Old Town Artisans

Stroll through the shops at Old Town Artisans to discover handmade items at La Zia, such as Navajo rugs and kachina dolls, and grab a bite to eat in the shaded outdoor courtyard at La Cocina. While exploring the shops, don’t miss the original ceilings made of saguaro cactus ribs, packing crates, and whiskey barrel staves, along with layers of imported wallpaper and gold-leaf moldings. Stop by Old Town Artisans while touring the downtown Presidio District of Tucson.

• Old Town Artisans can be found along the city’s Turquoise Trail. A self-guided tour brochure is available at the visitor center and the Presidio Museum; there are also guided tours of the trail each month.

• Nearby El Charro Café serves traditional Sonoran-style Mexican food with a twist, and is said to be the birthplace of the chimichanga.

• The Navajo people do not associate any major religious or cultural beliefs with kachina dolls.

Old Town Artisans sits across the street from the Tucson Museum of Art in the historic Presidio District of Tucson. It’s an easy walk from the main thoroughfare of Congress Street, and about a 5-minute walk from the nearest light rail station. The shops are also about a block away from several bus routes that run along West Alameda Street.

The shops at Old Town Artisans are open on different weekly schedules, generally until very early evening, so it’s best to check their hours in advance. Tucson’s peak season runs from November through March, so expect the largest crowds then, as well as in May during commencement at the University of Arizona.

Tucson’s Presidio District, which dates back to 1775, is home to shops, restaurants, cafés, historic houses, and the Tucson Museum of Art. In addition to Old Town Artisans, visit the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum, which is the start of the Turquoise Trail, a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) loop through downtown Tucson that highlights historic structures and sites.