The New York Times has a long-running travel column called 36 Hours. Each installment presents what’s billed as the perfect itinerary for a weekend spent exploring a destination. They are written by people who know the area well, either because they live there or because they have visited regularly for years. As a result, 36 Hours often recommends events and places that other guidebooks don’t, though the writers don’t omit popular places if they are worth visiting.

If visitors were to come to your town for a weekend, what would you recommend they do? What should they see? Where should they eat? What experiences should they be sure not to miss?

To see how 36 Hours writers tackle these questions take a look at one example: “36 Hours: Tucson, Ariz.” Abbie Kozolchyk, a regular contributor to the Travel section who grew up in Tucson, introduces the city this way:

After triple-digit summer temperatures and 90-degree days that linger well into October, late fall restores an ultra-outdoorsy vibe to this mountain-ringed college town in the Sonoran Desert, an hour north of Mexico. A sure sign of the sweet season in Arizona’s second-largest city: thousands of cyclists flocking to El Tour de Tucson (Nov. 23), one of the nation’s biggest road races and a Technicolor Lycra-clad reminder of the joys of exploring on two wheels when the weather turns reliably, ridiculously pleasant. Between your own adventures on the local trails, try a new spin on traditional Sonoran spirits, stargaze from a sky island, take in a juried exhibition of local artwork at the Arizona Biennial (through Feb. 9) and devour as many stuffed, steaming tortillas as possible.

She begins the Friday-through-Sunday itinerary:

Friday

3 p.m. Meet some four-legged locals

Get to know some of Tucson’s most fascinating creatures at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — more of a zoo than the name would suggest — about a 30-minute drive west of town (general admission, $29.95). From a series of winding pathways (most of the exhibits are outdoors and designed to blend into the surrounding wilderness), look out for javelinas (picture shrunken wild boar impersonators), bighorn sheep, various wildcats and — yes, in the same area as the resident coyote — a roadrunner. Perhaps most surprising to visitors who’ve never contemplated desert waterways (Tucson has a few): the absurdly adorable otter and beaver. The museum’s mountain and valley views at golden hour also make the visit worthwhile.

5 p.m. Chase the setting sun

Gates Pass — a main artery to the Desert Museum — is a renowned sunset lookout. Locals debate the best spots to pull over along the twists and turns, but one pairing that works especially well for its diversity of landscapes and views is, first, the parking area for the David Yetman West Trailhead, then the Gates Pass Overlook Trailhead. Wherever you stop, take the occasional break from the setting sun to turn and watch the mountains and valleys glow pink, orange and gold around you. Once the color fades, drive back to town flanked by an army of saguaros in dreamy silhouette.

6:30 p.m. Book dinner and a show (or two)

While the drama has died down a bit at Hotel Congress since a 1934 fire led police to John Dillinger — the F.B.I.’s first public enemy No. 1 — the downtown institution remains one of Tucson’s liveliest scenes. Three stages host performers of all kinds, from metal to mariachi — and sometimes, Metalachi (many shows are free; tickets rarely exceed $35). A typical Friday-night lineup includes multiple performances between 6:30 and 11:30 p.m., so you can easily grab dinner before or after at the on-site Cup Café, where wine bottle chandeliers light up the cozy jumble of tables, banquettes and barstools. Start with the Barrio Heartbreaker: sliced baguette from the beloved Barrio Bread bakery with warm Brie, marmalade, roasted garlic and sliced apples, among other accompaniments ($19).

Want to see more examples? Take a look at any of these from around the world:

Accra, Ghana
Atlanta
Door County, Wis.
Dubai
Guadalajara, Mexico
Hilo, Hawaii
Innsbruck, Austria
Melbourne, Australia
Split, Croatia
Stowe, Vermont
Taipei, Taiwan
Toronto

Students, read one or more of the articles in their entirety, and then tell us:

Suppose you’ve been asked to write a 36 Hours-style article about the place where you live — or about another place you know well, such as where you visit relatives, frequently vacation or used to live. What would you recommend people do and see there, and why?