Lakeside Park

With an impressive park at its center and the Pantano River Park Trail in easy reach, nature plays a big part in the primarily residential neighborhood of Lakeside Park. “You’ve also got a great location here not far from restaurants and other amenities, and there’s plenty of variety with the housing,” says Jeanette Espinoza, a local Realtor with Tierra Antigua Realty.

Homes in Lakeside Park are mostly brick, stucco and stone ranch-style homes with two-story options as well. Homes can range in price from $270,000 to $335,000 and typically fall between 1,100 and 1,700 square feet in size. Homes can date as far back as the 1960s, with some being constructed as recently as the early 2000s. One and two-car garages or carports are common amenities and stone walls offer privacy. Sidewalks and smaller lot sizes that range from 4,000 to 9,000 square feet encourage neighbors to be friendly, go out for a stroll and stop for a chat. Landscaping designs tend to focus heavily on stone which creates easily maintained lawns.

Students in this neighborhood can attend Ford Elementary School, which received a C-plus rating from Niche. Students are encouraged to get their hands dirty in the garden and open their minds through the arts with the OMA program. La Paloma Academy is a charter elementary and middle school that received a C rating from Niche. The school has been recognized by the state for its Excellence in Education. Santa Rita High School received a B-minus rating from Niche and is the only small comprehensive high school option in Tucson Unified. The school offers CTE programs and dual-credit courses.

Stretch your legs at the neighborhood’s centerpiece, the Chuck Ford Lakeside Park, where you’ll find everything from fishing to walking trails. Let your little ones explore the playground or start a pickup game on one of the sports fields. The park was named after Dr. Charles "Chuck" Ford, a retired school principal, the first black Tucson City Council Member and the Vice Mayor of Tucson from 1979-1987. Lincoln Regional Park is another nearby option with a wildlife sanctuary, a golf course and paved walking trails. And don’t miss out on the Pantano River Park Trail, which follows the Pantano Wash with a smoothly paved path perfect for walking and biking.

Start your day at Black Rock Coffee Bar, where they’ve got everything from caramel blondies to Irish coffee. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, visit the nearby Eegee’s for an iconic sub, like their original grinder, paired with salads, fries and their signature ranch dressing. Wash it all down with one of their famous frozen fruit drinks. The nearby Solid Grindz Hawaiian BBQ is another great option with island-style barbecue dishes like the big bang shrimp plate and teriyaki chicken.

Golf lovers will enjoy close proximity to the Fred Enke Golf Course, which is known for being a limited turf course that encourages native plants to grow everywhere except the tees, ball landing areas and greens. Golfers love the challenge of hilly terrain and the generous helping of sand traps. You can choose between four different teeing areas that range from 6,800 to 5,000 yards. Be sure to take a golf cart to get over the worst of those hills.

Pima Community College - East Campus is home to the only community college-based, live-fire, cyber warfare range in the U.S., along with a center of excellence in IT/cybersecurity. You’ll also find the school’s veterinary, emergency medical technology and justice professions programs on East Campus. The Makerspace is another sought-after resource that encourages students to expand their technology skills in a high-tech, creative environment. But the creativity doesn’t end with technology. Sculptures on Campus is a fairly new program that gives artists the chance to display contemporary works for the public to enjoy. The campus itself is something of a work of art as well, with beautiful landscaping, bridges and gardens.

Lakeside Park residents are conveniently located just 10 miles southeast of Downtown Tucson and 10 miles northeast of the Tucson International Airport.

Written By

Jordan Hamner

Photography Contributed By

Darren Asay

Video By

Tyler Belile