A sanctuary from the heat of Tucson, Sabino Canyon is an anomaly of the desert - its cool climate, flowing creek and abundant wildlife make the canyon a treasure to Tucsonans and tourists alike.

Families will have the opportunity to explore this canyon at three different times during UA Family Weekend.

"You get to see different parts of Tucson," said Raymond Baca, director of Family Weekend. "It's a different kind of scenery; it's one of the most beautiful places in Tucson to see." [Read article]

Desert Museum educates,entertains visitors

Tucson visitors know it as a tranquil oasis in the desert; residents know it as a scenic symbol of pre-developmental Tucson. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is world-famous for its vast collection of Sonora Desert plants and animals and its natural, picturesque environment. The Desert Museum's reputation as one of southern Arizona's top tourist destinations attracts locals and tourists alike to the 51-year-old zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden. [Read article]

Caruso's
434 Fourth Ave.
624-5765
Open 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
Open 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed Monday.
Average Price Per EntrÚe: $8.50

Here's a great little hideaway on Fourth Avenue, only about a mile from campus. It's the perfect place to catch up with your family, bask in the charm of back patio fountains, plants and tinkling lights, and dine on delicious Italian cuisine under the stars. Caruso's Restaurant at 434 N. Fourth Ave. is a quick and easy getaway from the bustle of campus, and it's nestled right in the heart of Tucson's hippest campus strip. Enjoy dinner or just dessert - the atmosphere is perfect for sipping coffee while discussing your educational plans or noshing on eggplant parmesan while chatting the night away. The food is really good - and, since many students haven't had a decent meal in a few months, it's not a bad idea for parents to fatten them up a little this week. But it's really the atmosphere of Caruso's that draws the crowds. The back patio at night is a blissful wonderland of pretty lights, bubbling fountains and luscious flora. As my friend Amy said when she suggested Caruso's a while back, "Make sure to get a table under the stars." The restaurant's close proximity to campus is also a big plus. After you dine, there's plenty to see strolling up and down Fourth Avenue. Small shops, thrift stores and boutiques are just some of the mix on Fourth. Or, making the short hike back to campus could be just what the doctor ordered after an especially filling - and tasty - meal. [Read article]

Joseph Gross gallery

A lone shopping cart in a vacant lot. Images of the quiet beauty of the southwestern desert. A man attacked by an aluminum foil-clad robot.

These are just some of the photographs included in the new exhibits at the Joseph Gross and Lionel Rombach galleries this month.

"On the Desert" is a photographic exploration of the southwest desert, featuring the works of Arizona native photographers Tom Coaker, Michael Lundgren, William Monaghan and Irving Olson. This exhibit will be hosted by the Joseph Gross gallery from today until Nov. 13. [Read article]