Bobby Retz
Managing Director; Destination & Conference Services; Tucson, Ariz.
What are three adventurous excursions you would recommend for groups meeting in the Tucson area?
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: This makes for a great group tour because it has so many different attractions that appeal to a variety of people. First, it has an impressive collection of gems and minerals taken directly from the Sonoran Desert. This collection is housed in a manmade cave that includes both a dry cave and a wet cave. There are also great trails throughout the museum that guests can take to see all the unique flora and fauna of the desert. The most popular part of the museum is the animals native to the Sonoran Desert.
- ATV Adventure: This is a high-adventure activity where guests can actually drive an all-terrain vehicle through the desert and see the different cacti, trees and animal life that the Sonoran Desert is known for. Guests normally will ride this open-air vehicle for about one hour through the sandy desert trails. The open range trails are also home to grazing cattle.
- Cattle Drive: Where else can a group go to participate in a real Western cattle drive? Guests are taken to the 16,000-acre Cocoraque Ranch, where they are matched up with a horse, based on their riding experience. Once all the guests are on horseback, the group rides out to a fenced holding area that holds up to 100 head of beef and Corriente cattle. The objective for the group is to move the cattle approximately three miles to a new grazing area. Professional wranglers are on hand to assist the group. This activity is for all types of riders, from beginners who ride in back of the herd and coax them along, to the more experienced riders who ride the flanks of the herd and ride after strays. For non-riders, a hay wagon is offered so that they can also experience this true Western adventure. Following the ride, guests enjoy a cocktail and cook-out at the ranch’s La Puesta del Sol pavilion.