Why visit Tubac
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 1 place to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Tumacácori Mission, Tubac Presidio, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Tubac Golf Resort & Spa.
June is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; December lows average 32°F.
Weather in Tubac
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Tubac
Tubac is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,191 at the 2010 census. The place name "Tubac" is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the O'odham name Cuwak, which translates into English as "place of dark water". When first taken into Spanish speech, it was spelled Tubaca.
From the Wikipedia article Tubac, Arizona (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
.jpg){kind=link}
Tumacácori Mission
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic mission ruins in Arizona, United States
Tubac Presidio
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
New Spanish XVIII century fort in Arizona, USA
Tumacácori Museum
Museum · 3.0 mi
National Register of Historic Places # 87001437
Mo-Su 08:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa
Golf course · 1.3 mi
9 hole Anza Course Par 35 & 9 hole Otero Course Par 36 & 9 hole Rancho Course Par 36
1 Avenue de Otero, Tubac
Restaurants and cafes1
Elvira's Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
2201 East Frontage Road, Tubac
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-15:00
History
Established in 1752 as a Spanish presidio, the first Spanish colonial garrison in what is now Arizona, Tubac was one of the stops on the Camino Real (the "Royal Road") from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in California.
Tubac's most famous Spanish resident was Juan Bautista de Anza. While stationed at Tubac (1760–1776), de Anza built the chapel of Santa Gertrudis, the foundations of which lie beneath today's St. Ann's Church.
Apaches attacked the town repeatedly in the 1840s, forcing the Sonoran Mexicans to abandon both Tumacacori and Tubac.
Tubac was the scene of a four-day siege in 1861 among the population of Tubac, Confederate militia, and Apache warriors.
The Confederates won and the Confederate flag used by the headquarters in Richmond was raised. When Union troops then started to approach Tucson, the Confederate troops left Tubac. There the town lay abandoned; grass grew in the streets and the adobe houses crumbled away.
From the History section of Tubac, Arizona on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Map of Tubac
15 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 32°F | 1.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Feb | 66°F | 34°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 38°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 42°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 86°F | 49°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 95°F | 59°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 67°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 66°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 60°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 48°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 71°F | 38°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 63°F | 32°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tumacacori Nm (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Santa Cruz County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-12: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-04-30: Az-Ryan-Wildfire-4/30/2002 (Fire)
- 2000-10-27: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Nogales International Airport (OLS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- Rio Rico 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Green Valley 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Nogales 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Sahuarita 23 mi north, about 37 min by car
- Corona de Tucson 28 mi northeast, about 46 min by car
- Summit 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
- Vail 36 mi northeast, about 57 min by car
- Valencia West 36 mi north, about 58 min by car
- Drexel Heights 37 mi north, about 59 min by car
- Tucson 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Casa Maya de Mexico, Tubac, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tubac Deli & Coffee Co, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Pot in Tubac, https://www.flickr.com/photos/86624586@N00/, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Pots in Tubac, https://www.flickr.com/photos/86624586@N00/, CC BY 2.0
- Tubac - Flickr - kevin dooley, Kevin Dooley from Chandler, AZ, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Tubac AZ Banner, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tubac AZ Banner 2, https://www.flickr.com/photos/86624586@N00, CC BY 2.0
- Tubacflowerpots, Kevin Walsh from Bicester, England, CC BY 2.0
- Tubac Presidio foundation 1 - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tubac Presidio site - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Tubac Schoolhouse - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tubac Presidio foundation 2 - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Urritiamapoftubac, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Rojas House west ele - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rojas House bedroom - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rojas House kitchen pano - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rojas House east ele - Tubac Arizona, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- TubacLuminaria-Christmas, Packbj, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tubac Crafts Vendor-3825, Jon Zich, [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tubac-3880, Jon Zich, [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tubac Historic Shopping District-3830, Jon Zich, [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tubac Pottery Vendor-3871, Jon Zich, [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0
- HABS ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1- (sheet 9 of 11) - San Jose de Tumacacori (Mission, Ruins), Tubac, Santa Cruz County, AZ, Related names: Franciscan Fathers; National Park Service; Kino, Eusebio Francisco; Sobaipuri Tribe; Papago Tribe; Jesuit Order; Apachi Tribe; Nichols, Frederick D, district officer; Eastman..., Public domain
- HABS ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1- (sheet 6 of 11) - San Jose de Tumacacori (Mission, Ruins), Tubac, Santa Cruz County, AZ, Related names: Franciscan Fathers; National Park Service; Kino, Eusebio Francisco; Sobaipuri Tribe; Papago Tribe; Jesuit Order; Apachi Tribe; Nichols, Frederick D, district officer; Eastman..., Public domain
- HABS ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1- (sheet 8 of 11) - San Jose de Tumacacori (Mission, Ruins), Tubac, Santa Cruz County, AZ, Related names: Franciscan Fathers; National Park Service; Kino, Eusebio Francisco; Sobaipuri Tribe; Papago Tribe; Jesuit Order; Apachi Tribe; Nichols, Frederick D, district officer; Eastman..., Public domain
- HABS ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1- (sheet 3 of 11) - San Jose de Tumacacori (Mission, Ruins), Tubac, Santa Cruz County, AZ, Related names: Franciscan Fathers; National Park Service; Kino, Eusebio Francisco; Sobaipuri Tribe; Papago Tribe; Jesuit Order; Apachi Tribe; Nichols, Frederick D, district officer; Eastman..., Public domain
- Ruins of the Franciscan church at Mission San José de Tumacácori (6127855296), SonoranDesertNPS from Tucson, Arizona, CC BY 2.0
- Old Presidio Traders, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pennington-Cabot House, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pennington-Cabot House Window, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pennington-Cabot House Shrine, StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Candle Lighting - panoramio, davidpinter, CC BY 3.0
- Community Post Office, Thomas M. Rösner, CC BY-SA 2.0
,_Tubac,_Santa_Cruz_County,_AZ_HABS_ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1-_(sheet_9_of_11).png){kind=link}
,_Tubac,_Santa_Cruz_County,_AZ_HABS_ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1-_(sheet_6_of_11).png){kind=link}
,_Tubac,_Santa_Cruz_County,_AZ_HABS_ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1-_(sheet_8_of_11).png){kind=link}
,_Tubac,_Santa_Cruz_County,_AZ_HABS_ARIZ,12-TUBA.V,1-_(sheet_3_of_11).png){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.