Green Valley Information
Links to Information About Green Valley
Green Valley Chamber of Commerce www.greenvalleychamber.com
Green Valley Recreation www.gvrec.org
Green Valley News and Sun www.gvnews.com
Green Valley Community Coordinating Council www.gvccc.org
Continental School District #39 www.continental.K12.az.us
Green Valley
By Kathy Engle, “Discover Southern Arizona 2005-2006”, © Green Valley News & Sun
Green Valley appeals to those who enjoy small-town living, where you know your neighbors and traffic jams are a rare occurrence.
Yet the retirement community 23 miles south of Tucson and 145 miles south of Phoenix also offers the desirable amenities of citylife, including cultural activities, shopping opportunities, and a wide range of recreational pursuits.
Golf carts are a favorite mode of transportation, since Green Valley is frequently described as a golfer’s paradise, but the bicyclists have discovered Green Valley too, and several bike paths have been built or will be built in the near future to accommodate these outdoor enthusiasts.
Selected as one of the country’s best places to retire by “Where to Retire” and “New Choices for Retirement” magazines several times, Green Valley is located at an elevation of 2,900 feet at the foot of the ruggedly spectacular Santa Rita Mountain Range and is blessed with sunshine more than 300 days a year.
The high elevation frequently means that temperatures in Green Valley are often several degrees cooler than in Tucson or Phoenix.
Annual temperatures average 80 degrees during the daytime and 50 degrees at night, making the area a prime attraction for visitors who flock here to enjoy the outdoor activities, especially golf, all year long.
The sunny and mild winters, healthful, clean, dry air and combination of rolling grasslands, high desert and majestic mountains and canyons also lure hikers, tennis players, bird watchers, horseback riders and swimmers to visit. And many of those visitors find they like the community so much, they decide to buy a home here to enjoy their retirement years.
“Arizona Highways” magazine once described this beautiful retirement community as a “town too good to die — populated by people who know how to live,” a variation on the famous slogan for Tombstone, Ariz. “the town too tough to die.”
Scenic drives and recreational opportunities abound in the area surrounding Green Valley, including Madera Canyon, the “Sky Island” that ranks as one of the best bird-watching areas in the world.
A few miles southeast of Green Valley is the Fred Lawrence Whipple/Mount Hopkins Observatory, a world-renowned facility that rests atop the second highest peak in the Santa Rita Mountains. Also nearby and contributing to Southern Arizona’s reputation as the “astronomy capital of the world” is Kitt Peak Observatory, which houses the world’s largest collection of telescopes.
Because of all the activities Green Valley offers, including numerous clubs and organizations, many retirees say they’re busier now than when they were working. They also tell us they relish the opportunity to make new friends who have come from all over the country.
Green Valley offers an abundance of recreational facilities, including nine golf courses. Green Valley Recreation, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, provides 12 recreation centers, 12 heated swimming pools, plus shuffleboard, tennis, bocce, and racquetball courts.
GVR, which serves the leisure needs of 12,000 households with deed-restricted memberships is often cited as a major reason why new retirees are flocking to this area in record numbers.
Every GVR-deeded property is assessed an annual fee, currently $394 in 2006. This gives members of the household the right to utilize any and all of the 12 social centers throughout the community and participate in all the activities they offer. Plays, concerts, movies, other entertainment and classes are offered at the centers, along with tennis and swimming and fitness centers.
GVR also offers facilities for lapidary, ceramics, woodworking, photography, billiards, computer instruction and more. In addition to GVR classes, a variety of classes are also offered at the new Green Valley campus of the local branch of Pima Community College.
A popular destination for residents and visitors alike is the recently opened $52 million Desert Diamond Casino, operated by the Tohono O’odham Nation. The casino offers first-rate entertainment, with top acts from around the country and gourmet dining in addition to gaming. There are several shopping centers in the Green Valley-Sahuarita area with more than 375 shops.
The Green Valley Chamber of Commerce has a membership roster of more than 550 businesses, including banks, real estate professionals, accounting, legal and title services, doctors, dentists, other health care providers, service providers and retail outlets.
The community also offers a wide variety of cultural opportunities, including theater, music, art and dance.
To find out more about Green Valley, head for the Green Valley Chamber of Commerce, located at 270 W. Continental Road. The Chamber is an officially designated Tourism Information Center for the Arizona Office of Tourism and its spacious offices are stocked with a recently enlarged section of racks, containing free brochures on area events, places to go, things to do and local businesses in the Santa Cruz Valley.
The Chamber’s magazine “Inside Green Valley,” produced by the Green Valley News and Sun, is published annually and contains comprehensive information about the community. The magazine is mailed around the country free to visitors and prospective homebuyers.
The Chamber’s mailing address is P.O. Box 566, Green Valley, AZ, 85622. Phone (520) 625-7575 or toll free at 1-800-858-5827. Fax (520)648-6154.
You can learn more about the Chamber and the many attractions Green Valley has to offer by visiting its Web site at www.greenvalleychamber.com .