Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens, Galleries, and Bistro

This place is a botanical garden, with a few small shops aside. The gardens are beautiful and there are a couple nice trails that you can take for a peaceful walk in the desert. The entrance fee is $20, which is too high if you are just looking for a peaceful walk on a nature trail. I was there for a docent led tour called Plants and Poetry, and it was a good price for a 1 hour activity. The tour combined art and science in a charming way, as we met each desert plant as an individual in a community of specialized desert flora.

Holiday Nights 2025 event. I was extremely disappointed for $25 a person. We are two adults, with no kids, and not interested in buying food or gifts. All we wanted was the ambience and light displays! Sure, what they did provide was festive and pretty, but there were ZERO photo opportunities. Most of the place was blocked off, and forces you to walk by numerous vendors and shops. It just wasn't exciting or fun at all. Nothing made me smile or jaw drop. Awful first time experience. As for returning, it's all on a hill. Our legs were sore from the incline, and walking around in circles. Sad. The pictures aren't very festive lol

Beautiful gardens with all sorts of tranquil and lovely nooks and places to sit. I visited in late October, and it is wonderful now, but I would love to come back in spring when the cacti are blooming- although I saw my first ever October-blooming cactus here, and there are quite a few other flowers blooming. There are some beautiful sculptures throughout the gardens, and wonderful artwork in the museum.

Holiday Lights at Tohono Chul Gardens is nothing more than a grift... entry is $25 per adult, $20 per kid 4 and older, it takes less than 15 minutes to see all the lights as the vast majority of the paths are blocked off. It took longer to get in with prepaid tickets than it did to walk the property and the lights are no better than your neighbor's lights from Walmart. With $8 Hot Coco, $12 Beers, and Fry Bread at $12... I can't imagine how much they are charging food vendors and local artists to have an opportunity to sell their goods. This is nothing more than a money grab at mutiple levels. Plan on $150 to $200 at a minimum for a family of four. And if you want to see Santa, you best be in the first 12 to arrive or you are held captive for at least an hour, if not more. If you want to skip the line to get in, don't prepay, just go to the front of the line on the left side and head to the ticket booth, you will be in before all those poor souls who thought prepurchasing was the way to see Santa first. Suggest you go to the Tucson Botanical Gardens if you want to see some well thought out, unqiue holiday lights or hit Stabucks and drive some local neighborhoods. Photos below are as good as it gets folks.

First time visiting & didn't get to explore the entirety of the property. Entrance grants access to the children's museum as well. Stroller friendly-ish... paths can get a little rough but are wide enough to navigate. Early morning or late afternoon/evening is highly recommended, unless you love the heat. Lots of wildlife: birds, bugs, lizards on the main paths. Plants for sale, art for sale, water & vending machines available as well as on site restaurant. Plenty of seating areas with pretty views and art exhibitions. We were gifted this entrance fee but need to go again and finish exploring everything we didnt get to see!

This is one of the first places I take someone who comes in from out of town to visit. “Chillin at Chul” is a beautiful way to spend a Friday or Saturday evening. The music, people, and environment are always great. Lots of little trails and a whole back garden for kids to explore and play around in. “Guitars Under the Stars” is another great event that’s held in the garden bistro and definitely worth checking out. Great food and service. Indoor and outdoor seating for big and small groups. We’ve also attended the seasonal movie showings that Tohono Chul hosts around the holidays. Very fun. Worth checking out, especially if you have children.

Chillin' at Chul was great! There was free admission, good food and drinks and live music. It was much cooler in the gardens than down in the city and we had a great time exploring and just chatting on the porch swings. Bring bug spray or wear long sleeves. The mosquitoes bit us a lot.

