Encircled by five mountain ranges and several state and national parks, Tucson seduces visitors with its awesome beauty, spectacular spas, guest ranches, lush golf courses, art galleries and more than 350 sunny days a year. Forget hotels, the best way to fully enjoy the diverse surroundings is a vacation rental. Imagine staying in luxurious, multi-bedroom home, amenity-laden condo or comfortable cabin rather than a staid, small hotel room.

Whether you want a Sonoran desert golf course venue, city setting or something else, we have a long list of options with plenty of unbiased user reviews so you can book with knowledge and confidence.

Attention art aficionados! Tucson has more than 215 art groups and organizations and there are more than 35 art galleries in the downtown district where you can view works and purchase art. For family fun, Tucson lets the good times roll with attractions such as Old Tucson Studios, an Old West theme park with live shows, stunts and trail rides, Tucson Children’s Museum, an interactive museum with 10 galleries and hands-on exhibits and Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch, where you can had feed ostriches, deer and miniature donkeys and Reid Park Zoo, which has over 500 exotic animals in their natural habitats.

Attention golf aficionados! Tucson has more than 40 golf courses with designer tags like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Tom Weiskopf and Robert Trent Jones Jr. Choose from desert golf or more traditional parkland and links-style layouts. Top courses in the Tucson area include Arizona National Golf Club, Randolph North Golf Course and Loews Ventana Canyon.

No visit to Tucson is complete without enjoying some form of outdoor recreation. For hiking, try the trails at Saguaro National Park West, 10 miles west of Tucson, where you can climb at 4,600-foot peak. Bikers should head to the Old Spanish Trail to Colossal Cave Mountain Park, about 40 minutes from downtown, which concludes at the intriguing Colossal Cave. Bird lovers, venture to Tohono Chul Park in the city, a 49-acre desert preserve with many different birds and docent guided birding tours. Family vacation rentals in Tucson

Wouldn’t you like to see a beautiful Tucson sunrise from the balcony of your vacation rental? Surprisingly affordable compared to hotels and oh-so-spacious, vacation rentals are great for kids and helpful for your budget. Many rental homes, cottages and cabins have balconies and porches to see sunrises and sunsets as well as fully equipped kitchens where you can prepare money-saving family feasts.