I didn't enjoy Tucson growing up, but I came back to visit after 15 years. I was shocked at how much I loved it.

• I lived in Tucson, Arizona, as a child. After leaving for college, I hadn't been back in 15 years.

• Recently, I visited Tuscon as an adult and it was even better than I expected.

• The city was filled with excellent food, hiking trails, and beautiful sunset views.

I live in Oregon and enjoy traveling, though I usually focus on exploring new places or returning to beloved spaces in the Pacific Northwest again and again.

However, my most recent trip was a bit different: I returned to where I grew up for the first time in 15 years. Although I was born in Canada, I spent second grade all the way through middle and high school in Tucson, Arizona.

As a kid, I didn't enjoy Tucson. Once I was accepted to a university in Washington State, I left the Sonoran Desert as quickly as I could and never looked back.

Years later, though, I wanted to see the place where I'd spent years growing up — this time through the lens of an adult and visitor.

My visit to Tucson was nothing like I'd expected. After spending several days exploring the city, I was surprised by how much I loved it, and I'm already booking my next flight back.

The opportunities for exploring the outdoors were abundant.

Although my parents instilled a love for the outdoors in me as a child, it wasn't common for us to head out and explore nearby trails.

Fortunately, over the past few years, Tucson has added many more accessible hiking trails, easily connecting visitors and locals to nature in just about any direction from the city's core.

I found myself especially impressed by Sabino Canyon, which I remember visiting several times as a kid. Years later, I'm impressed that the robust recreation area offers something for everyone.

The canyon has a paved main path, excellent for runners and walkers, and an unpaved trail for those seeking a more difficult hike.

For those with mobility issues or who simply want a leisurely way to see the landscape, the Sabino Canyon Crawler is a wonderful option. The electric shuttle travels up through the canyon, and passengers can listen to a narration about local wildlife while they ride.

Visitors can ride the shuttle up and back down the entire way or choose their own level of adventure. I loved that I could get off at the top and walk back to the visitor center to see parts of the canyon up close.

I'm still thinking about all the good food I ate.

In an episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations," the chef visits El Charro Café. Established in 1922, the family-run spot is known as the oldest operating Mexican restaurant in the United States.

The restaurant is still located in an old house and carries on its tradition of making carne seca — a dish featuring beef that has been dried on the rooftop in the desert sun before being shredded and simmered with tomatoes, onions, and chilies.

Growing up, I'd never visited El Charro Café. I'm grateful I went now, as I loved experiencing the taste of history that lives on in this beautiful building.

Another food highlight on my trip was stopping for a baguette at Barrio Bread, which makes use of heirloom, drought-tolerant grains grown in the Sonoran Desert.

I also encountered incredible tableside-made guacamole at almost every Tucson restaurant I visited.

The coffee scene is something special.

Tucson has a pretty impressive collection of local coffee roasters, which means my trip had no shortage of great beverages.

I had no complaints about my visits to Caffe Luce and Yellow Brick Coffee, but my visit to Exo Roast Co. was truly the standout.

According to its website, Exo collaborates with small producers in Mexico and roasts its beans on-site. I visited its Simpson St. location and immediately loved the charm of the space.

The late-1800s adobe-style building houses a sunny courtyard with plenty of lively plants, with historic details inside, including exposed wooden-beam ceilings and stunning terracotta-hued tiled floors.

I loved sipping an orange-cardamom latte and eating the flakiest croissant while enjoying the community feel of this space.

I found comfort in driving up Mt. Lemmon for sunset.

For two summers, I worked at a scout camp on Mt. Lemmon — the highest point of the Santa Catalina Mountains that tower over Tucson on its north side.

Although I loved my experience as a camp counselor and the people I met, I didn't have as much appreciation for this geological wonder as I do now.

The sunsets I experienced during my visit were just as spectacular as I remembered. Taking a drive on my last night in Tucson and stopping at a mountain viewpoint to take in the color show with the city below was a highlight of the trip.

Visiting Saguaro National Park was much more enjoyable as an adult.

Saguaro National Park is uniquely split up into two sections, with the city of Tucson in the center.

While planning this visit, it dawned on me that I had attended elementary school just five minutes from Saguaro National Park East.

We had driven through the park almost daily, or I had ridden the bus past countless collections of saguaros, a cactus species.

I didn't realize how special that was as a child, but exploring the park as an adult gave me a better appreciation for the landscape of the Sonoran Desert where I grew up.

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