How did I miss this place for so long?! I was searching out the best burgers in Tucson and came across their name on the list about 10 or so years ago. Apparently, they were near the top of the list then but may have fallen off. Regardless, I was intrigued because they had a pretty interesting menu for brunch. I was determined to give them a try. We ended up having breakfast at the bistro on Saturday for the first time ever and enjoyed the food and atmosphere so much we decided to have breakfast again on Sunday on our way out of town. For my breakfast on Saturday, I ordered the Dos Rancheros and selected the red chile chicken for the meat option. The dish was wonderful and did well with incorporating many of the distinctive tastes of Southern Arizona cuisine into a beautiful blend of flavors. Plus, this was such a hearty breakfast that I didn't even think about trying to get a quick bite to eat before heading to the stadium for the early afternoon football game. On Sunday I decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered the Half Pound Chul Double Bacon Smoked Cheddar Burger for breakfast. I was not disappointed with this once famed burger. It was a delicious blend of savory and sweet that was worth the price and a must try for anyone who is always searching for tasty burgers. In conclusion, this place is now my go to breakfast joint in Tucson. Even when the activity was brisk and we were sitting out in the patio area, we didn't feel crowded in compared to other breakfast places around town. Probably it was because you were surrounded by the plants, flowers, birds and butterflies of the Sonoran desert. Plus you can place your name on their wait list, just in case, before heading over there in order to get seated fairly quickly and even if you do have to wait for a table, you and your party can enjoy the beautiful surroundings and desert views.

Beautiful grounds with something for everyone. There are benches, a children's reading/play area, an adorable gift shop, and lots of plants to learn about. My mom and I came on a Friday night with live music and and art gallery on show. We both thought the staff/volunteers were incredibly kind and the variety of exhibits was really perfect for us. It was easy to find on maps, had a large parking lot, and clean restrooms. Everything you could ask for in my opinion! I will definitely be back next time I'm in Tucson.

I'm sorry, I really wanted this to be a good experience but I was so entirely disappointed in this botanical garden. The desert plants were all dead or dying, very unkempt garden. I mean ALL! It's not like we've experienced excessive dryness lately. The desert is more alive and beautiful in the wash area behind my home than this place. It's Just sad. I paid the entry fee for me and a friend visiting from another state and feel like I wanted to ask for a refund. I was almost embarrassed at this representation of our Sonoran desert. Save your money. Fix this place, it's not right

The place is great afternoon getaway! It has gorgeous gardens, galleries and today a ceramic show. They have a garden bistro so if you're hungry after taking in all the views, can enjoy a nice brunch or lunch. The gardens have meandering paths that you can get lost in. The Arizona landscapes are stunning and there are some really cool architectural elements as well. I'd love to come back at night as there were massive cactus with Christmas lights wrapped around them. I bet it would look beautiful in the dark!

I was here lots of times when I would give it a 5. But today, only a 2. And that is generous. Normally I very much enjoy the zen quiet of the garden. Well, none of that today. The atmosphere was like a feverish activity setting up for a rummage sale. What I did learn is that Dec 6 to Jan 4, they are having a Merry Market. This is in the evenings, but the hubbub is all day. To add to it, there was a lady supervising some workers who were sledge hammering concrete. And she was screaming at the top of her lungs the whole time. Plus, a lot of the place was closed off. So I thought that at least I would have a nice lunch at the garden bistro. No such luck. If you want a table, that will be a half hour wait. Not much fun... my Plan B was fine : lunch at Wildflower. Set my recommendation would be, before you go to the garden, call them up and make sure that they are not having any special activities. Unless of course, you thrive on chaos. In which case it will all be fine.

A truly delightful site. BRING WATER AND WEAR A HAT! The walking trails are well-maintained. Listen to the sweet sounds of Hummingbirds and owls as butterflies float by. LOVED THIS PLACE! Hope I've captured the essence of Tohono Chul in my pictures. Five Stars.

This place is delicious and beautiful, the service was great and I was impressed by the food! 10/10 experience!

Tohono Cho has become my daughter's favorite place to spend time at least during the cooler months. We take our toddler anywhere from 2 to 3 times a week to walk the property and play at the Childrens Museum area. The Childrens Museum area generally is pretty good and the volunteers and staff Host some fun activities that adults and the children can partake in. And the volunteers at the park in general are super sweet and helpful, there's one in particular, Fran, whom my daughter really enjoys the grounds are just really natural and peaceful. It's a great place to get some sunshine and nature.

