Best Of Tucson®

Best Exurban Oasis

Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Regional Park

According to Webster's Dictionary, an oasis is "a fertile or green area (as in a desert), or something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast." And if that ain't Agua Caliente Park, then we don't know what is. This 101-acre park with a perennial warm spring is on the National Register of Historic Places. One of Pima County's crown jewels, the park is a terrific place to go and zen for a while. Sure, it's surrounded by the butt-ugly homes of rich boobs. But if you walk in and sit down on a bench, within five minutes, you might see a desert spiny lizard, a cottontail bunny and a dozen species of birds.