Wetmore Road is at a useful intersection in Tucson. The Rillito River runs along the north side, the largest shopping center in southern Arizona sits a few blocks west, and the University of Arizona is a straight shot down Oracle Road. Most errands, meals, and weekend plans start within a couple of miles.
Riverwalk Luxury Apartments is at 850 East Wetmore Road, close enough to walk to shopping and close enough to bike to the river path. What follows is a look at the food, the outdoor space, the errands, and the commute in this part of town, starting with the question that comes up first.
Food and Drink Nearby
Sonoran-style Mexican food is the regional specialty in North Tucson, and it is the first thing most newcomers should order. Seis Kitchen serves excellent regional Mexican dishes at Joesler Village on River Road, a short drive north, and opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their first food truck opened in 2012 and has since grown to three restaurants around Tucson.
If you want a sit-down chain instead, several of them are clustered around the edges of Tucson Mall. The Cheesecake Factory and a handful of casual restaurants along the south side make it easy for a group to find a cuisine they can agree on.
Meanwhile, you will find plenty of coffee options on Oracle Road. National chains and independent shops both operate within a few minutes of Riverwalk Luxury Apartments, so you can work a morning away from your desk without a long drive.
Parks and Outdoor Space
The Rillito River Park path is the best-known outdoor spot in this part of Tucson. Pima County has paved paths along both the north and south banks of the Rillito River. Each side runs about 12 miles, from Interstate 10 east to Craycroft Road. Walkers, runners, cyclists, and horseback riders all share the paths.
Both Rillito paths connect to the Chuck Huckelberry Loop, a countywide network of more than 130 miles of paved shared-use path. You can pick up the Loop near Wetmore and ride west to the Santa Cruz River Park or east toward the Pantano. The entire route stays separated from car traffic so you can have a safer and quieter walk or bike ride.
The one thing to plan around is heat, because summer afternoons in Tucson are hot. From June through September, the path is most comfortable early in the morning or after sunset. October through May, you can walk or ride at midday without any trouble.
Shopping and Everyday Errands
Tucson Mall sits directly west along Wetmore Road and is the largest shopping center in southern Arizona, with more than 170 stores across two indoor levels. A mall of that size within a few blocks helps you cover all your clothes, electronics, and other shopping needs in one trip.
Day-to-day errands are just as easy. The area around Oracle and Wetmore has most of what you need weekly:
- Groceries, with several full-size supermarkets within a two-mile radius
- Pharmacies, including national chains at multiple intersections nearby
- Home and hardware, covered by big-box stores along Oracle Road
- Banking and auto businesses, clustered around the mall and the Oracle corridor
Because groceries, prescriptions, and the mall all fall within the same half mile, you can finish a Saturday morning of errands in one trip. Once the errands are done and you head home, you can spend the rest of the day at the pool, the hot tub, the fitness center, or the basketball and volleyball courts at Riverwalk Luxury Apartments.
Getting Around Tucson
Oracle Road is the main route out of this part of town, running south straight into downtown Tucson. The drive to the central business district takes about 15 minutes outside of rush hour. If you are headed to the University of Arizona instead, the campus is roughly three miles southeast, and surface streets get you there just as fast as the interstate.
Longer drives are just as easy because Interstate 10 is only a few minutes west. You can take it to reach Marana, Oro Valley, or Tucson International Airport. The airport is about 14 miles south, generally a 20-minute drive.
You can also leave the car parked at home for plenty of trips. Sun Tran runs bus service along the Oracle and Wetmore corridors, and several stops are within walking distance of Riverwalk Luxury Apartments. Tucson is a driving city overall, though the mall, the restaurants, and the grocery store are packed into a few blocks here, so much of a normal week can happen on foot.
What Makes This Part of Tucson Work
Renting in this part of Tucson only works if you can find an apartment that fits your lifestyle. The roomy one- to four-bedroom options at Riverwalk Luxury Apartments work for singles, groups splitting rent, and growing families. Being a resident here means easy access to essential stores and a short drive to the University of Arizona campus. Luxury living and an ideal neighborhood makes everyday simpler and more relaxing.
Common Questions About the Area
What is this part of Tucson known for?
The Wetmore and Oracle area is known primarily as Tucson's main retail district, anchored by Tucson Mall. Its Rillito River Park path along the northern edge gives the area a second identity as one of the better spots in the city for walking and cycling.
Is the area walkable or bike friendly?
The area is both walkable and bike friendly thanks to the Rillito path and the wider Loop network it connects to. Walkability is good within the mall and restaurant cluster and more limited beyond it, since Oracle Road is a major roadway.
How far is it from the University of Arizona?
Roughly three and a half miles, or about nine minutes by car outside of peak traffic. Bus service along Oracle Road covers the same trip and skips campus parking entirely.
Wetmore Road is easier to understand once you have driven it. Book a tour at Riverwalk Luxury Apartments and give yourself some time to explore floor plans and the surrounding neighborhood.