Fun fact: Tohono Chul means desert corner in O'odham. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Tohono Chul. As Desert Botanical Garden members, we got free admission to this botanical garden since it is a member of the American Horticultural Society/AHS. We went during Memorial Day weekend in the late morning. The high was around 90 that day and as we walked around it did get a bit warm but in the shade it felt fine. The lovely guide at the front (Thanks Carol!) showed me the best paths to take that were shaded to eventually get to the children's area in the far end of the park. I was also interested in the tortoises here (They have a few resident desert tortoises) and there are a few in areas that aren't labeled on the map. The children's area is in the back area of the park and there are easily seen signs that direct you to the right way to get there. We had a nice walk through the park to the children's area and saw multiple lizards, butterflies, lovely flowers, a ground squirrel and I spied a cardinal when we got to our destination! This is probably a cool place to do birdwatching due to all the variety of plant and animal life here. The children's area is pretty cool, with a lot of outdoor activities and a smaller indoor component that has all the most popular activities from other children's museums I've seen. There's a scarf tunnel, pretend grocery store area, Lite Brite table, mini slide and wooden road building area. There are lots of books available for reading too both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor activities include clay sculpting, a water pump, a climbable tractor, fairy garden and a lot of sit n spins just to name a few. It was also cool to go to the greenhouse area to see all the different plants available for sale. There are so many varieties here and most of them are plants that you will see at the park so if there's one that you like on your trip here, chances are you'll be able to buy the same type of plant at the greenhouse. Details (as of 5-2024): - AHS reciprocal admission member - Children's Museum is included in admission - Children under 5 free admission - Free admission for active-duty military & their families from May 18 - September 2 - Art gallery and bistro also on site

A Tucson hidden gem! Check this place out especially when the weather is nice! Very serene park

Tohono Chul is one of my absolute favorite places to unwind and relax in Tucson. Not only is it a great place to appreciate the nature of Tucson, it also has exciting opportunities for all ages. They have a partnership with the Oro Valley Children's Museum so there's a huge area in the back specifically designed for your kiddos. There are multiple walking trails, water features, statues, and scenery to explore! I highly recommend planning on about an hour if you're walking quickly but plan on a bit more in case you want to enjoy at a more leisurely pace.

We love Tohono Chul so much that we became members! I love the welcoming atmosphere and the best part (for my family) is the Children's Museum within it. They have story time and a corresponding craft every day that they're open. They have an indoor area with plenty of activities, an outdoor nook, a Little Free Library, a water play area (my kids love this spot), and more! Parking is close by and its so peaceful.

Nice and relaxing garden with some nice variation and trails. It's bigger than I expected as you can walk behind the buildings with some decent length trails in the back. It took me several visits to figure out that I could walk back there. I haven't tried the restaurant but it seems popular. Saying that I feel like they've missed out on an opportunity to serve coffee and tea in the garden. I'd definitely stop by more often to get a drink and read a book if they had a coffee shop on the premises.

The ambience of the garden and great food make this place very special! Service has gone downhill a little. Hopefully that will change. Their Prickly Pear drink is one of my favorites.

We are members and attend several events per year. We also take out-of-town guests here so they can experience part of the Sonoran Desert. Some of our favorite events are Chillin' at the Chul in the summer, Chiles/Chocolate/Day of the Dead in the Fall, and Holiday Nights. All of the gardens are lovely, and the website includes plant lists if you're local and want to replicate it. The exhibition gallery is not to be missed, with some permanent and special exhibits. It's a lovely cool spot in the hot summer months. The Bistro has its own Yelp entry, but the outdoor seating puts you in the midst of a wonderful garden...often with hummingbirds and butterflies entertaining you. Tohono Chul is a lovely oasis in town. Check it out.

