You don't have to go to the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase to ooh and aah at the wondrous geological creations of nature. Here are some of the destinations in Southern Arizona where you can go year-round to look, learn and discover.

Arizona-Sonora
Desert Museum

Where: 2021 N. Kinney Road. Take Speedway west through Gates Pass and turn north on Kinney Road. 883-2702.

When: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through February.

Cost: Admission is free for children under 6, $1.75 for children age 6-12 and $9.95 for age 13 and older.

Everyone knows the Desert Museum is a great place to watch prairie dogs frolic, javelinas forage and birds of prey swoop from saguaro to saguaro. But don't forget about the hidden gem beneath your feet.

The museum offers an underground haven from the sun, a haven that is filled with its permanent collection of mineral specimens from around the region. The exhibit also provides educational material on the geological properties and formation of the Earth.

Colossal Cave
Mountain Park

Where: 16711 E. Colossal Cave Road. Take Interstate 10 east to Exit 279 (Vail) and go north. Follow the signs. (520) 647-7275.

When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays and holidays. No reservations are required for cave tours.

Cost: Admission to the park is $3 per car - up to six people ($1 for each additional person). Cave tours cost $7.50 for adults and $4 for children age 6-12. Children under 6 get in free.

Here you can go subterranean in search of stunning geological formations or learn about the cave's diverse history of residents: from Hohokam Indians to guano miners to bandits on the lam.

Described as a "dry" cave because its formations are no longer actively growing - due to the lack of water - Colossal Cave is actually one of two caves located on the park grounds. Other park features include campgrounds, horse stables and a museum.

Kartchner Caverns
State Park

Where: The park is located off Arizona 90, just south of Benson. To get there, take Interstate 10 east to Arizona 90, head south and follow the signs. (520) 586-4100

When: The park is open 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, with cave tours running from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reservations are required for cave tours; call (520) 586-2283.

Cost: Cave tours cost $14 for adults and $6 for children age 7-13. Children 6 and under are free. Admission to the park is $10 per car - up to four people ($1 for each additional person). This includes access to the Discovery Center, park grounds, hiking and picnic areas and the amphitheater.

A well-known underground attraction, Kartchner Caverns offers visitors breathtaking views of mineral deposits, not to mention desert-heat-busting temperatures that hover around 68 degrees year-round.

The formations inside the caverns are "wet" and still growing, showcasing Mother Nature at her meticulous best. If you squint real hard, you just might be able to see stalagmites creeping upward by the nano-
meter. Or maybe not.

Flandrau Science Center
and Planetarium

Where: Northeast corner of East University Boulevard and North Cherry Avenue. 621-7827.

When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays.

Cost: Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children age 3-13. Children under 3 are admitted free.

The center is home to the University of Arizona Mineral Museum, generally recognized as having one of the nation's premier mineral collections.

The museum is a partnership with the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, and it showcases specimens of worldwide renown, local mining operations and even those of astronomical origin - the museum's meteorite collection brings together pieces of formerly heavenly bodies from around the world and from Arizona's infamous meteor crater.