Gem Show

I%26#39;m coming to the Gem Show Feb 11-15. Staying at the Ramada on Tanque Verde Rd. Have car. Want to eat as much green chile and good Mexican as I can. Will be alone, but still want neighborhood restaurants -- not chains. Also, I%26#39;ll have time for one half-day trip out of town -- what shouldn%26#39;t I miss? Also, any parts of town I should avoid getting a flat tire in? Thanks.

Gem Show

Check the various show guides online for gem show shuttles. I hope you are aware that there are many exhibits and expositions which make up the gem show over a 2 week period. Parking is bad at almost any of them. There are several free shuttle routes to the many venues. It%26#39;s best to park somewhere on the shuttle route and use the shuttles to get around.

Many of the best local Mexican restaurants are in South Tucson, basically 4th Ave and 6th Ave from 22nd St south to the freeway: Crossroads, Las Cazuelitas, Los Portales, Riga%26#39;s, Mi Nidito, El Torero. There are none where you are staying (except Taco Bron which is more of a fast food place). El Charro has several locations. Guadalajara Grill at Prince and Campbell is great. Cocoyaya at Ft Lowell and Country Club is great.

Gem Show

Thanks. Already have the shuttle routes picked out that I%26#39;ll need and the main parking lots for them. Will make a list of your restaurant suggestions. Thanks again.

Excellent food there, the real deal.

half day is The White dove of the Desert, or maybe all the way down to Tubac. Won%26#39;t have time for Bisbee.

';White Dove of the Desert'; refers to Misi贸n San Xavier, one of the most beautiful Spanish missions in the Americas. It is southwest of Tucson about a half-mile west of I-19 on San Xavier Road.

Tubac is an artist colony, or over-grown village of gift shops, depending on your perspective, about 40 miles south of Tucson. It is picturesque. There are a lot of unique shops among the mundane, and many with Mexican arts/crafts priced well.

Always like to sneak in a meal at the eastern euro resturaunt just north of Prince near Oracle called ?

And if you like to hike, would do the waterfalls in Bear Canyon, at the end of the Sabino Tram.

Very relaxing after the intensity of the show.

Feet may get wet in Feb. though !

%26gt; Always like to sneak in a meal at the eastern euro resturaunt just north of Prince near Oracle called ?

Was it on Prince? Mountain View? If so, that place closed a while ago. It%26#39;s now Mexican, I believe a mariscos place.

Next to your hotel (Sabino Canyon 1/2 block north of Tanque Verde) is Eclectic Cafe. Although not a Mexican place per se, serves a more Tucson style of a healthy sort of Mexican fusion, plus a variety of other cuisines for all three meals. Mostly vegetarian/vegan, but they do have meat. Very recommended.

Sorry to hear about the Mountain View, was a favorite for me.

How much snow up on the hill, is Reddington Pass area real muddy ?

Am trying to decide if i can make it down for a day on the freeway hotels for Gem show, then back out to Vegas. Whew.

Redington got a light snow earlier this week. It%26#39;s been sunny since then though, so it shouldn%26#39;t be too muddy. Redington Road is currently closed on the San Pedro side though because of that low water crossing near Bellota just before the end. It%26#39;s also ';proceed with caution'; at the Agua Caliente Wash, where the pavement ends on the west side of the mountains. http://www.dot.pima.gov/gis/maps/closures/