Never heard of Tohono Chul until very recently, but one visit is all it took to become a fan of this above any other botanical garden in the state. Art installations, live music, a greenhouse with plants for sale, and some quick bites make this a fun and stress-free date. We're in spooky season, so when I went I got to check out their glowing pumpkin exhibit throughout the park. Strolling through the winding path is so relaxing, even if you have to look out for lizards and snakes lurking around (this is real nature!). Then I had a green chili quesadilla from the snack bar--came out fast and is actually really satisfying! There are also tacos and Sonoran dogs (I had a bite--I hate hot dogs but this was actually good) and some basic alcoholic beverages. It would be an opportunity for some higher end dining, but they opted for an affordable snack bar instead. It does not take away from the experience. Before leaving, I checked out what they had for sale in the greenhouse. These plants were less expensive than going to a place like Home Depot's garden section. My mind was blown! I already have a couple succulents, but I'm kicking myself for not purchasing another. I sure will on my next visit! Overall, this is a great place to admire and celebrate the Sonoran Desert's biodiversity. But even if you don't care too much about plants, it's a chill spot with plenty of entertainment. I really recommend making this a date night!

We enjoyed this place very much. It's part botanical garden, part plant nursery and has a very nice little restaurant in the original courtyard home on this site. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was excellent.

Nice garden. I enjoyed walking around and seeing the plants and finding cute hummingbirds and other birds and cool insects in and on the plants! Nice layout! I'd be a regular if I lived nearby.

A group of 4 seniors enjoyed brunch at the Bistro and then toured the gardens. A wonderful February outing! The Bistro service was very slow. We were on a wait list that took over 45 minutes to be seated. (Only seating available indoors today.) The wait getting our food after it was ordered took longer than expected. But the food was well worth the wait! Very attractive presentations and delicious! The gardens were delightful! Very nice landscape architectural design! Very nice mature plants, clean/ well groomed with attractive art sculptures throughout. There were two interesting and well stocked gift shops and one store with plants. Pleasant staff. We enjoyed the art gallery with a special art exhibit about the US / Mexican boarder

This is a very special place. Beautiful, peaceful grounds...you wouldn't know that you're in a bustling city. I enjoyed coffee and an endive salad at the shaded bistro. I didn't even know I liked endive before this. ;-)

I walked around Tohono Chul this weekend and the wild flowers were incredible! Great time of year to visit to see all the desert vegetation. Staff was super friendly and even taught us about the saguaro boots that woodpeckers make in saguaros.

Beautiful well maintained garden. We went to the Monsoon Madness sale and it was wonderful as always. I was finally able to snatch an "Old man cactus" for $15! Great place to take visitors.

Our favorite time to visit is during their Fri-Sat monsoon sales event every July. Dozens of private vendors bring hundreds of desert plants to sell. It's kind of like a huge yard sale spread out over the grounds of the park. Tons of "baby" versions of every succulent and cactus imaginable with quite a few medium and large versions too. Prices are reasonable and range from $5 (pic) to $100+ for the larger/exotics. Lots of people attend this well organized event. One of the coolest things is that the park provides wheelbarrows to help customers transport their larger cactus/loads to their car. Bring sunscreen and umbrella... we've been caught in a downpour there before! Parking is easy/free in the park's large, meandering lot.

This is a really nice park in the 'middle' of town, you can't even tell that you're located right next to Ina Rd. The staff is helpful/informative and although we didn't dine at the cafè, it looks like you could have a nice, tranquil type of meal here. I imagine their special events are equally great since the environment is so pretty. The staff was taking down the remaining Halloween decorations to prep for the next holiday. A lot of paths were lit with twinkle lights, so it probably looks kind of magical at night, no matter what holiday it is. I loved the water features they had and the butterfly garden/section the most - there was a good amount of monarchs flying around. The only problem I had was navigating the map and or following the path markers. It's likely a me problem, but it took me a couple of passes just to find the turtle habitat and even then I needed to ask for directions. Oh well. Tohona Chul is a nice little oasis to come and walk around and/or have a meal.

