Bailey Moellering, 16, (left) browses funky finds with her mother Liz Moellering at Creations on Fourth Avenue. The avenue's many shops make it easy to get into a Haight-Ashbury frame of mind.

Skip the shopping trip to Phoenix this summer. You really don’t need to go. Although Tucson may not have the plethora of shopping malls that Phoenix has, we certainly have enough unique, independently owned stores to fill several weekends of fun.

One of my favorite funky shopping streets is Fourth Avenue. This is Tucson’s own little Haight-Ashbury. From candle, jewelry and vintage stores to great Mexican, Italian and pub food, Fourth Avenue is a shopping street with a little bit of everything.

It reminds me of places in New York and San Francisco. The people are colorful, the parking is a challenge and you are sure to find something great to eat or drink. As for the clothing stores, you will find a ton of diversity, from the new and trendy to the old and vintage.

This great little gem of a street also has many coffee shops and a couple of great bookstores.

For evening fun, bars and clubs abound. They are perfect to show off the new outfit and jewelry you found. With a hundred stores, restaurants and bars to choose from, Fourth Avenue is the perfect day or evening excursion.

Paula Taylor regularly searches New York, Los Angeles and Europe for fashion trends. She owns Pour Moi boutique in Tucson. E-mail: weekendplus@tucson citizen.com.

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PAULA’S PICKS