Oracle State Park, just 45 minutes from Tucson, is a 4,0000-acre environmental education park with miles of diverse hiking trails. A stretch of the Arizona Trail winds its way through the park and is open to the public for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Educational programs are offered through the Center for Environmental Education, focusing on ecologic principles and public awareness for safeguarding the area’s natural resources.

Gated townhouse and condominium developments make ideal second homes. Part-time resident homeowners are drawn to communities with controlled access gates. With property exterior, landscaping, and common areas maintained by a Home Owner’s Association, residents don’t have the upkeep that a similarly priced single-family home requires.