Marana has an incredible history, so get out there and discover it.
Hit the paths of our ancestors during Discover Marana’s annual Gastronomy Tours happening on multiple dates from Friday, February 28 – Friday, April 10.
If you have ever been on a hike and wondered which plants are edible, this is the culinary tour for you. You’ll be enriched with knowledge as you’re guided through Marana’s 4,000 years of agricultural history, and then introduced to the town’s master foragers, brewers, and the chefs at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.
In addition, both of the tours include an ancient archaeology tour by Southwest Archaeology’s preservation archaeologist, Allen Denoyer.
To put the icing on the cake, the two tours are the first to be approved by the Tucson City of Gastronomy, which was the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the U.S.
Tickets range from $65 to $109 per person and the tours last between four and six hours — numbers are limited. Make sure to wear comfortable closed-toe walking shoes because you will spend at least an hour of the tour outside.
So, which adventure are you going to take this year?
Marana Gastronomy Tour
Friday, February 28, March 20 & April 10
12:30 – 6 p.m.
The Marana Gastronomy Tour is $109 per person and features food tastings from executive chef Emily Dillport of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.
Itinerary
- 12:30 p.m. – Meet at Tucson Premium Outlets
- 1 p.m. – Tour of Los Morteros Conservation Area
- 2:30 p.m. – Tasting at Catalina Brewing Company
- 3:15 p.m. – Tour of ancient Hohokam farm site
- 4:30 p.m – Tasting at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
- 6 p.m. – Tour concludes at Tucson Premium Outlets
For more information and to book your spot on the Marana Gastronomy Tour, visit discovermarana.org.
A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour
Friday, March 13
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour is $65 per person and includes a guided wild foods tour with wild foods cookbook author Carolyn Niethammer.
This tour also features a stop at either Button Brew House or Catalina Brewing Company, tastings from Bean Tree Farm, and a guided archaeology tour.
For more information and to book your spot on the A Taste of the Wild: Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour, visit discovermarana.org.
For more info on both of the Marana Gastronomy Tours, visit discovermarana.org.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
