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Arizona, United States

Catalina Foothills

Saguaro slopes below the Santa Catalinas for a Jan 1 canyon walk and a long brunch. Below: 3 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 1 place to stay, plus how Catalina Foothills fits into a longer trip.

Plan Catalina Foothills with friendsBrowse 6 places
Catalina Foothills, Arizona, United States
Places
6

3 Outdoors · 2 Eat · 1 Stay

Curated routes
1

Tucson New Year's Eve

Best season
Dec 30 – Jan 1

from our route notes

Warmest month
June

39°C / 102°F avg high

Coolest month
December

17°C / 62°F avg high

Wettest month
July

about 65 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Catalina Foothills

6 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Catalina Foothills.

  • Sabino Canyon in Catalina FoothillsPhoto: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Outdoors

    Sabino Canyon

    A desert canyon with a year-round creek, cottonwoods and saguaro slopes; an electric shuttle runs up the canyon road.

    Tip Walk the paved road one way and ride the shuttle back; check shuttle hours for Jan 1.

    • Catalina Foothills
    • $
    • 3 hr
    • Jan 1 morning
  • Outdoors

    Tohono Chul

    A desert botanical garden in the northwest Foothills with shaded walking paths, art galleries and a bistro.

    Tip Confirm holiday hours before going on Jan 1.

    • Casas Adobes
    • $
    • 1.5 hr
    • Midday
  • Outdoors

    Mount Lemmon

    The Catalina Highway climbs from saguaros to pine forest and, after winter storms, snow at the top.

    Tip Check road conditions; chains or 4WD can be required after snow.

    • Santa Catalina Mountains
    • Free
    • 4 hr
    • Jan 1 afternoon

Eat

2 places to eat across Catalina Foothills and Campbell Avenue, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • Hacienda del Sol in Catalina FoothillsPhoto: Ken Bosma · CC BY 2.0
    Eat

    Hacienda del Sol

    A 1929 hillside guest ranch whose Grill serves brunch with city views; it hosts a New Year's Eve dinner and dance.

    Tip Reserve brunch on the terrace for Jan 1.

    • Catalina Foothills
    • $$$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Late morning
  • Eat

    Blue Willow

    A long-running breakfast and lunch spot on Campbell Avenue with a shaded patio.

    • Campbell Avenue
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Morning

Stay

Places to stay in Catalina Foothills.

  • Stay

    Westward Look Resort

    A Foothills resort with city views that has hosted a New Year's Eve dinner and ballroom party.

    • Catalina Foothills
    • $$$

How to fit Catalina Foothills into a trip

Catalina Foothills is stop 2 of 2 on our Tucson New Year's Eve route. Follow it as-is or lift Catalina Foothills into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Catalina Foothills month by month

Average daily highs run from 17°C / 62°F in December to 39°C / 102°F in June. July is the wettest month, with about 65 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Catalina Foothills weather and the best time to visit →

Near Catalina Foothills

5 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.

Catalina Foothills questions, answered

How many days do you need in Catalina Foothills?

On our Tucson New Year's Eve route it is stop 2 of 2 in a 3-day trip. Split evenly, that is about 2 days here, an estimate rather than a rule. The listed visit times for our 6 places add up to roughly 11 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Catalina Foothills best known for?

Saguaro slopes below the Santa Catalinas for a Jan 1 canyon walk and a long brunch. Standouts on our list: Sabino Canyon (A desert canyon with a year-round creek, cottonwoods and saguaro slopes; an electric shuttle runs up the canyon road); Tohono Chul (A desert botanical garden in the northwest Foothills with shaded walking paths, art galleries and a bistro); Mount Lemmon (The Catalina Highway climbs from saguaros to pine forest and, after winter storms, snow at the top).

When is the best time to visit Catalina Foothills?

Our Tucson New Year's Eve route is best Dec 30 – Jan 1. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in June (39°C / 102°F), the coolest in December (17°C / 62°F) and the most rain in July (about 65 mm).

What are the best things to do in Catalina Foothills?

Start with Sabino Canyon, Tohono Chul and Mount Lemmon. Our guide lists 6 places in all, from 3 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in Catalina Foothills?

Our picks: Hacienda del Sol (Catalina Foothills); Blue Willow (Campbell Avenue). Reserve brunch on the terrace for Jan 1 (Hacienda del Sol).

What is near Catalina Foothills?

The closest destinations in our guides are Downtown Tucson (about 11 km / 7 mi), Papago Park & Camelback (about 163 km / 101 mi) and Downtown Phoenix (about 170 km / 106 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Catalina Foothills with your crew

Open the Tucson New Year's Eve route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 6 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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