El Detour in Marana

El Detour in Marana: The guide to the Town of Marana 28 Mile Start

How to Register for the Race

Register now for the Marana 28-mile Segment of El Tour de Tucson. Join hundreds of riders in the Town of Marana 28 Mile Start at Marana Heritage River Park in north Marana. Why? It's a later start, shorter distance, and has easy parking. For the first time, the Marana start will also allow EBikes!

Saturday, November 20, 2021
Marana Heritage River Park, 12375 N Heritage Park Dr, Marana, AZ 85653

Where to Train & Dine for El Tour

Dove Mountain for Training Rides

Whether you live, stay, or train on Dove Mountain, there are plenty of things to do in the area. The mountain itself is perfect for both intense training rides and leisurely rides. Where else can you see the statuesque Saguaros, the great views, and more than likely, a desert critter or two just minutes from gourmet fair trade coffee and other spots for deep replenishment?

A Little Coffee & Shopping

A quick ride down Dove Mountain Blvd. will lead you to Twin Peaks and a straight shot to Marana’s Tucson Premium Outlets at Marana Center (open 10am-9pm, Sundays 10am-7pm). There you can just get your morning coffee fix at Starbucks or do some serious shopping. The Premium Outlets feature all your favorite brands, from Converse to Brooks Brothers, at serious 25-65% discounts. Deals like these are sure to please casual shoppers all the way to the most diehard shop-a-holics.

The Loop for Training Rides

The Pima County Shared Use Path, affectionately known as The Loop, is a great way for cyclists to get all over town. 

Locally Made Craft Beer for Post-Ride Beers

After a training ride on The Loop or as your route to a post-Tour after-party, the Catalina Brewing Company is a local biking landmark to check out. Catalina Brewing Company was founded by cyclists, for cyclists. Not only is their moniker is “We Bike, We Brew,”  but they also invented the world's first electrolyte beer so that riders can rehydrate while imbibing. The brewery has a bicycling theme and embraces “the incredible outdoor spirit that exists in the Arizona Southwest.” They are also accessible off The Loop, making them a perfect destination for those who like to cycle and enjoy a craft beer

The Catalina Brewing Company considers themselves a small (nano) craft brewery and manufactures and distributes a variety of craft beers designed and created from local ingredients. Their locally inspired brews range from the unique and popular Mesquite Agave to their lighter prickly pear fruit infused La Rosa de Catalina as well as seasonal favorites such as Mesquite Smoked Pecan Dopplebock and Teacher's Aid Scottish Ale.

As luck would have it, Marana second micro brewery, Button Brew House, is right around the corner from Catalina Brewing Company. No need to make a choice, just visit both. Button Brew House has a following of serious brewers that appreciate the know-how that owner/head brewer Todd Button puts into each of his beers. Truly crafted from the finest ingredients, Todd has local lengendary beers such as the Chiltepin Red Ale, Volstead Pilsner, All Souls Stout, and every Sunday a regional specialty: Micheladas. 

Cortaro / Silverbell Road Bike Ride

With The Loop affected by I-10 freeway construction, Silverbell Road is a great way to bike from Marana to downtown Tucson. The road twists and turns, with several hills, making a great training ride. Add a variety of desert scenery and you have a uniquely Southern Arizona opportunity. Between Silverbell and the adjacent Cortaro corridor, there are a variety of places to eat, drink, stay, and have all of your bike and biking needs met by HMS Bikes. HMS Bikes, tucked into the shopping center just off Cortaro Road, by the I-10 freeway, is home base for all of your bike repair, gear, or bike rental needs. You can take group rides or buy a bike as well.

Classic Sonoran Mexican Cuisine

Check out our guide Sonoran Mexican Food in Marana. There are a number of great Mexican restaurants in and around Marana, but there is one spot on Silverbell Road -- close to the El Tour route -- that people rave about: La Olla Mexican Café. La Olla offers elevated Sonoran cuisine, such as house-dried and seasoned carne seca. The signature dishes are hearty, seasoned with unique spice mixtures, freshly-sourced, and include their own twists such as butterflied shrimp with manchego cheese, wrapped in bacon and roasted green chile and specialty cocktails like the horchata white Russian. Great food, great service and gourmet Mexican food at a price that won’t hurt your wallet.

Local Ice Cream

Nothing tastes better after a long ride than a cold, creamy ice cream cone, especially when that ice cream is made with grass-fed milk and all-natural and locally-sourced ingredients. If that sounds good to you, then The Screamery would make a great destination. The Screamery’s goal is to not only provide the best tasting hand-crafted ice cream to people, but to make it the old fashioned way using simple natural ingredients. Voted the best ice cream in Tucson for years in a row, The Screamery fits into the lifestyle of those who care what they put into their bodies. Where else but Marana would you get competitive bike training tips that include drinking beer and eating ice cream? But you won't know if they work unless you try them.

Where to Stay for El Tour De Tucson

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Many El Tour de Tucson riders stay Forbes Five Star-rated The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. It is the perfect home base if you want to ride hard and relax comfortably.Offering many dining options, from the Forbes Four Star award-winning CORE Restaurant to the elegant bar, Ignite, to the Sonoran-infused comfort food of Cayton's Burger Bistro, you can't go wrong at The Ritz for training, celebrating after El Tour, or exploring the Sonoran Desert.

The Hampton Inn at Marana Center (at the Premium Outlets)
Walk to the Tucson Premium Outlets at Marana Center from the new Hampton Inn at Marana Center. The newest hotel in Marana and Northwest Tucson, you will find easy access to Saguaro National Park West, Marana's premier shopping, and Dove Mountain. 

Cortaro Road Area Hotels
Need a place to rest that's convenient to the I-10 and lots of suburban amenities, including HMS Bikes, restaurants, movies, and shopping? The hotels just off Cortaro Road at the I-10 -- Comfort Inn & Suites, Days Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, and La Quinta Inn & Suites -- will exceed your expectations.Cortaro hotels are less than 10 miles, by bike, to the El Tour de Tucson Marana 25-mile segment start at Marana Heritage River Park. 

El Tour de Tucson Event After Parties in Marana
Stay tuned for El Tour de Tucson event after-party information. Chances are, if there are after-parties, you can find a few in Marana.