The Presidio and town of Tubac is nice day trip Tucson. It is approximately 51 miles south of Tucson Interstate 19. The town of Tubac, Arizona, has become an art mecca with art galleries and festivals throughout the year. There is also a thriving retirement community with older Americans moving to Tubac and nearby Green Valley because of the weather and amenities. In May of last year I visited Tubac Presidio State Historic Park with my son Quintin. The Presidio was Arizona's first State Park and it is the only surviving Spanish Presidio in Arizona.
The Spanish established San Ignacio de Tubac in 1752 in response to the Pima Indian Rebellion. Its mission was to protect the various missions in the area and quell Native American uprisings. The most famous commander of the Presidio was Juan Bautista de Anza II. He led an expedition to California on what is now the Anza trail where he founded the city of San Fransisco. Visitors can hike four miles of this trail south to Tumacocori.
A visit to the Presidio is very interesting. Visitors can tour the museum on site which gives a comprehensive history of the Spanish in Arizona, look at some of the remaining buildings at the Presidio and go into the oldest territorial schoolhouse in Arizona. A highlight of the museum is the hand press which printed the first newspaper in Arizona. (Info from http://azstateparks.com/tubac/.
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