I spent almost a decade in Tucson. Getting stationed at DM is what brought me there, then I went to UA, and later worked at the ANG Test Center for awhile.
The traffic system there is absolutely awful. It's all Mormon grid except for the I-10 (which is fairly central), I-17 (which is very far from Cat Foot) and Aviation which basically only caters to those looking to get downtown from DM and vice versa, but still has stop lights. Cat Foot, Sabino, Oro Valley, Green Valley, and Vail are your main retiree areas.
The hunting for big game is pretty dismal compared to the other western states, but the coyote hunting is absolutely epic. If you're into that stuff shoot me a PM sometime and I'll put you on a never ending supply of them. The Rincon range is pretty decent. There has been a lot of urban development heading towards Robles Junction which took away a lot of the really local hunting ground. Mt Lemmon is nice to get away to and leads to Reddington Pass which is a cool area. A lot of drunken gun wielding goes on up there.
Before the last economy crash there were a ton of restaurants and business local to the area, most of them died during that period and were replaced by national chains. If you know where to go there is still an incredible Mexican food scene.
If you like fishing, you're SOL. The urban ponds aren't good and the nearest water is Patagonia to the south which is quite a haul for a tiny lake, especially if you can't cut through Fort Huachuca. Green Peter is down there as well. To the North it's the Canyon chain.
If you like golf there is a great muni system there. Enke on the east side is where the DC sniper and his apprentice made their first kill if you want some local history. Starr Pass is a TPC course and very affordable. AZ National, Omni, the Ritz-Carlton used to host the Match Play. It's not quite Scottsdale, but it's a great golf area.
The monsoons are intense but only last about 45 days. 4th Ave and Congress are enough to get you by if you want a night life. The UA club hockey team has a strong following and play at the TCC downtownb "The Madhouse on Mainstreet." The TCC also gets a lot of events and shows. The Gem & Mineral Show is HUGE there and everyone gets sick when it's in town. The rodeo is a huge deal as well. A yearly phenomenon is the summer time when the snow birds retreat back north and the UA/Pima CC students go home. It goes from a busy city to a ghost town. For a good 12 weeks you can eat anywhere at any time or go experience anything without a reservation or waiting. It's kind of nice in a way.
I had a great time living there, but the heat eventually got to me. I couldn't do 100 degrees at midnight anymore. I'd snowbird there for sure, but never again for full time living. It's a popular retirement destination though so you're not alone in wanting to go there.
