Tohono Chul Park, a botanical garden nestled in Northwest Tucson, is recognized on a national level.

The park, located one block west of Ina and Oracle roads, has been acknowledged as one of the top 22 secret gardens by National Geographic and one of the top 10 greatest botanical gardens in the world by Tour and Travel Magazine, and is a must see while in Tucson.

Tohono Chul Park features a botanical garden, nature trails, art galleries, local shopping, a garden bistro and a green house on its 49 acres.

Aside from the every-day visitor, the park offers lectures, educational workshops and tours for children on a weekly basis.

Throughout the year, the park hosts three plant sales of locally grown and adapted plants, unlike those found anywhere else.

During the winter nights, just after Thanksgiving, the park opens its doors to its visitors for Holiday Nights for four nights. The park is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with more than 750,000 lights throughout, lighting up the park in a magical and beautiful way.

For one night each year, the park puts its most famous member on display – the Queen of the Night, the night-blooming cereus. The buds of these plants build throughout the summer months and late May, early July, the plant pops open to reveal a giant, white blossom for one night of the year.

Park Information

Dine

• For a large percentage of Tucsonans, the Garden Bistro is the Park. A large number of loyal diners with discriminating pallets are recurring diners. The Garden Bistro boasts not only delicious fare but a perfect locale for a view of the Santa Catalina Mountains and frequent sightings of hummingbirds and butterflies in the year-round, blooming courtyard.

Greenhouse

• At Tohono Chul Park, you do not have to wait for fall and Spring Desert Corner Plant Sales to shop for a variety of Arizona native and arid-adapted plants. The Greenhouse, adjacent to the Garden Bistro, is open year-round and has close to 100 species for sale that are available no where else.

Information

• Address: 7366 N. Paseo del Norte Tucson, AZ 85704.

• Contact: (520) 742-6455,  www.tohonochulpark.org

• Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily  (July & August 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

• Fees: Members & Children under 5 are free, $8 Adults (13+), $6 Seniors (62+), $5 Active Military, $4 Students with valid ID, $2 Children (5-12)