Arizona offers all kinds of Native American arts and crafts, souvenirs from the Old West, and photos and paintings of the amazing Arizona landscapes.
Native American Arts and Crafts
Arizona has lots of unique items to tempt the shopper, and the most popular choice for those who want something distinctly south-western is Native American arts and crafts. The Native American people of this region, especially the Navajo Nation, have produced beautiful work for as long as they have been here. Some, like woven baskets, are decorative version of everyday practical items. You needn’t buy a huge basket, either. Some of the best are the miniature works of art that might be made from the finest horsehair, and as tiny as can be.
Good places to look include the wonderful Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.
Native American Jewelry
Native American jewelry is very popular, helped by the fact that items like rings and necklaces are easy to take home, and have the unique look of this part of America where turquoise and silver is a familiar combination. You will also find work using other precious stones to make rings and ear-rings too, and you can buy large and elaborate head-dresses and beadwork, and all manner of other items like ceramics from the Navajo, Hopi and other indigenous tribes.
If you go to places like Monument Valley and the Canyon de Chelly, on the lands of the Navajo Nation, you’ll have the opportunity to buy beautiful items both in stores and from sellers at the side of the road.
Frederic Remington
You’ll also find items that have a very definite old west look to them. Much of the work has been inspired by a western artist named Frederic Remington. He had a unique style, especially in his statues of cowboys and their horses. The style has built up into a tradition which modern artists continue. You may not find an original Remington, but reproductions and work in his style take pride of place in many Arizonan’s homes. They make perfect western souvenirs.
Inspired by the Landscape
As you explore the different faces of the Arizona landscape, you may want to look for paintings, crafts, photographs, or books that have been inspired by that landscape. Books by photographers such as Ansel Adams include photos that will ensure your memories last forever. Check out the shops in places like Sedona, where artists’ colonies have built up, and you’ll find unusual jewelry, t-shirts, paintings, and other items that are very much of the place.
Route 66
If you drive anywhere near Route 66 or stay in towns along the old road like Flagstaff, Williams, or Kingman, you’ll see plenty of Route 66 souvenirs to buy. Route 66 does have a distinctly American look, with its old-fashioned diners and the bright neon of motels and gas stations. It isn’t exclusively Arizonan, as you’ll find the souvenirs along the road from Chicago to Los Angeles, but it is uniquely American.
Modern Shopping
In addition to this kind of traditional souvenir, visitors can do all the modern shopping they want to. There are huge shopping malls in large cities like Phoenix and Scottsdale, and outlet malls you will see at the side of the road as you drive, where shops offer goods at factory prices. Wherever you are, shopping opportunities abound.
