Tucson

With 350 days of sunshine each year, Arizona's second largest city, Tucson, is especially ideal for visitors who prefer outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, sightseeing, and, of course, golf. Rich with natural and geographical treasures, the name Tucson is derived from the Indian word for "spring at the foot of black mountain," and you'll find that spring is just southwest of downtown. Tucson is also home to Saguaro National Park, one of the country's newest and second only to the Grand Canyon in number of annual visitors. And because of its terrain and clear skies, the area is also known as the astronomy capital of the world, with numerous observatories within easy driving distance of the city.

The city was founded in 1776, but goes way back to the Hohokam Indians who lived there 4,000 years ago. Its rich cultural heritage is reflected in Tucson's architecture, festivals, dining and people. Visitors will find plenty of museums, theaters and art galleries, and one of the must-sees for the whole family is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It's a zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden all wrapped up in one. Other attractions include Colossal Cave Mountain Park and Old Tucson Studios, where more than 300 movies and television productions were shot on locations since 1939.

As you might expect, the Tucson area has no shortage of great resorts, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. Many of the resorts have golf attached to them, such as the Omni National Tucson National Resort, Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tubac Golf Resort & Spa (where parts of the golf movie "Tin Cup" were filmed) and the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, which plays host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play each year. You'll also find great accommodations sans golf, like the Desert Diamond Casino Hotel and Casino del Sol Resort or historic charmers like the Hotel Congress or the Lodge on the Desert.

Dining in southern Arizona is also a delight, whether it's fabulous Mexican or Southwestern cuisine from mainstays like The Grill at Hacienda Del Sol or El Charro Cafe, or the comfort food and fine wines of 47 Scott downtown. And nightlife and entertainment is plentiful, too, at venues such as The Grill, La Fuentes and the Cascade Lounge.

Of course, travel golfers will want to work most of this around the dozens of golf courses available. For starters, Tucson has one of the best municipal golf systems in the country, highlighted by Dell Urich Golf Course, a former LPGA Tour site and a bargain, even for out-of-towners. And there's the aforementioned Tucson National, Tubac Golf Resort and Ritz-Carlton, but you can also add Arizona National, Crooked Tree, Saddlebrooke Canyon, The Preserve and Ventana Canyon to your list, just to name a few.