Things to Do in Oro Valley

Kruse Arizona Tours are led by Alan Kruse, whose encyclopedic knowledge of local culture earned him the title “the king of local tours” by the Arizona Daily Star, as well as a vice-presidency at the Southern Arizona Guides Association and membership at the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau. Opt for the twilight Barrio Viejo walking tour and meet by La Pilita to set out on a two-hour exploration of the cultural and architectural traditions of local Hispanic culture. Or take the tour of Armory Park, which meets at the Royal Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast and boasts two hours of enlightening education about the Victorian and Californian architectural stylings of 1880s Tucson. The two-part Pioneer Women of Tucson tours chronicle female architects, artists, and politicians who have shaped Tucson's cultural landscape. Tourists can meet at the northwest corner of Main and Alameda for a two-hour stroll admiring the historic mansions of Main Street, complete with anecdotal entertainment on the life and times of early Tucsonans. Tour guide Alan Kruse is a former college professor who now boasts one of the busiest walking-tour schedules in Tucson. His cunning wit and quirky attire promise to charm even the most gruff and hardened historical home touree. Call ahead to schedule the tour of your choice and prepare for two hours of unparalleled enlightenment.

Paint your own ceramics studio offering parties, fundraising ideas, classes for children and adults, after school programs and more!

Offering scenic views of Tucson and the surrounding area, the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley sky ride (a $9 value for adults and a $5 value for children) allows lounging adventurers to kick back and catch a bird’s-eye view of nature’s bounty without lassoing an albatross. Each sky ride to the summit takes approximately 30 minutes and covers approximately one mile. Departing from an 8,200-foot base, sky riders will climb nearly 1,000 feet into the clouds while soaking in views of the Reef of Rocks, San Pedro Valley, and the mountains of Globe and Phoenix in the distance. Along the way, scan the surroundings for golden eagles, wild turkeys, and more than 200 species of birds, as well as black bears, mountain lions, white-tailed deer, and dodos.

This museum of pint-sized pieces showcases more than 275 miniature houses, room boxes, and other collectibles that are organized into three categories: Enchanted Realm, History and Antiques Gallery, and Exploring the World. Leave the girth of planet Earth and enter the whimsical fantasyland of a tiny-sized Enchanted Realm. Interactive exhibits allow you to search for an elusive fairy within the goblets of a sentient tree showpiece or unearth scattered woodland creatures, snow villages, fairy castles, and witch compounds. Teleport through the blue, arched rotunda to the History and Antiques Gallery, which chronicles the significance of miniature relics throughout history and displays one of the oldest mini houses in the United States, dating back to 1775. Travel the floor as a nephilim Magellan in the Exploring the World section, which surveys the cultural value of miniatures from other countries.

Across Disruptive Paintball’s six battlefields, teams splatter blotches of color across 18 acres of dry desert landscape. Amidst the shrubs and sparse trees, they slink behind giant wooden spools and up stairs into watchtowers, where they pick off opponents belly crawling up dirt mounds. Players can also post up inside a dilapidated helicopter and various forts or challenge their aim and reflexes on the small speedball court furnished with large inflatable obstacles. Because the center's varied and exciting arena attracts players of virtually every age and skill level—from seven-year-old girls and boys to elderly grandparents—staff members divide participants by skill level to ensure every player has a safe and fun experience. Disruptive Paintball also hosts airsoft nights, a game similar to paintball that uses soft pellets in place of paintballs.

Burnt ambers set the Sonoran Desert ablaze at sunset, when the guides at Spanish Trail Outfitters shepherd horseback riders through the desert's serpentine trails. Tours launch from two locations, the Rocking K Ranch and Westward Look Resort. The Rocking K Ranch sprawls across 3,300 acres in the Rincon Valley, riddled with Native American petroglyphs, panoramic views of mountain peaks, and dirt donated from philanthropic Mars civilizations. Humans and horse compatriots embark on short jaunts or half-day rides, complete with lunch, and gallop between the prickly prongs of Saguaro cacti and herds of grazing cattle and hungry rock formations. Nestled in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains, Westward Look Resort affords breathtaking views of mountain peaks and the Tucson valley.