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Tohono Chul

Tohono Chul

Tohono Chul
4.5
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Cultivate your appreciation for the Sonoran Desert’s natural beauty and the impression it makes on everyone who explores our “Desert Corner”. Here, the seasons inspire wondrous events both in nature and culturally; Tohono Chul celebrates every opening, whether for an internationally known artist or an exquisite cactus flower. Wander the natural desert gardens—escape the noise of everyday. Engage in our sincere passion to evolve “The Desert Corner” as an integral crossroads of nature, art and culture.
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

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  • julielp
    Bloomington, Minnesota459 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to visit!
    This is a nice peaceful garden with art pieces intermixed with lots of different kinds of cactus and succulents. Lots of trails to walk , museums to visit, and gift shops to check out. They also have an enjoyable restaurant with a very nice shaded area with a variety of things on the menu. You can do this in 1 1/2-2 hours with lots of benches to sit and enjoy.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 1, 2024
  • Jan A
    Sahuarita, Arizona18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lovely surprise
    We have a membership to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum but I'm surprised we never heard about Tohono Chul before and I'm so glad we finally did. I think this April was a particularly wonderful time to go, as the rainy winter caused a lovely display of colorful spring wildflowers. We arrived in time for the bird walk with a friendly docent, and it was a peaceful introduction to the trails and a general overview of the garden areas. I highly recommend this park.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 7, 2024
  • Dave48838
    Greenville, Michigan659 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    High Recommended
    This is a great little bit of Tucson that introduces the visitor to dessert ecosystems while just a block off a main street. The short walks transport the viewer through various Sonoran flora species in a well-labeled and organize way. Visiting in April was a treat as so many plants were in full bloom. There is much to see and learn, including sculptures, water features, and very nice facilities. The park has a fine gift shop as well as a restaurant. We did not dine in but enjoyed the shade provided. There are docent lectures and other programs scheduled in a fine amphitheater. The admission price was reasonable for this remarkable little corner of the world that is not to be missed.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 15, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,441 reviews
Excellent
1,016
Very good
325
Average
79
Poor
13
Terrible
8

BlueCrabby
Reno, NV181 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Just exactly what the title says. This is our favorite public garden in Tucson. What started as a private home has expanded to a beautifully cared for multi acreage example of desert landscape where both flora and fauna abound. Many pieces of art, some of them for sale, can be found among the plantings. Lots of shaded patios and gentle paths make for a perfect place to spend a winter day. Nice tours, beautiful gift shop and a cactus greenhouse where you can purchase one to take home.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for such a lovely review. We are honored to be called your Favorite Tucson Garden. Thank you for supporting Tohono Chul and we hope to see you again soon.
Written January 31, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

LaurieB980
Portland, OR677 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
We enjoyed parts of this visit to Tohono Chul, but found the maps we were given to be totally unhelpful in finding our way around the park, and we ended up lost a few times because the map didn't seem to match where we were. The posted signs were also not very helpful, and we found ourselves unable to find our way around the park ANYwhere at times in trying to get to where we were hoping to be, and we often stumbled onto desired areas by chance. For example, there were no signs for the hummingbird or the butterfly gardens, so we were never quite sure we had found them even though the map seemed to indicate their locations.
However, on the pro side, we thought the walking paths were REALLY nice with loads of beautiful flowering cactus plants of various varieties abounding. The plants, trees, and bushes usually had signs to give us information. There was interesting art work and sculptures along the paths including birds made from metal or iron including some placed up in the trees. Very cool!
I would say the ONLY drawback were the poorly marked paths in some areas, and the awful maps which I would encourage the staff to update! This is well worth doing if you don't mind getting a bit lost and not finding some of the areas that you'd have liked to have seen.
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharon M
Arlington Heights, IL88 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This is a perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon. It's a bit smaller than the Desert Museum. Friendly docents are happy to answer questions and give you background. It's a quiet, beautiful setting perfect for meandering. Lunch was very good. Museum shops had a wide range of nice things
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are glad to hear how much you enjoyed the gardens, Museum Shops, and Garden Bistro. Thank you for visiting Tohono Chul and we hope to see you again soon.
Written March 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Search4Yeti
Omaha, NE17 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Family
Temps were 100deg for the day so we wanted an outdoor adventure that allowed us to get a feel for the desert, plants, little pockets of beauty, in a contained area. Tohono Chul fit our needs perfectly without long hikes in the sun. Gardens, art, and food all in one quaint place. The museum gift shop had some great finds and the greenhouse had various sizes of cacti that we are taking home. Thank you to the kind docents who were so helpful and knowledgeable.
Written October 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Renee H
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Couples
Had an opportunity to take a tour with a docent who was very knowledgeable and it would not have been as interesting without that. The grounds have excellent examples of cacti, agave, and aloes. They have a crested saguaro which is very rare. Nice items at great ft shops. Had a small gallery showing beautiful watercolor paintings by local artist and a collection of Native American baskets. Bistro had a wait so best to check in when you first arrive.
Written February 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue R
87 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
It’s a nice place to wander around and great that it is in the city. Nothing was really blooming yet. I’m afraid I was a bit underwhelmed but I’ve been fortunate to go to other more extensive gardens in Arizona. What made it worth it for me is the William Lesch exhibit inside the gallery. Beautiful work. The staff/volunteers are very friendly and I enjoyed shopping in both stores - the ladies there were delightful. I didn’t even try to get into the cafe as it was a zoo. Parking was also crazy but probably because I arrived around lunch hour and people were there for lunch I’m thinking.
Written March 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paddy L
Chicago, IL134 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
What a beautiful botanical garden! We met friends here for a stroll around this little gem in Tucson. The name Tohono Chul means "desert corner," and it is such a charming nature preserve. The grounds are very well maintained and docents are all around to answer questions you may have. The art work and sculptures displayed among the natural surroundings make it very unique and quaint, much like an outdoor museum. They also have an outdoor seating area where events take place. Wine and music under the stars? Now that is something to come back for!
Written December 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

amanda
Milwaukee, WI1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
We visited during the afternoon on a weekday. Great lunch at the Bistro. Food and service were very good. After lunch we bought tickets and walked the grounds. The entire area seems to be neglected and past its prime. Weeds, dead or dying plants, empty exhibits, unreadable bleached-out interpretative signage. This was perhaps more notable having visited the Sonoran Desert Museum the day prior. I would eat at the Bistro and skip entry to the gardens in the future.
Written March 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jan A
Sahuarita, AZ18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
We have a membership to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum but I'm surprised we never heard about Tohono Chul before and I'm so glad we finally did. I think this April was a particularly wonderful time to go, as the rainy winter caused a lovely display of colorful spring wildflowers. We arrived in time for the bird walk with a friendly docent, and it was a peaceful introduction to the trails and a general overview of the garden areas. I highly recommend this park.
Written April 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

julielp
Bloomington, MN459 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
This is a nice peaceful garden with art pieces intermixed with lots of different kinds of cactus and succulents. Lots of trails to walk , museums to visit, and gift shops to check out. They also have an enjoyable restaurant with a very nice shaded area with a variety of things on the menu. You can do this in 1 1/2-2 hours with lots of benches to sit and enjoy.
Written March 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Tohono Chul - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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