Bloom night! Great entertainment, aside from the Queen of the Night blooms on full display that night. Beautiful interactive music from Celia and Michael Jose. The Ocean Drum was a hit with everyone who heard it and tried it. Soothing flute set the mood during the monsoon storm and the epic showdown between a tarantula and tarantula hawk!

Beautiful botanical garden, however it was the wrong time of year for me to visit. What can you do....sometimes it's just like that. I am a member at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix which allows for reciprocal admissions to various gardens across the country. I was traveling to Tucson for the day with some time to kill and decided to check this place out. It's mid-July at the time of this review. Which means it's just way too hot to do anything outside right now. However it was still very nice there and I could imagine how lovely it would be to spend some time in the garden (the rest of the year). Pros: - free entry for me :) Due to the reciprocal admissions program. - beautiful grounds - friendly staff - cute restaurant - enjoyed a refreshing cocktail in the garden bistro Cons: - Arizona heat lol

Tohono Chul always has fun themed events to celebrate the season and culture of Tucson. Attended the Chilis, Chocolate and Day of the Dead festival. The garden by itself is delightful and includes a art gallery with ever changing pieces. This time it included Oftendas, local art and pumpkin art.

We went to theGlowing Pumpkin exhibit here last weekend. Naively, I thought they'd all be real pumpkins! In spite of the fact that they weren't, it was a great exhibit. A well-defined path led you to a huge variety of lit pumpkin creations. They also had live music for a couple of hours and a gift shop midway through. It looked like they had a few snacks for purchase as well. It would be great to take your kids to. Our only negative experience was trying to find a parking spot.

Beautiful planted native gardens and plenty of meandering walking paths provided a nice outdoor experience while learning about the native desert plants and creatures.The guides are helpful and informative and time passes quickly when surrounded by all the natural beauty.

The garden is always a delight to visit with many different desert bioms to walk through, plus garden art and a very nice exhibit of the geology of southern Arizona organized by the timeline of formation. There are many places to sit and visit with your friends or just enjoy the garden, including a riparian area that is shady and cool. Do visit the art gallery and gift shop with local artisan works for sale in a museum like atmosphere. Try to come in the spring especially in March when the flowers are in bloom.

Never met a park i didn't love and Tohono is no different. I loved the history and how it morphed into a private, foundation run park. The park is well kept, well managed, and very well programmed. We look forward to many future visits Admission is $13 per person for seniors but you don't need to pay if you are going to the dining room.

Garden walk is always a pleasure, the brunch menu was perfect and very enjoyable . We stayed outside in the garden area .

A great place to experience the different flora of the Sonoran Desert. Great for families and they have a great section for the kids. This is primarily an outdoor venue so be prepared for whatever weather is expected that day. Good for leisurely walks through desert trails.

I was underwhelmed by this venue. I had read lots of articles praising the property, but I found it average because I did not see anything unique. Since rainfall has been sparse in the last several months, we saw very few blossoms, flowers, or colors. Attractive sculptures and plenty of benches/chairs are scattered throughout the gardens. One docent was very friendly and helpful, but other employees did not interact with guests at all.

Tohono Chul is a charming desert garden/park that's kind of tucked away. During Covid times, you need to make a timed reservation so that they're able to limit capacity. I believe that the garden cafe/restaurant is currently closed but that may change as things evolve. The park is relatively small, but you wouldn't really know that as it's full of winding trails and well tucked back from any major street. There are plenty of places to sit and rest and a few "gathering areas" that would be great for events in normal times. You'll see some local desert themed art too. I really liked the natural gardens, with dedicated areas for "waterless" and "saguaro" plantings (among others). You can wander and admire the beautiful plants or stop and read educational plaques. Stay on the paths though - there were a few signs warning that rattlesnakes are active! A huge bonus (for me at least) is a small art gallery featuring local artists - the works were honestly really impressive and varied (glass, paintings, ceramics, textiles) and the prices were very fair. We couldn't resist a delightful painting of a donkey and the kind people here were willing to ship it to us. It was packed INCREDIBLY well and arrived fast! So if you want to support local artists or commune with nature, check out this beautiful park.

