Tanque Verde Swap Meet

The Swap is super fun and I found some amazing deal! It’s always packed on Fri and Saturday nights if the weather is nice they are open on Saturday and Sunday daytime too. You can buy a beer and walk around with it and they have all sorts of food stands and kids rides mixed in. There is ton of different stuff here. If you look past the clothing, shoes, jewelry, cell phone accessories, sun glasses, purses and dollar stores (although these really do have some great prices), there are actually a bunch of yard sellers, antiques, weird memorabilia stalls, fruit and veggie stands and just about anything you can imagine interspersed. There is an old time barber shop, a tattoo parlor, a rock climbing wall, fresh made doughnut stand, street corn, (both amazingly good) Sonoran hotdogs, face painting, etc… it is an amazing people watching place but also a great family environment with lots of kids running around with grandparents in tow. The key is going when the stalls and food are open and people are walking around. Fri and Saturday nights are busiest and everything will be open Saturday day and Sunday till early afternoon if the weather is nice.

loved it! I read here it was horrible, just junk, etc. so I didn’t want to go, I imagined pure crap there… one day I happened to be around and needed to kill some time, so I went there and I LOVED IT!
Why did anyone say it’s garbage?!! ofcourse it’s no Tucson Mall, with AC and nice floor, but it’s great! bought me a pair of very nice flats for $ 2, an Xbox game in $ 10, a very nice purse for $ 0.50, and didn’t buy more because I have no job, but that’s going to be my shopping center EVERY WEEK, it will take you atleast 2 hours to check things out, at least!

This place is great! Lot’s of random stuff, some really good stuff, some junk… food+beer+yard sale+live music=entertainment + mild upset stomach (don’t forget to wash your hands before you eat!)
Definitely recommend this one!

I’m a big swap meet fan and this one was so disappointing. I arrived noonish and wanted to eat. First food station already shut down. Next one had limited drinks and snacks so I got a Pepsi and pretzel (definitely not freshly made). I saw more food stations but where the heck is the amazing Mexican food that I’ve always eaten at Swap Meets in CA and Phoenix? Where are all the fresh produce stands? I talked to one of the vendors and he said nights are better than days. Maybe I’ll try it again some hot summer night

Bored on a Friday or Saturday night with a couple bucks burning a hole in your pocket. Well, come on down to TVSM where you can buy your kid a noisy, glowing play gun, treat yourself to just about any Mexican candy your heart desires, cover up the stank with a plethora of incense, thrill your girl with a frilly push up bra or studded «designer» purse and make one person’s trash your own personal treasure.
It ain’t pretty but TVSM is a people watching extravaganza and actually a lot of fun. It’s not so big that you’ll get lost but still large enough that you can spend a good couple of hours walking the aisles and visiting the different vendors.
They have a few amusement rides for the kiddos, a nice variety of food in the center food court and beer! Because who doesn’t like beer while shopping, right? Well on Friday night they were out of some of the better beers like Landshark, Shock Top and Corona. The only offerings were Bud, Bud Light and Miller Light. And actually at 7PM, they were out of those for a short period while they tapped a few more kegs. Thankfully the situation was remedied.
As my L says, if you can’t find it at TVSM, it doesn’t exist!

nobody really there not a lot open, not sure if sundays are slow but it said open till 11:00pm. I am sorry I drove all that way maybe will try on a Saturday morning since that seems their peak time.

Ok they are getting way too expensive and it smells like urine in certain parts. The food is good and there’s some great car accessories places which are worth looking at. Good place to buy bulk socks and a few knock knacks. Either than that just another garage sale.

I know you all have heard, «I have been going there for years» but I really have! I remember going her when I was a we lass and yes I am older than I look. I have been going there for over 25 years! So I know that it looks the exact same as when I was a kid. Now how do you you update a swap meet you ask? Well I would stat by updating the 1970’s kids area with merry go rounds and other metal carnival rides that look like you would get hurt just sitting in them. Maybe the buildings could at least get some new paint or how about fix the parking lot signs? I do like going there because it is cheap and you can find some unique and fair priced items. I always buy sunglasses there, but I think it is in need of a face lift.

We were super excited to come here… ready to snack and shop! On Unilocal it says it is open from 7am to 11pm on Sundays, but we went at 4pm, and it was dead. Maybe they have different hours during the winter??! Everyone was packing up, and there was no food except the Mexican candy stand. Over half of the vendor stalls were already closed, and the remaining ones were already packing up and closing shop.
What little merchandise was there, looked used or less than dollar store quality. I didn’t see any of the arts & crafts vendors, fair foods, or jewelry booths. To be fair, it could be because it is the weekend of the 4^th Ave. Street Fair, so some of the vendors could be over there. I might try coming some other time, but I definitely won’t go out of my way.

Boo. I simply do not understand what the hype is about this place. Never seen anything here other than junk. I’ve been told that if you «get there early» you’ll find the good stuff. Not sure now how others define «good stuff», but I have yet to see anything I’d throw my money at. The redeeming qualities number 2:
1) You won’t pay a lot of money for the crap you buy. It’s not that it’s inexpensive, it’s that it’s cheap. Nod if you know the difference.
2) I could see 12 – 16 year olds using this as a hang out. And that’s better than driving around looking to get wasted.
Seriously, that is all I can think of to make this a redeeming place.
If you want to see what a flea market is, head on over to NJ, where they do things right. Drive by and look at all the people wandering aimlessly across Palo Verde. Just don’t stop because even if it looks like it, you aren’t missing anything at all.

