If you’re looking for the perfect desert getaway filled with cacti, incredible sunsets, and local food, a weekend in Marana delivers. Located just northwest of Tucson, Marana offers easy access to the beauty of the Sonoran Desert, Saguaro National Park, all while still having great food, shopping, and breweries nearby.
We spent a weekend exploring the area and quickly fell in love! We filled our time with hiking in Saguaro National Park, eating our first authentic Sonoran hot dog, and finishing each day watching golden sunsets from a horse ranch Hipcamp!
Here’s my guide to our weekend in Marana!
Explore Saguaro National Park West
One of the biggest highlights of visiting Marana is how close it is to the western side of Saguaro National Park. Start your day early here to catch a prime parking spot at the Red Hills Visitor Center to check out hiking info, fill up your water bottle, and enjoy the epic views from the center there!
Driving the Bajada Scenic Loop for amazing views of the cacti, and if you’re looking for a short and family-friendly hike I’d suggest Signal Hill Trailhead. It’s a great jumping-off point for other trails nearby and a great picnic area!
Visit the Picture Rock Petroglyphs
On your way out of Saguaro National Park – take the back roads for not only an epic scenic drive but to see the Picture Rock Petroglyphs! This area is filled with hundreds of Petroglyphs from roughly 300-1450 CE. To access the site, please be mindful that it is on a Catholic Retreat site and it is open to the public, but check in with the main office before exploring. There is a lovely easy guided trail that lets you explore right at the base of the Tucson Mountains to see the Petroglyphs, rock gardens, and more.
See Shiva — One of the Oldest Saguaros
Hidden a bit off the backroads in Ironwood Forest National Monument stands the Shiva Saguaro, a massive cactus estimated to be over 200 years old! It has 80 arms extending out and was truly a sight to see! Definitely a fun photo opp for sure! Remember to always keep a safe distance if you visit and please be mindful of the no-trespassing signs. You can park on the shoulder and walk a few steps in to catch the photo without trespassing.
For details on how to find it, you can download the helpful guide here.
It’s definitely worth seeking out this legendary cactus if you are exploring the Ironwood Forest National Monument area!
Try a Classic Sonoran Hot Dog
You can’t visit southern Arizona without trying a Sonoran hot dog.
This regional specialty is nothing like your average ballpark hot dog. A Sonoran hot dog is typically wrapped in bacon and served in a soft bolillo-style bun, then topped with beans, onions, tomatoes, mayo, mustard, and jalapeño sauce. It’s definitely messy, flavorful, but absolutely worth it.
We had one at the local brewery and it was SO good! If you’re looking to find one you can check out a list here!
Enjoy The Local Breweries
Southern Arizona has a growing craft beer scene, and Marana is a great base for exploring it.
After a hot day of desert exploring, we opted to seek out a nice cold beer to wrap up our afternoon. We first visited Catalina Brewing Company, and I loved the laid-back vibe. If you’re into mountain biking, there’s a huge community here as the space is decked out with bike gear, plus they have a back room filled with old school pinball and arcade games! Definitely try a beer and their Sonoran Hot Dog here!
The next day we tried Dove Mountain Brewing, and I loved the area it was in! Definitely set some time to head up to the Dove Mountain area for a beer, treat, or dinner! We enjoyed some beers on the patio and some light bites and everything was phenomenal. This brewery is definitely family-friendly with a full menu and large beer list as well.
If you love pizza, definitely try Amore right next door to Dove Mountain Brewing. We grabbed a couple pizzas to go for a pizza picnic at our campsite one night, and it was delicious!
Stay at an Equestrian Hipcamp in the Desert
One of the most unique parts of our Marana weekend was where we stayed: an equestrian retreat camp stay booked through Hipcamp. The property was peaceful, wide open, and surrounded by classic Sonoran Desert scenery. Every evening ended with an incredible desert sunset, and I loved being able to visit the horses on property every day!
It felt secluded enough but you were also only 10 minutes away from restaurants, shops, and even the National Park! We also enjoyed having full hook-ups there too as the desert heat did make it a bit toasty, so it was nice to come back to a cool RV after our adventures!
Grab a Coffee and Shop at Tucson Premium Outlets
You know I love a good coffee stop so we visited a local coffee truck which just happened to be conveniently located at the Tucson Premium Outlets! We started our morning with a latte and matcha from Keeni Coffee Co!
Located right in Marana, the outlets had all of my favorite shops and brands to make for an easy morning activity. Living on the road full-time isn’t the easiest as we don’t have a permanent address and it definitely throttles my ability to shop online, so of course, I love a good excuse to shop and save for some new pieces for my RV closet!
It was nice for a little bit of retail therapy 🙂
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We loved our weekend exploring Marana – It’s the perfect little area to explore the outdoors and local scene in this cozy little suburb of Tucson. It truly is breathtaking anywhere you go, surrounded by desert landscapes and the best sunsets!