Terrible service, you could tell that she didn't want to be at work. Will not be going back

I was here for the annual fall Chiles, Chocolates and Day of the Dead Festival a few days ago. The weather was lovely, the music was good, and we enjoyed free tamales and expensive but delicious chocolates. We enjoyed walking around the grounds. Admission for the festival was $20 per person.

Family visiting from out of state. Where can we take them?. On my daughters recommendation we visited this treasure. A combination of horticulture, gift shops and restaurant. The weather is just beginning to cool and they have beautiful patio dining. Our group of 5 ordered a variety from the menu. Avocado toast. Shrimp tacos. Chicken salad sandwich. Eggs. All beautifully plated and delicious. Definitely worth a repeat with our next visitors.

Tohono Chul is an absolute gem and offers fun for visitors of every age. It's exciting to see the garden hosting everything from nature walks and flora-and-fauna demonstrations to fantastic live music, including the "Sunday in the Garden" performances and the "Chillin' at the Chul" summer series (free concerts, Fri./Sat.) -- it's hard to beat sipping wine, eating street tacos, and listening to cool local musicians while strolling the trails! The large sculptures sprinkled among the succulents add to the charm, with eye-candy in every direction, and the on-site bistro is a beautiful place to enjoy a meal among the blooms and butterflies. It's clear that the staff cares about making Tohono Chul a modern hotspot with a creative vibe!

The park is beautiful and peaceful. There are several short trails to meander along. I love watching the lizards scurrying around. It is fun to walk in the sunshine and see the different flora and fauna. The price to get in seems a bit steep at $15/person. Trying to bring a family would be costly.

Pretty scenery and fun to visit for the summertime series. Live music and kids activities in addition to light local cuisine and cocktails. It was hot but had a nice shaded area to enjoy. Parking is a bit far from the actual event, but there are restrooms along the way which saved a trip later with the kiddo.

This is a cool place to wander around for a couple hours. There is quite a bit of partial covered areas to explore if your trying to escape from the sun. It was a great place to stretch my legs after a long drive. It wasn't busy at all this afternoon. I only saw a couple other people but there were plenty of butterflies, birds and lizards.

Call them and you will find out no online ticket is needed for a special time... can go as you wish with face mask and physical distancing. Go enjoy nature.... call them soon and enjoy!

Chillin' at the Chul with the Kiko Jacome Trio, Friday, June 21st. Amazing setting and a great sound. Think Tucson's own James Taylor. Will be back if the Chul books this trio again.

I have wanted to visit this park for a little while now. As a member of the Desert Botanical Garden I learned they have a reciprocal agreement, which I was able to get in for free. It's a nice little walk and a very cute garden, but no where near as expansive as the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix (which is still my favorite). I'd give this park higher if there was more to do and more paths to walk, but it was good for its size. Normal admission is less than the Desert Botanical Garden as well.

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.

My wife and grandkids paid +/- $60 for the Glowing Pumpkins event tonight. They were sorely disappointed. Caveat emptor.

Can't give 0 stars. Paid $47 to see literally green and white light strings. Nothing, nada! Got in the line to see Santa. Place closes at at 8:30. They sold us the ticket at 7 and said nothing. At 8:00 the line keeper for Santa's Workshop turned everyone away. Mind yourself there were literally 4 families in line. One was in front of us and 2 behind us. Please avoid this place!!! There's absolutely no decoration! My daughter is heartbroken. Never coming back!

A beautiful day walking g the paths seeing everything in bloom. Very relaxing and quiet. Amazing it's right in the middle of a busy area. We also loved the Bistro for brunch. The prickly pear chicken salad was so fresh and refreshing. The fries were out of this world. We will visit again during the spring.

We have been many times and love the winding paths throughout the park. An Oasis in the desert. The docents are helpful and they have many fun events here. We just attended Chili's, Chocolate, and the Day of the Dead Festival. Many delicious and fun booths, fun costumes and decorations. Great music. Unique art in the gallery. Great shops. Only complaint was no iced tea anywhere so we left to the Bistro afterwards. A really fun event.