Friends in town for Spring Break? Check these spots out

By AMY JOHNSON Published March 22, 2013 at 2:11am Updated March 22, 2013 at 2:11am

With year-round clear skies, pool parties and sun-kissed skin, there’s no doubt we go to school in paradise.

While this is the norm for us, it’s an enticing road trip to non-UA students. But if you’re trying to show your friends a good time during their spring break, you better have your game plan locked down.

Tucson has a lot going for it when it comes to Mexican restaurants. Your friends might be wary of potential food poisoning upon their first visit to some of these hole-in-the-wall eateries, but it’s essential that they try a least a couple places before they leave.

Nico’s Taco Shop on Campbell offers the best California burrito this side of the border, while Guillermo’s Double L on Fourth Avenue has an unbeatable menu. But it’s El Guero Canelo that has the truly prize-winning Mexican food. Featured on Travel Channel’s Food Wars, the Sonoran Dog is equal parts artery-clogging and delicious.

Head on over to The Hub if you’re looking to show your friends a more unique dining experience. The atmosphere is lively and connected, but it’s Hub’s ice cream parlor that really wows. Catch up with your best friend over a bowl of Thin Mint ice cream.

If your visitors hail from the Midwest or the East Coast, it’s an unwritten rule that you have to take them to In-N-Out. Let them sink their teeth into a Double-Double and experience the decadence that most of us locals take for granted.

Now, you probably haven’t thought about bar-hopping on Fourth Avenue since your 21st birthday. Despite the fact that it’s a freak show, it allows you to do a lot with your friends in a little time. Everyone knows the layout of Fourth, which means you’re familiar with the best happy hour deals, as well as the best places to eat when the drunchies inevitably set in.

For those under 21, take your friends to one of the many the pool parties set for this spring. The Seasons, Campus Crossings — Star Pass and The Standards are foolproof options guaranteed to prove to your friends that the UA is the cooler school.

After a weekend of raging, settle down in Café Passé on Fourth Avenue. With light breakfast options for the weak-stomached and hardy for the nutrient-deprived, Café Passé is your source for hangover cures.

From dining in to blacking out, there’s no shortage of entertainment in Tucson. While your friends will probably eat most of the food in your apartment, you’ll walk away knowing you gave them something to brag about when they return to their college. Just hope they won’t hate you too much for making them sleep on the air mattress all week.