shopping in tucson

Shopping in TucsonWarren_Price/iStockphoto.com
If you've come to Tucson itchin' to buy turquoise, Kachina dolls and dream catchers, the world is your oyster. But Southwestern art and crafts are only part of the city's shopping picture. You can also overstuff your carry-on bag or car trunk with goods from funky boutiques, cutting-edge art galleries and high-end shopping malls.

Downtown in the El Presidio district, Old Town Artisans , 201 N. Court Ave., is housed in an 1850s adobe building that sits on an entire city block. The half-dozen shops and galleries deal mainly in traditional Native and Latin American crafts (pottery, carvings, blankets), but you'll also find some contemporary jewelry and art here.

The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block's excellent Museum Store, 140 N. Main Ave., carries a nice selection of works by some of the state's best artists (read: expensive), as well as art books and affordable gift items.

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Surrounding downtown you'll find a sprinkling of modern art galleries, particularly in the Congress Street district; there are more galleries a few blocks north in the Warehouse Arts District (centered at 6th Avenue and 6th Street). For more information on galleries, check hotel brochure racks for the Central Tucson Gallery Association's Downtown Art & Lunch guide map, or phone (520) 629-9759.

Without question, downtown's most eclectic shopping and dining area is 4th Avenue (between 9th Street and University Boulevard). With the exception of a prehistoric Dairy Queen, you won't see a single chain store or restaurant (not even a Starbucks) on the entire strip, which is exactly how Tucson hipsters like it.

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This is a college town, so books are big. Antigone Books , 411 N. 4th Ave., has a feminist bent. If you need a copy of “Eat Pray Love,” there's no danger Antigone is sold out. In addition to edgy, female-focused fare and other off-beat titles, there's a selection of cute gift items. One musty whiff of The Book Stop , 214 N. 4th Ave., and you know you've ascended to used-book heaven.

Fashionistas will find two of the street's best clothing boutiques at Zoe Boutique , 3065 N. Campbell Ave., where items range from trendy to funky-casual, and Desert Vintage , 403 N. 6th Ave. The latter is the destination for hunting 1920s flapper dresses, bellbottoms and poodle skirts.

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Tucson's Map & Flag Center, 3239 N. First Ave., is a bit off the beaten path, but a must for backcountry adventurers. The store carries topographic maps for the entire state, plus travel guidebooks and detailed road maps.

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As for malls, Tucson isn't in league with Phoenix, but it's no slouch, either. Tucson Mall , 4500 N. Oracle Rd., is the city's biggest center followed in size and variety by Park Place Mall , 5870 E. Broadway Blvd. Outlet fanatics can bargain hunt at the Foothills Mall , 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd. Shop under blue skies at La Encantada , 2905 E. Skyline Dr., an open-air haven with eight diverse places to eat, most of them with local roots, and high-end shops (think Brooks Brothers and Louis Vuitton).

For a shopping courtyard filled with unique specialty boutiques, try the hacienda-style St. Philip's Plaza, at the southeast corner of Campbell Avenue and River Road. The plaza's Bahti Indian Arts specializes in Native American art and crafts. On Saturday and Sunday, the plaza hosts a farmers market; the Saturday market also includes an artisans market.