According to the website MacroTrends.net, the population of the Tucson Metropolitan Area is around 1,024,000 this year. It's no surprise that anyone who lives outside of Arizona's second-largest city would eventually have a reason to visit.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
Reid Park Zoo and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum are great places to visit with kids when you're in the Tucson Area. // Canva
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Whether for health care and doctor's visits, shopping, or the chance to enjoy different dining experiences, many of us living outside the Tucson Metro area find a reason to spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days there.

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Where to Go on A Typical Trip to Tucson

I live in Cochise County, so when we visit Tucson, we make a day of it. Traveling at least seventy-five miles each way involves time and gas investment. Naturally, we have a list of places we like to hit up while we're there.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
Question of the Day via K101 Sierra Vista on Facebook.
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We asked our Social Media followers to tell us about a typical trip to Tucson:

Describe a typical trip to Tucson.
Where do you: shop, eat, visit, attractions?? How often do you go?

There were some great answers! In a nutshell, we like to eat at a restaurant we don't have locally, shop at big box and specialty grocery stores, and many of us go to visit a doctor or medical facility.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
Some journey to Tucson to visit one of the many casinos. // Canva
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Cindie told us she likes to visit the casinos while she's in Tucson.

READ: Geocaching at Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona

Things to Do in Tucson with Kids

Allie likes to make the day a fun-filled adventure for her kids. Some places they visit are Reid Park Zoo or Wildcatz Indoor Playground, and then they have a snack at Frost Gelato Shoppe.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
We like to take our kids to indoor recreation centers and other places for a day of fun in Tucson. // Canva
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Shopping and Places to Eat in Tucson

Like many of us living outside Pima County, Zena and her family often visit Tucson for medical appointments.

READ: Learn About the Arizona Sonora Desert in this Amazing Destination

Then they like to stop at Costco and Trader Joe's for some shopping. They like to finish the visit with a nice meal, preferably something she hasn't experienced before.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
Stopping for food we don't have in our hometown is a great reason to visit Tucson. // Canva
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Sean Paul told us he goes to Tucson to shop for a new vehicle, and he likes to have lunch at In 'N Out. Polly said she mainly goes to Tucson when she's making an airport run, but she likes to stop at World Market and the Park Place Mall while she's there.

what we typically do on a road trip to Tucson when we live outside pima county
Visiting a doctor or the VA is a popular reason we go to Tucson. // Canva
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Essentially, we go to Tucson to visit medical professionals, experience new and interesting recreation, and enjoy shopping and dining, always looking for things we can't do locally. What's your favorite thing to do when you visit the city? Let us know through our station app!

Play Arizona Scavenger Hunt Bingo with Us!

Keep your eyes open around Arizona and collect points! All for bragging rights!

Gallery Credit: Val Davidson

Visiting Arizona? Don't Miss Reddit's Top 20 Must-See Attractions

When Arizona visitors are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon state, a lot of folks stop by the Reddit thread r/Arizona looking for advice on the best places to visit. 

The question is posed so often, that the SubReddit r/Arizona's put together a list of the top 41 things to do in the state, and took a poll on our favroites.

Gallery Credit: Val Davidson/TSM

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