I enjoy my success in haggling and discovering hard to find items. One thing that is annoying when items are over priced and sellers would rather hold on to merchandice than sell for a discounted price is this not why most people attend swapmeets to find items at a fraction of the price then the retail store’s

The only thing I’ve really walked away from the swap meet with are leather belts. The first set were wonderful, the next set the studs shed more than my Maine Coon. I forget how much they were, but it was something insanely cheap like five bucks.
The first few times I went was with my family, and my sister in law speaks Spanish so I kept having her ask them how much things are. She finally said «Sarah they speak English». I’m not so sure about that. Plus I think Spanish is preferred.
Mostly it’s just junk. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll get a Churro out of it and something to do.
The Place is packed on the weekend and the main lot is a madhouse, one night we went home after driving all the way out there and not even attempting to find parking because the line to get into the lot was backed out into the street.

We went here the Saturday before Christmas. I was surprised how empty the place was as we got there at 10am. Prices seemed very high in general but the vendors seemed quick to haggle on prices. There were a lot of interesting finds but I still had a rough time with the prices as they were much higher than in most brick and mortar stores.

I am so impressed of this «Flea Market»! Because it’s outside and they sell a lot of COOL stuff for LESS money! I thought it was the COOLEST Flea Market that I have seen in SO LONG! If you asked me if I would come back and of course I would because I really enjoyed this place!

I don’t get it, everyone made it sound like a lil party. But when I went there this past saturday evening, it was a waste of time.
Everything just looked sad.
There was a few interesting booths to look at, and I did spend a little bit of time in a couple of talavera booths. But the prices were high, and I had no desire at that time to wheedle them down, when at other places, they start lower, so I can haggle even lower.
I did purchase some mexican candy and one other item, I just was expecting more.
I have been to many other swapmeets and this falls down to the least favorite list. Maybe the saturday I went was break time for them. I was simply unimpressed.

There are not even malls that are open till 11pm. Let alone swap meeting till 11pm!
This place is so big, no wonder its open till 11pm.
Great selection of cheap cheap stuff. Usual swap meet stuff and unusual stuff.

When Tucson is showing off it’s beautiful weather, one of my favorite places to be is the Swap Meet (or the Starr Pass JW Marriott… Complete opposite, I know.)
At the TVSW you can walk around and haggle deals with a Cold Brew in hand freshly poured from a Keg in a Golf Cart! I really get a kick out of this place. Just to walk around and look at junk is so much fun.
I rarely actually purchase anything. If I do it is usually some novelty item for my kids, like a switchblade comb or a shocking lighter. The kids really love it here. If you are ever bored on a nice Friday, Saturday or Sunday, check this place out!
P. S. BRING CASH

Where else can you find wooden statues monkeys with funny hats holding cans of beer, watch a funny little Mexican man sing over pre-​recorded music, and play with ninja swords, all while drinking beer off the back of a golf cart and eating coctel de elote? I’ve seen psychoactive cactus for sale, West African scorpions, and a host of utterly ridiculous weaponry. One table had nothing but action figures of 80s era WWF wrestling stars. Tamarindo! Chaca-​Chaca!
We’ve stalked the crowd with toy guns. «Es loco!» We’ve had stunt competitions on childrens scooters in the isles. There are stores and stores selling nothing but levanta pompis with the most amazing mannequins.
Far more fun than ANY bar in town on a Saturday night, except perhaps the Meet Rack on a choice evening.
I’ve visited most of the lower 48 states and 8 foreign countries. The people watching at this swap meet can only be compared to the Kumbh Mela or the Daytona Beach flea market, though each has it’s unique appeal.
Yes, Judy, the swap meet does resemble some back alley in Tijuana. That’s why we love it. I wish there was a sixth star.

This place is always a ton of fun if you don’t mind the massive parking jams and people. If it’s not scorching hot (like on a summer day) you should visit during the day hours on Saturday, because it gets jammed pack, and buy your stuff. There is a LOT of ground to cover at this massive swap meet. It meets every Saturday and also during Sunday.
The best time to come is Saturday night if you want a crazy authentic experience. Be prepared for insane parking. Remember where you parked. You could spend a lot of aggravating time in traffic finding a place to park and also getting out of there.
This place is hopping. You’ll find everything from car upholstery to knives, XXX movies, clothing, sunglasses, fridges, even cars for sale. I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone selling bodily organs– yet. This is the tailgating of swap meets. You can pop inside tarps and tents and little buildings to see what’s for sale, usually at very decent and cheap prices.
There is lots of food and beer for sale, and often big lines at the restroom. My nephew when he was younger used to enjoy the Kid’s area and watching Disney films on TV with other little tykes. So if you got kids be sure and take them there.
Some of this stuff is real junk, so just remember to be careful what you buy. It’s like any yard sale, just more massive. There are even «dollar» store vendors here. This is a true Tucson happening, a chance to see many cultures and personalities in one. Grab a Sonoran hot dog (I hear they are some of the best in town from people I’ve talked to) and browse to your heart’s content.
Some places accept credit cards, I think, it depends on the stall. Mostly just bring cash.

What’s better than the swap meet? Not Much.
Free admission. Cheap stuff. Great snacks & candy. Beer. Eegees. Great deals on households products. Attractions for Kids. Custom t-​shirts, stickers etc.
A Great way to spend a Friday/​Saturday night if you’re on a budget! (open until 11:00)
The Tanque Verde Swap Meet has been a part of Tucson forever. I like it because it’s one of those things that makes Tucson, Tucson, and offers so much for so little $$$.