Tucson, Arizona: Pima Air & Space Museum

Hundreds of aircraft, spacecraft, and related exhibits, many of them outdoors. Wander on the desert looking at and touching old bombers, fighters, and passenger jets. Wear a hat, bring a water bottle.

We got there at 30 minutes after it opened and the lines were already out to the parking lot. A very popular place. The lines, we were told, are twice as long in March. The bus tour was sold out till 1:30. It's first come, first serve.

We took the tram ride that goes around the museum, not to the 4,000 dead planes. On the informative tram we saw numerous different planes, with various stories. The new Dreamliner is something else. The video of it (inside the museum) should not be missed. The real one is outside. I recommend the tram, which runs more often than the bus and is easier to get in. The boneyard is many many repetitive planes. Weather needs to be respected. Children find this worth while. Plan 2-3 hrs. If you want to see some of the boneyard, drive east, down past the museum. There are dirt roads that take you past some of the boneyard. Interesting to see so much of our taxes being shredded.

An awesome array of about 300 aircraft, mock-ups of several spacecraft, and related exhibits, a must see for aviation buffs of any age. Near exit 267 off Hwy 10, at the south edge of Davis-Monthan AFB. Multiple buildings house restored aircraft -- many are WWII-era, US fighters, bombers, helicopters, even some Russian MIGs. To see it all, allow three hours and plan on walking a mile or more through several hangars and a substantial number of outdoor exhibits.

See a B-25, a B-29 like the ones that dropped the first atom bombs, a B-52 rigged to carry the X-15 rocket plane aloft, a Harrier jump-jet capable of vertical takeoffs, landings, and hovering, and see the awesome SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.

The hangars have volunteers around to answer questions; hats off to those nice folks! Join a tour or wander by yourself.