You are the miserable one pal.There is nothing wrong with Tucson that you cannot help fix.Form crime watch groups with the help of the local police.Gangbangers are a laugh,if you are afraid of these slugs,you are the problem.What are you afraid of...get advice from Sheriff Joe in Phoenix..in person.
cloudweller | Pittsburgh, PA | Report Abuse

better yet, don't even come to the UA, you'll only get sucked into the muck, and lose any motivation for life. do yourself a favor go some where else!
Chloe | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse

haha this is SO true!!!! Once you've gone to the things to do, it's so 2nd rate, not worth doing again. From someone who lives in this wasted space. lol
Chloe | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse

Mr Daniel F. Maloney, it's not fair to say the L.J.B.'s response to living in Tuscon means that he/she is miserable. L.J.B. provided us with a clearly written synopsis of their experience. I happen to agree. But I must say I do find people in Arizona to be incredibly judgemental. Move to a place like this and be ready for people to judge you on your career, home you own and car you drive. People who may not know anything about you will take the perogative and express their delusions. People in arizona are WAY to quick to judge. More often than not the people I've interacted with are "incredibly Miserable" and don't know any better than to take it out on the people around them. What frustrates me about arizona, is when you make a simple request of somebody to refrain from directing their sub-human behavior and they some how, in their twisted world, take it as a personal attack and respond with hostility. The level of cultural awareness is Arizona is next to nothing. I'm fine with people being unfriendly and distant, everybody has their own priorities, but it's the rudeness and arbitrary hostility that can only make me conclude an element of childishness and immaturity present in Arizona society that's on the level of being laughable.
Craig | Tempe, AZ | Report Abuse

This has to be one of the most uninformed, negative and inaccurate reviews I have ever read on a city. Yes, it's true. Tucson is in the desert, so it makes sense that it would be dry and hot. But it's also one of the most popular spots for bicyclists to train during the winter months, is considered a northern subtropical zone, has phenomenal avian diversity, and some of the most beautifully stark and lovely state parks I've ever seen. Tucson's history is rich, its cultural avenues for geology, astronomy, and the environmental abound, and you find yourself bored - it's your own fault. Yes, crime is an issue in Tucson, about as much as any city, as are drugs; but to generalize a city's problems to the entirety of the city, rather than specific areas and demographics is deplorable. Like L.J.B., I have lived all over the United States, and after seven years away from Tucson, I returned because it appealed to me. More than the northwest, the midwest, the northeast, or the southeast. I suppose this uninformed review reminds me, more than anything, of a bit from Edward Abbey's book, "Desert Solitaire", when Abbey is speaking to a tourist from Cleveland: "I wouldn't want to live here. So dry and desolate. Nice for pictures but my God I'm glad I don't have to live here." Abbey's response: "I'm glad too, sir. We're in perfect agreement. You wouldn't want to live here, I wouldn't want to live in Cleveland. We're both satisfied with the arrangement as it is. Why change it?"
Noel | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse

Although I find a lot of what you said accurate, I was born and raised in Tucson as were my parents. It use to be nice and you can't find this beautiful one-of-a-kind desert anywhere else on the planet. But that is all going away and it breaks my heart. The biggest issues being sprawl and the dying infrastructure. Many things wrong with Tucson can be traced back to bad city planners (just look up the Rio Nuevo fiasco). I moved away to find work. Unless you're a lawyer, doctor, or corporate housing developer this place offers very little for young graduates. I was lucky to get an $11/hr call center job after college. (It's rare to find anyone here that has always been here. Most of us natives couldn't watch our home town go the way it was... another reason I left.) I returned to see family and am appalled at how much pristine desert has been turned into miles of beige cookie cutter houses or the billionth row of franchised shops and restaurants. All the negative being said, my heart will always be in Tucson and in the Sonoran desert. There are wonderful things that I miss so, so much when I'm away. You can't replace the smell of the desert after a good monsoon storm, the wonderment of seeing a saguaro, or the sunsets. And oh my good god, the food! For all of its flaws, I think Tucson can be amazing with better care. If some of those flaws could be corrected and the dying infrastucture corrected, I think Tucson would be more marketable for better paying jobs, etc. I love my town and my desert!
Mary | Lacey, WA | Report Abuse

I agree with L.J.B. (although I see it was posted over 2 yrs ago..)I was born and raised in Tucson for 48 years. The most activies that are available here are the 'outdoors, skyviewing, and hiking'. The heat here plays a negative roll on both catagories. Heat causes too many 'waives' in the telescope to view at times, and hiking is best in the cooler months. It's amazing that more than 50% of people that come here to hike are from out of town, and unaware of the 'heat' and never take enough water, cause you hear about it nearly everyday in the news. As for museums and such, most have closed up and out-of-business. About the only places that are flourishing here is bars, taverns and strip joints. As for others who quote remarks...question. Are you living here now, for how long have you been if you are, or did you just "visit"? Most of the residents I know here, say to have fun, you schedule a vacation "out of Arizona". Even if you stayed instate, your still traveling to another city other than Tucson to have a good time, like Tombstone, Old Tucson, or even up to Phoenix to enjoy 'their' water parks, cause the ones here are pretty much trashed. There is only 2 mini golf places, and more than half the time is either closed for repairs or half the functions are broken. This place is so down, that the air is loaded with everyone I pass smoking cigarettes and/or drinking cause they claim "nothing to do". Stress levels are extreme and as Ive heard and believe, Tucson is the place to come and die. Tucson's downtown is a 'ghost town'. Closed up. Streets have soo many pot holes and cracks, your car falls apart quickly. Although there are repairs going on...look at the history, the same roads have been under the same construction for over 5+ years with no change. Tucson refuses to allow freeways to cut thru the city, they want to keep just the one that goes all around the outskits of the city - I-10. No amusement parks that have made attempts to bring in a little life to the city were rejected cause the city doesnt want to look like Phoenix or LA. It wants to drain you of your money, but doesnt want to bring more money in from other sources. I can go on and on. I remember as a little kid back in 1970, even my mom wished she'd had never moved here, but became disabled and stuck. Us kids did all we could to keep her happy. The only time she was happy was when we were offered to go on a trip with friends out of state. My mom is in a way better place and I know she wants the same for us. Most of my family has departed this depressing town, and my turn is in January.
desert | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse

Tucson is an amazing city and Im from the cooler east coast. Tucson has tons of culture and is way more interestig than anywhere I been. Eastcoasters are stuck up to me. Not trying to affend anyone but people here tend to be more laid back and fun. The weayher is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G for all the other months. If you hate it so much, leave and please make more room for the people who love it. Summer is pretty bareable. At least its 100 degrees and dry instead of being 90 degrees and feel like 105 because of humidity. Ive had to walk in this because I didnt have a car and I was very fine. Mt. Lemmon also gives a break from the heat. Tucsons climate is diverse and theres tons to do. I love just driving around. Its so interesting. I know this was four years ago but many people love it. Why is Tucson one of the fastes growing cities? That has to be fore something. You have to discover Tucson. Please try, or like I said make more room.
Robert | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse

100% TRUE- I couldn't agree more after living here for two years. I have made no friends, which is crazy. Dislike everything about Tucson. Welcome to hillbilly heaven, leave your framed college degree in in the drawer and be sure to bring your blue collar, because then you'll blend in just fine. (People here can actually get offended if you have an education)
Given | Tucson, AZ | Report Abuse