TUCSON, ARIZONA

TUES, SEPT 9 – THURS, SEPT 11, 2025

We braved the June heat last week and headed down to 107°F Tucson to check out a hotel on our list of potentials. You’re definitely going to love it. The contract we plan to sign should be arriving in the mail by Monday, if not today.  We’ve settled on the Double Tree Suites by Hilton nearby the Tucson AZ airport. For those who don’t plan on renting a car, they have shuttle service … or you can literally “walk” over to the hotel from the airport.

It’s absolutely lovely and you’ll be staying in a “suite” (bedrooms and separate living rooms).  All the rooms are equipped with refrigerators and microwaves, so those of you who need to refrigerate medications won’t need to beg for, or pay extra for refrigerators.

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking, “Suites? That’s gonna cost a pretty penny!” But actually, it’s going to cost us less per night than what we’ve previously paid in Reno or Branson!  With taxes included, we’re hoping to lock in your suites for just under $140/night (for the stay + for 3 days before and 3 days after). All rooms are accessed off of one of their lovely courtyards where you can enjoy some wonderful fall weather while spending some time swapping stories with friends. (If you are assigned a room on an upper floor, there are elevators.) You might even want to bring along a swimsuit and enjoy some time in the pool.

And for those of you who were hoping we’d choose Reno (and the opportunity for a bit of gambling) … there are TWO nearby casinos where you can try out your luck. For those not interested in a game or two of chance, there are other venues around Tucson that are worthy of your time. If you’ll be renting a car, Tucson has a lovely outdoor “Desert Museum” that Roger and I have visited on two different occasions.  The “Biosphere” is up the road about an hour north of town. We’ve visited that as well and it too is quite interesting.  And, if you’re interested in a bit of a “western lore,” Tombstone Historic District is located about an hour and 15 minutes east on I-10 and  then south on Rt80. You can experience some re-enactments and peruse some of the curio and crafts shops.  Last time we were there, I was amazed by some of the quilts in some of those shops. If you’re interested in visiting Nogales, Mexico, don’t forget your passports.  It’s just a short drive to the border down I-19.

We’re looking at planning a Buffet Group Dinner on Thursday night (with a missing man table) and H’orderves on Tuesday evening.  Registration for those will cost $75/person (which is the loaded cost with fees and taxes included).  Breakfasts are included as part of your room rates, and there is a wonderful restaurant on site.  That means lunches are on-your-own, as is dinner on Wednesday evening.  You can choose to eat at the onsite restaurant, or if you rent a car, you can choose any restaurant around Tucson. Then again, since you have a refrigerator/microwave in your rooms, you can shop Costco (if you have a membership) or any nearby grocery and bring it back appropriate foods to your room.

As has been true in the past, we need to make all of these arrangements at least one year in advance, so expect to see a REGISTRATION form from us

in an email or postcard about May/June next year asking to collect in advance for the food and fees.  We’ll also provide a phone number/website at that time for you to individually make your own room reservations.