One of the fast-growing cities in the state, Marana has a calendar chock full of fun things for the whole family to do in a setting that’s pure desert chic.
Driving south from Phoenix on Interstate 10, it’s the pretty farms of Marana that first come into view. This stunning Tucson bedroom community – an All-American City finalist – is home to upscale planned communities and hosts weddings, retreats, and prestigious PGA Tour events. The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, named the top resort in Arizona by Travel & Leisure and a Forbes' Five-Star hotel, serves as a splendid upland Sonoran sanctuary.
Discover Marana’s newly prospering scene for local chefs and brewers to turn its farmers’ crops into culinary dishes and libations as delicious as they are innovative. Once the historic bread basket, cattle ranching, and orchard area for Tucson, Marana is now a center for farm-to-table, farm-to-bottle, and gourmet desert-foraged food sources.
The human history of this Santa Cruz River crossroads can be traced back more than 4,000 years; American Indians, European settlers, and early American pioneers have all called Marana (which means “thicket” in Spanish) home. You might say Marana has been on a fast track since Southern Pacific Railroad came to town in the late 1800s.
In the midst of its well-managed boom – which has drawn businesses, residents, and visitors in equal numbers – Marana has held onto its unique identity. There are numerous attractions nearby such as the one-of-a-kind Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, Old Tucson Studios, Tucson Premium Outlets, Topgolf Marana and the Titan Missile Museum. And that’s not to mention the signature community events, which include the Tucson UNESCO City of Gastronomy-approved Marana Gastronomy Tours, raptor releases, wine tastings, and free concerts that will keep you busy from sun up to sun down. And don’t be worried if you can’t fit it all in during one visit. Marana welcomes you back.
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