If you love unique boutiques, handmade goods, and finding gifts that don’t look like they came from an airport souvenir stand, shopping in Tucson is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary. The city has walkable districts, vibrant street art, and plenty of locally owned shops with personality. It’s also easy to pair your shopping day with food, murals, and exploring downtown—especially if you’ve already looked at my Tucson for First-Timers guide and want to dive deeper.
One of the best parts about shopping in Tucson is that it’s incredibly easy to get around. There’s a free tram that loops around downtown, which is great if you don’t feel like dealing with parking. Street parking is free after 5 pm, and if you’re starting your day in the uptown area, you can also park for free behind the Mercado San Agustín or at the high school nearby.
Downtown is genuinely fun to explore on foot. There are several little pockets of shops, cafés, and murals all within walking distance, so you can turn the whole day into a choose-your-own-adventure situation.
We kicked things off with lunch at Seis, which is always a solid move. I tried the Agua Fresca and liked it, but fair warning: it’s sweet. If you enjoy sweeter drinks, you’ll love it. The free chips and salsa were fantastic, and ordering is casual—you walk up to the counter, grab a number, and they bring everything to your table.
I also got the side salad, and let me just say: this was not a “side salad.” It was huge and could easily be shared. I’m a vinaigrette person, so that’s what I ordered, but if you like a creamier, ranch-style option, the cilantro dressing is great. The tacos were okay, but everyone kept telling me the breakfast burrito is the thing to order here, so consider going earlier in the day if you want the star of the menu.
If you're staying nearby or planning more food stops, check out my Tucson Food Tour Review for even more great spots.
After lunch, we walked to several shops close by. This area is packed with locally made gifts, artisan goods, and small boutiques—exactly what you want when shopping in Tucson.
My favorites were:
Petroglyphs – A great place for locally made home décor and gifts.
Bloom Maven – Beautiful florals and curated pieces.
El Be Goods Boutique – Fun, stylish, easy-to-shop clothing and accessories.
MSA Annex – A collection of shipping-container boutiques with unique finds and great vibes.
When walking from Petroglyphs to MSA Annex, stop by the colorful houses near Cushing Street and Convento Street. They’re adorable and perfect for photos if you like bright, bold backgrounds.
From there, we headed farther into downtown to see more shops and some of Tucson’s most iconic murals. Our first stop was Mural Alley, which sits directly across from The Monica. If you’re obsessed with street art, Tucson is your place—there are over 480 murals scattered throughout the city.
If you want to see where they all are, there’s a shop downtown called The Proper Shop, which sells prints of many popular Tucson murals. It’s a fun place to browse if you want a piece of Tucson’s art scene to take home.
A few standout murals to include on your list:
Stone Ave & 4th Ave murals – Fun, colorful, and classic Tucson energy.
Agave Girl – Iconic and located in the same general area.
Greetings From Tucson – Found at 415 N. 4th Ave.
The Girl Playing the Guitar – Located at 191 E. Toole Ave.
If you love mural hunting as much as boutique hopping, check out my Mural Guide to Tucson for a deeper dive.
What I love about shopping in Tucson is how personal everything feels. You can find handmade pottery, southwest-inspired jewelry, small-batch candles, embroidered hats, vintage pieces, and meaningful gifts that truly feel connected to the city. It’s the kind of shopping day where you remember exactly where you bought each item because every shop has its own personality.
It’s also easy to mix your shopping with food, murals, and exploring different districts without needing to drive much—Tucson’s downtown neighborhoods fit together in a way that makes wandering fun.
If you're planning a longer stay or building out your itinerary, learn more in my post about Guide to Downtown Tucson, which pairs perfectly with a day spent browsing local boutiques.
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking I’d spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. 😅
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If you’re already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. 🔗
Your Knoxville Airport survival guide, from someone who’s flown through TYS 100+ times is now up on my blog🛫
Parking, TSA wait times, where to grab food before your flight, rental cars, all of it, from someone who actually knows this airport. No guessing, no googling at the last minute.
TYS is small, easy to navigate, and honestly one of the less stressful airports I’ve been through. You just need to know a few things going in.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗
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