Tim Hull - Moon Tucson

Saguaro National Park.

The Sonoran Deserts soft greens and yellows can appear monotonous. But look closely and youll find staggering variety. So it is with the culture in Tucson and Southern Arizona.

If theres a melting pot in the United States, it bubbles here. While traveling the region, its difficult to escape constant reminders that not too long ago this land was considered not the southern end of the United States but rather the northern end of Mexico. The Anglo and Hispanic settlers have since come to terms with each other, for the most part, and their mixing has created a unique culture that can only be described as Southwestern. While this true Southwestern experience can be explored in a few other places, nowhere is it more authentic and dynamic than in Southern Arizona. Proof of this in the regions food, art, music, and writing, all of which thrive on the arid climate and cultural complexity.

The landscape is dominated by desert, stretching out like a vast forgotten sea. It rains here only rarely, yet in spring the land bursts with otherwise dormant wildflowers, like a one-night-only command performance, and during the summer monsoon season this so-called arid region is positively lush. Increase your elevation into one of the regions sky islands, and you will be hunting for tropical birds in a misty creek bed, or, if you go high enough, clamping on a pair of skis. Take a short drive south and youll experience the dynamic border region with all its bustling and color. Go east and youll find the remains of the Old West at its most iconic. Look a little closer and youll find the new as well, in the artists and artisans who find Southern Arizonas quaint towns like Tubac and Bisbee so inviting. This is a fascinating, exotic region, and one in which you might find yourself happily lost.