Oro Valley, AZ Outdoor Activities

Michael Huhn founded Desert Divers to share the love of diving he cultivated while swimming among the menagerie of colorful sea life in the warm, limpid waters of the Sea of Cortez. Over the past 30 years, he’s recruited a staff of dedicated instructors that schools nascent underwater explorers in introductory lessons and intensive scuba-certification classes. The staff members equip students with most necessary gear for the classes, which cover maritime topics ranging from first aid and fish identification to deep diving and how to fashion sleeping octopuses into temporary helmets. Many classes require that participants first take an open-water scuba course, which bestows diving fundamentals and can eventually lead to certification. The center welcomes all past open-water students back for free refresher courses, helping former pupils sharpen their skills in advance of upcoming dives and snorkel-throwing tournaments. To further refine aquatic abilities, Desert Divers leads new graduates out on field trips to such dive-friendly locales as San Carlos, Mexico, and Key Largo, Florida.

Since he took his first flight more than 25 years ago, Arizona Balloon Safaris' CEO and FAA–certified pilot, Randy Long, has lifted more than 20,000 passengers into the sky—including celebrities such as Shakira. Though Mr. Long has flown hot air balloons across both states and parallel dimensions, he calls the Sonoran Desert his home base. As the sun paints an orange glow across the desert's rocky bluffs at dawn, Mr. Long and his passengers ascend up to 3,000 feet into the air. From here, the pilot points out the desert's plants and wildlife, such as coyotes, roadrunners, and jackrabbits. He ends each flight the same way; back on the ground, he pours his passengers some champagne, congratulates them on earning their wings, and starts thinking about the next day's adventure.

The FAA-certified commercial pilots at the helm of Southern AZ Balloons have glided groups across Tucson for more than two decades. During aerial adventures, the luxurious, wind-blown aircraft float as low as the treetops and as high as 3,000 feet. Varying heights present extravagant photographic opportunities, including of mountain ranges and of Catalina. Finally, after travelling anywhere from four to 15 miles, balloons coast to a landing for celebratory champagne brunches.

Well after the sun has set over the Tortolita Mountains, the world-class trainers at Crazy Heart Ranch grab the reigns under the lights of a spacious outdoor arena. When they're not riding, the horse-loving crew lends their equine knowledge to students during monthly clinics, group lessons, private lessons, and kids' camps at the Northwest Tucson ranch, where they focus on creating meaningful relationships between riders and horses. All resident instructors and horses are experienced in reining, Western and English riding styles, ranch horse versatility, and team roping. Guests can saddle up and ride on the ranch's private trails, or complement lessons with a picnic under the region's native Mesquite trees, the same trees that money doesn't grow on.

The serious cyclist needs more than just a bike—there’s a whole inventory of gear, parts, and accessories that make bicycling fun, safe, and comfortable. That’s where ProBike Tucson steps in, offering the both essential bicycling components and new technology-enhanced gadgets, plus a team of techs to the keep bikes running smoothly. Riders outfit themselves in Garneau helmets, Oakley eyewear, and Shimano shoes that help improve performance while competing in cyclist fashion shows. Peruse ProBike’s selection of bikes, which spans brands from Pinarello and BMC to Ridley. Customers can chat with staff members to choose what kind of cycle would be best for their wants, whether road, mountain, tri, or urban bike.

Fitter Tim Carolan and mechanic Scott Anderson work to ensure that each cyclist's machine runs optimally with the cyclist’s body and with the road. Bikes can roll in for tune-ups and complete overhauls. For especially mysterious problems—perhaps when the brake stops working or when the bicycle bell keeps attracting unwanted mountain lions—the shop’s staff is happy to take look and determine the problem.