Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

4th Avenue

Tucson

Linking historic downtown and the university, lively 4th Ave is a rare breed: a rough-around-the-edges, alt-flavored strip with not a single chain store or restaurant (except for Dairy Queen). The stretch between 9th St and University Blvd is lined with buzzy restaurants, coffeehouses, bars, bookstores, galleries, indie boutiques and vintage shops. It has its own traders' association along with events (see the website).

Under the overpass that crosses 4th Ave and Broadway is the Tucson Portrait Project, a wonderful public art project composed of thousands of locals' portraits.

Parking is free on weekends. The best time to visit 4th Ave is during the two annual street fairs held for three days in mid-December and in late March or early April. See the 4th Ave website for details.

Contact

Get In Touch

https://www.fourthavenue.org/

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

11.92 MILES

Home to cacti, coyotes and palm-sized hummingbirds, this 98-acre ode to the Sonoran Desert is one part zoo, one part botanical garden and one part museum …
Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

4.88 MILES

Divided into the Enchanted Realm, Exploring the World and the History Gallery, this delightful museum of miniatures presents dioramas that are fantastical…
Mission San Xavier del Bac

8.65 MILES

The dazzling white towers of this mission rise from the dusty desert floor 8 miles south of Tucson – a mesmerizing structure that brings an otherworldly…
Pima Air & Space Museum

8.31 MILES

An SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and a massive B-52 bomber are among the stars of this extraordinary private aircraft museum. Allow at least two hours to…
Arizona State Museum

0.68 MILES

To learn more about the history and culture of the region's American Indian tribes, visit the Arizona State Museum, the oldest and largest anthropology…
Tucson Museum of Art

0.63 MILES

For a small city, Tucson boasts an impressive art museum. There's a respectable collection of American, Latin American and modern art, and the permanent…
Old Tucson Studios

9.68 MILES

Nicknamed 'Hollywood in the Desert,' this old movie set of Tucson in the 1860s was built in 1939 for the filming of Arizona. Hundreds of flicks followed,…
Catalina State Park

13.62 MILES

With a day-use area, campgrounds and plenty of hiking, biking and horse trails, this state park in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson is one…

View more attractions

Nearby Tucson attractions

1. Tucson Portrait Project

0.3 MILES

This wall-to-wall mosaic of about 7000 Tucsonian faces is a simple yet powerful testament to the diversity of the city's population. It's in the underpass…

2. Tucson Children's Museum

0.6 MILES

Parents sing the praises of the Tucson Children’s Museum, which has plenty of engaging, hands-on exhibits – from the Discovery Garden to Pet Vet and…

3. Presidio Historic District

0.61 MILES

The Tucson Museum of Art is part of this low-key neighborhood, bounded by W 6th St, W Alameda St, N Stone Ave and Granada Ave, and embracing the site of…

4. Arizona History Museum

0.63 MILES

For an engaging look at highlights from Arizona's past, spend an hour at this family-friendly museum near the University of Arizona. You can walk though a…

5. Tucson Museum of Art

0.63 MILES

For a small city, Tucson boasts an impressive art museum. There's a respectable collection of American, Latin American and modern art, and the permanent…

6. Arizona State Museum

0.68 MILES

To learn more about the history and culture of the region's American Indian tribes, visit the Arizona State Museum, the oldest and largest anthropology…

7. University of Arizona Museum of Art

0.8 MILES

Founded in its current building in the 1950s, the university's impressive museum showcases 500 years of European and American creativity. The permanent…

8. Center for Creative Photography

0.84 MILES

The CCP is known for its ever-changing, high-caliber exhibits. It also administers the archives of Ansel Adams – perhaps the best-regarded landscape…

View more attractions