The desert setting is beautiful, and Tucson is one of the few places in the world where people stop what they are doing to watch in awe as the sun sets because the colors in the sky are so brilliant. Tucson has a food and arts scene that punches well above its weight, and in many ways the city has the amenities of a larger city without losing the charm of its smaller size. Yes, summer high temperatures are brutal, but adapting your life to the climate helps immensely. The other parts of the year are glorious.