidio Museum, the tour explores a variety of murals and public art—including several new works that honor Tucson’s 250+ year history. The tour covers approximately 1.5 miles, and all of the pieces are located south of Congress Street.

Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Mainly Murals

Beginning at the Tucson Presidio Museum, the tour explores a variety of murals and public art on a 1.5-miles walking tour of murals north of Congress Street. Learn about the artists, their inspirations, and the stories behind each piece—with new additions added as they’re completed. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Death After Dark

Escape the heat on a macabre, after-dark tour that explores some of Tucson’s most memorable deaths. From executions to suicides, and gunfights to accidents, this 2-mile tour takes you back in time to uncover the city’s most fascinating tragedies. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Turquoise Trail

PLEASE NOTE: Both standard-length and slightly-shorter tours are available.

FULL TURQUOISE TRAIL TOUR

Explore Tucson’s rich history on a guided walking tour along the Turquoise Trail, a 2.5-mile loop through Downtown marked by a painted turquoise line. Your guide will share stories of Tucson’s early days, historic buildings, and the people who helped shape the city’s legacy. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

TURQUOISE TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS TOUR
Walk Tucson’s historic Turquoise Trail—a path marked by a turquoise line painted on the sidewalk. This loop explores the heart of downtown Tucson, highlighting Spanish Colonial architecture, key historic landmarks, and stories dating back to 1775. This slightly shortened tour covers stops 1–14 on the trail before returning to the museum via Church Avenue. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

If you can’t make these dates for a personalized tour you can still walk the Trail:

Pick up your paper map at the Presidio Museum or the Pima County Historic Court House Visitor Center. $2
Download the app, available on iOS or Android. Search “Turquoise Trail Tour”. $5

Santa Cruz River History

Discover how the Santa Cruz River supported Tucson’s earliest communities—and what led to its decline. This 2-hour, 2-mile walking tour begins at Mission Garden and includes the sites of a former Spanish mission and O’odham village. Visit Tucson’s tallest tree and the Garden of Gethsemane, a holy site of statues created in the 1940s by WWI veteran Felix Lucero. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane.

$40 general | $25 member

Fort Lowell Park

Before Davis Monthan, there was Fort Lowell! This walking tour covers the history of the land, people, and fort structures that played a huge part in the development of modern Tucson during the Apache Wars, America’s longest-running military conflict. This 2-hour leisurely walk is just under a mile and begins and ends at the Fort Museum. It will feature the adobe ruins of fort structures such as the Quartermasters Building, Officers’ Quarters, Post Barracks and the Fort Hospital. Admission to the museum is included with the tour.

Be prepared to be on your feet. No public water or restrooms are available at the museum, but the park offers fountains and public restrooms (next to the parking lot, by the Craycroft entrance).

$35 general | $20 member

Murals & More in the 4th Avenue District

Explore the unique blend of art, culture, and history painted in the murals of Tucson’s historic 4th Avenue District. This walking tour winds through alleyways filled with striking murals, reflecting the city’s diverse artistic influences—from traditional southwestern motifs to contemporary urban styles. Learn about the local artists behind these works, uncover hidden gems, and discover stories that bring Tucson’s streets to life. Pre-registration is required.

Begins at the front entrance of Corbett’s, located at 7th St. & 5th Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Mansions of Main Avenue

Take a stroll down Main Avenue and view the grand homes of the movers and shakers of early Tucson, including:

Hiram and Petra Stevens, a prominent merchant couple whose domestic life was less than perfect
Sam Hughes, considered by some the “father of Tucson”
Annie Cheyney, whose newly restored 1905 home was the talk of the town
Albert Steinfeld, a man of department store fame whose son, Harold, was a top scorcher
Frank Hereford, the attorney who represented the defendants in the Wham Robbery

No interior access, but striking architecture and rich history make this ideal for those who prefer more storytelling and less walking. This tour covers 0.25 mile in 2 hours. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends in front of the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Saturday, March 21, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Pioneer Women of Main Avenue

Discover the lives of the pioneer women who helped shape Tucson’s history. You will view the outside of their homes and learn about their lives. Some of the women covered include:

Sarah Sorin, the first female attorney to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court unassisted
Gladys Franklin, active with historic and artistic endeavors in Tucson; she died at age 89 in the same room on Main Avenue she was born in
Edith Kitt, who ran the Arizona Historical Society for years
Bettina Steinfeld, married to Albert Steinfeld, Merchant Prince of the Southwest
Atanacia Hughes, married to Sam Hughes, gave birth to 15 children (pictured above)

This tour follows the same route as the Mansions of Main Avenue walking tour. Ideal for those who enjoy more storytelling and less walking, as it covers 0.25 mile in 2 hours. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends in front of the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Armory Park

Discover the history of Armory Park, just south of Broadway and east of Stone, where development began with the railroad’s arrival in 1880.

