City Shopping Getaways

Spring cleaning is done … is it time now to spruce up your home with some cool new items? Or upgrade your wardrobe for the summer? A weekend getaway to “the city” for some shopping might be just what you need. And to get even more decorating ideas for your home, why not stay at a vacation home instead of a boring hotel room?

Some of the best city shopping getaways and experiences can be had at our favorite cities like:

San Diego, California – California’s second largest city, San Diego is the ideal place for a weekend shopping getaway. Enjoy the warm sunshine while you hit up the local shops at one of the many outdoor shopping centers or stay cool as you browse through exclusive stores at the mall. Downtown, wander the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter for the latest fashions in national and regional boutiques or check out the Mission Valley and Fashion Valley shopping malls for all of life’s necessities. In central San Diego, immerse yourself in the culture at the Bazaar del Mundo Shops and Old Town or check out Otay Ranch Town Center in the South.

Vancouver, BC – Enjoy a multicultural experience at the shopping malls of Vancouver. There are also excellent marketplaces and street shopping. Well-known department stores and favorite chain stores are abundant but also lots of local boutiques and great food fairs at the malls. Some of the bigger malls are Aberdeen Centre with an Asian flair; Pacific Centre downtown, Waterfront Centre Shops, and the Royal Centre Mall. West Vancouver offers the Village at Park Royal and Oakridge Centre near Queen Elizabeth Park.

Tokyo, Japan – From trendy fashion and branded goods to cutting-edge electronics, Tokyo has a shop for practically anything you could ever want. Its various sightseeing districts double as shopping districts. Many of them have their own charming character and specialties. Shinjuku is one of Toyko’s largest shopping and entrainment districts, centered around one of the busiest train stations in the world. For the center of youth fashion, check out Shibuya or Harajuku which has two parallel shopping streets: one that caters to a younger, teenage crowd and another that offers upscale boutiques, cafes and several leading designer brand shops. Odaiba is a popular shopping mall built on a man-made island.

New York City, NY – When it comes to shopping here, your choices are limitless. New York hosts some of the largest and most exclusive department stores in the world including Bloomindale’s and Macy’s NYC. At this top contender for the best city with style and sophistication, check out Madison Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, East Village and 57th Street for shops that have it all.

Houston, Texas – With 54 shopping centers, Houston is #1 on America’s 25 Best Cities for Shopping List from Forbes. The Galleria mall is the biggest at 2.5 million square feet of retail pleasure. There are so many different types of stores, boutiques and specialty retail shops, it is fair to say that Houston is the style capital of the South. Other shopping areas to visit are Katy Mills, Willowbrook Mall in the Northwest, Market Street with open-air shopping in the Woodlands, and River Oaks Shopping Center.

Phoenix, Arizona – A surprising shopper’s paradise awaits in Phoenix and Scottsdale. From malls to boutiques, antiques to factory discount outlets, there is something for every type of shopper. Check out Biltmore Fashion Park, an open-air, lush garden of shopping experiences in the historic Biltmore District. Old Town Scottsdale offers shopping, dining, and the Scottsdale Artwalk every Thursday evening. Scottsdale Fashion Square, CityCenter of CityNorth, Borgata of Scottsdale, and Melrose on 7th are other top shopping areas to visit.

What’s your favorite city for a shopping getaway and why?