Check on the Biosphere 2 on your southern Arizona vacation

Plan the perfect getaway weekend. From a nature hike up in Sabino Canyon or a getaway at the Chiricahua National Monument. Or explore science at the Biosphere 2 near Tucson or art with the Old Town Artisians. Enjoy your getaway to Arizona with a few of these destinations: Biosphere 2 - Oracle, Arizona. The facility stands 91 feet tall at it’s hightest point. The ecosystems under glass consist of Ocean with coral reef, mangrove wetlands, tropical rainforest, Savannah grassland and fog desert. The technical portion of the Biosphere 2 consists in the basement is nearly 3.14 acres hosting it’s electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems. The other 12 smaller AHs can cool the air and generate condensate water. You first will enter the tripical savanna, travel along the 40 foot ocean cliff and look down into the million gallon tropical ocean. It was designed as an airtight replica of Earth’s environment (Biosphere 1). The desire was to learn what problems would rise from people living in a closed system. Tour Prices: Adults - $20; Seniors 62 + - $18; AAA Members - $18; Military - $18; Children ages 6 - 12 - $13; Children under 5 are FREE. Last tour 3 p.m. Phone: 520-838-6124 Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch - Picacho, Arizona. The Ostrich is the largest living bird in the world; it is native to Africa and are desert animals. Just visit the ranch and get your exposure to these huge birds. If you are thinking about baking and need lots of eggs for your goodies you may want to consider an Ostrich egg, one egg is equivalent in volume to 2 dozen chicken eggs. The hen can lay 40 - 100 eggs per year (that’s like 960 chicken eggs at the smallest number of 40!) You will visit the ostrich ranch and the desert and learn about the big birds and all the other things that make this ranch unique (even the birds). Closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday until October when they are only closed on Wednesday from October to Christmas. Shady Dell Trailer Court Motel - Bisbee, Arizona. Looking for a place to stay in Bisbee? There are three trailers that have showers but the owner would really rather the people use the bathhouse since the showers are hard to clean, and after all, at $25 a night a few steps to the shower isn’t bad! There is a small diner for your pleasure, it’s a 1957 Valentine diner purchased from Los Angeles and is now a neon-trimmed, freshly painted silver and red Dot’s Diner. Directions: Bisbee is located in the south of Cochise County, in the southeast corner of Arizona. Phone: 928-432-3567 Chiricahau National Monument - Near Wilcox, Arizona. One of the less known parks of Arizona is the Chiricahua National Monument of Southern Arizona. The Heart of Rocks is a seven mile hike that passes through oddball rock formations that make for a wonderful photo op or just a wonder to the eye. Cochise Stronghold, in the Dragoon Mountains approximately 40 miles west of the Chiricahuas, is one well-preserved fortress from this time. Directions: Chiricahua National Monument is located 120 miles southeast of Tucson. Travel 3 miles into town to the stoplight and turn right. You will follow Arizona State Highway 186 for 32 miles to the junction of Arizona State Highway 181. The Visitor Center is open daily 8 - 4:30 Mountain Standard Time. Sometimes the scenic drive will be closed beyond the campground due to snow, ice or fallen rocks. Phone: 520-824-3560 Tucson Greyhound Park - Tucson, Arizona. For race fans the Tucson Greyhound Park offers you greyhound racing Tuesday - Saturday nights at 7:30 pm. Tucson Greyhound Park opened in 1944, and during more than 50 years of continuous greyhound racing at the park, the track has played host to six of the 25 all-time leading greyhound race winners. JR's Ripper is the number one all-time leading race winner with 143 victories during his racing career. JR's Ripper retired from racing at Tucson Greyhound Park in 1986 and was inducted into the prestigious Greyhound Hall of Fame in 1992. The park also participates in the Greyhound Adoption Program. Greyhounds are smart, sweet, calm, gentle and loving dogs, good with children and adults alike. Sabino Canyon - Tucson, Arizona. This beautiful canyon offers a wonderful opportunity for hiking on its many trails to enjoy the canyon. The canyon offers nature watches, hiking and equestrian trails, picnicking, watchable wildlife and the shuttle bus tours. It is suggested that if you don’t think you will want to hike the whole canyon then take the shuttle for part of it and hike the rest or hike to the canyon and take the bus back. Admission: Day Pass $5. Location: Northeast of Tucson at the foot of the Santa Catalinas. Access: From Tanque Verde Rd in Tucson take Sabino Canyon Rd north to the Recreation Area just north of Sunrise Rd. From here you must walk, ride a horse or take the shuttle bus into the canyon. Relax with the Old Town Artisans - Tucson, Arizona. The buildings have the original ceilings made of saguaro cactus ribs, packing crates, and whiskey barrel staves with remnants of imported wallpaper and gold-leaf moldings. Old Town Artisans is located on the site of El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson, the fort built by the Spanish in 1775 to stake claim to the northern frontier of New Spain. Hours: Shops: September - May Monday - Saturday 9:30 am to 5:30 pm with Sunday 11 am - 5 pm. June - August Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday 11 - 4. Restaurant: September - May Monday - Sunday 11 am - 3 pm. Location: 201 N Court Ave, Tucson, Arizona 85701

Penelope SanMateo is a travel writer about Arizona vacations on Arizona Beautiful covering exciting places to visit. She writes of things to do on a Tucson vacation getaway visiting the Biosphere 2 and the surrounding deserts.

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