This 2-hour, 0.5-mile tour explores the exteriors of historic public buildings–no private homes–including the Blenman Inn, Carnegie Free Library, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Safford School, Willard Hotel, and the Temple of Music and Art.

You’ll also learn about notable figures like Charles River Drake, Charles Blenman, Isabella Greenway, Mattie Dreyfus Heineman, and architects Henry C. Trost and A. G. Rockfellow. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends across from the Blenman Inn, 204 S. Scott Ave.

$35 general | $20 member

Court Street Cemetery

Join archaeologist Homer Thiel on a walk through the Court Street Cemetery, where approximately 8,000 people were buried between 1875 and 1909. When the cemetery closed, about half of the remains were reinterred elsewhere—the rest were left in place. This tour will guide you through the cemetery, highlight locations where remains have been discovered, and uncover the history of this often-forgotten site.

Begins at the southwest corner of Speedway & Stone.

$35 general | $20 member

Check back soon for upcoming tour dates.

Evergreen Cemetery

Explore Tucson’s history through the stories of those buried at Evergreen Cemetery. After a general overview of local cemeteries, this 2-hour, 0.5-mile tour led by Alan Kruse visits select gravesites of notable figures, including the Father of Tucson Sam Hughes, photographer Henry Buehman, pioneer Larcena Pennington, legislator Harry Arizona Drachman, trailblazing attorney Sarah Herring Sorin, and Apache agent Thomas Jeffords. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends one block in from the cemetery entrance, N. Oracle Rd. & W. Fort Lowell Rd.

$35 general | $20 member

Check back soon for upcoming tour dates.

Modern Streetcar & Walking Tour

Potentially one of the most significant events to occur in Tucson in many decades is the development of the modern streetcar, now called the Sun Link. Ride the streetcar from one end to the other, getting off at various points to explore. The tour begins at the Mercado with a brief history of the streetcar before boarding.

Highlights include stops at the Gutierrez Bridge artwork, downtown streetcar art installations, a walking tour along Congress Street and 4th Avenue, and the University of Arizona Main Gate. Here, you’ll learn about Tucson’s original streetcar system, which operated from 1897 to 1930. Then, the streetcar travels through campus, concluding at 12:30 p.m. at the eastern terminus (Helen & Warren Streets) with a visit to the public artwork “Poet.” The ride back to the Mercado is 30 minutes, but you’re welcome to stop for lunch on the way.

The total time spent on the streetcar (some sitting, some standing) is about 1 hour. The walking portion covers about 1 mile over uneven ground with multiple curbs and one flight of stairs. Please reach out at info@tucsonpresidio.com with accessibility questions. Pre-registration is required.

Begins and ends at the Mercado San Agustin, 100 S. Avenida del Convento.

$45 general | $30 member

Check back soon for upcoming tour dates.

University of Arizona

After a discussion of the interesting beginnings of the University in 1885, your guide will lead you to the historic portion of the campus beginning with the Main Gate at University at Park. The history, the personalities, and the architecture will be emphasized in a somewhat chronological order. The architecture of the older buildings varies from Classical Revival to Italian and Spanish Romanesque. The tour will also include newer sites such as the Women’s Plaza of Honor and the Student Union Memorial Center. As we stroll the campus, we will investigate some of the plants – the University is a recognized arboretum – and the public art. The tour will end after a short visit to the front of the Arizona History Museum.

***This tour is 1.25-miles long and meets east of the Main Gate Garage (815 E. 2nd St.). Specific instructions to the meeting location will be sent upon registration.

$35 general | $20 member

Check back soon for upcoming tour dates.

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Walking Tours

Tucson Presidio Museum offers the best Tucson Area Walking Tours

Barrio Viejo (Old Neighborhood)

Public Art Tour

Mainly Murals

Death After Dark

Turquoise Trail

Santa Cruz River History

Fort Lowell Park

Murals & More in the 4th Avenue District

Mansions of Main Avenue

Pioneer Women of Main Avenue

Armory Park

Court Street Cemetery

Evergreen Cemetery

Modern Streetcar & Walking Tour

University of Arizona