Weekend Trip to Tucson

A weekend van trip to Tucson felt long overdue. After six years of living in Phoenix, I had somehow never made my way to our southern neighbor.

We booked a parking space near historic downtown for the weekend, planning our visit around the Tucson Folk Festival. It was an ideal setup—everything within walking distance: good coffee, great food, a handful of shops, and the steady soundtrack of live music drifting through the streets.

We made it to the festival on Friday just in time for the Songwriter Competition, and within minutes I was fully pulled in. The talent alone was impressive, but it was the emotional side of it that really got me. One minute I’m casually listening, the next I’m tearing up over a song about someone’s grandmother. I guess being someone’s grandmother myself makes the topic a bit more hard hitting. 

When we weren’t at the festival, we wandered a bit—into coffee shops, restaurants, and shops along streets filled with murals and unexpected pops of color. Tucson has that layered, creative feel but it feels like it comes in pockets. One street feels empty and run down, then you turn a corner and there's vibrancy and  life there. 

As an overall vibe, the city feels easy. Friendly, relaxed, and a little bit unbothered in the best way. We spent some time sketching outside of a local coffee shop, and stumbled across some amazing restaurants. A stop in at an art gallery that had been on our list was everything we hoped it would be. 

It was one of those trips that rejuvenates. Nothing overly planned, just going with the flow and seeing where it takes you.