8 Best Shopping in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

Just off Central Avenue, this charming bookstore and wine bar is an excellent place to enjoy a glass of vino or to quietly work throughout the day. The bar also serves pastries, coffee, tea, and other beverages. If you’re looking for a good read or a memento from your visit, check out the latest book releases, as well as book- and wine-related accessories.

With some of the flashier storefronts in the Grand Central District, this two-store complex is a must if you're looking for local art; crafts; or real-deal vintage clothing and accessories, records, furniture, or home decor. Occasionally, owner Marina Williams hosts after-hours art-centric events. A café serves an array of dishes as well as wine and craft beer.

Set in a lovingly renovated Craftsman bungalow, this gallery offers a variety of wares created by both local and national artists and craftspeople. Toward the back is a small café where you can order a wrap or bowl of soup and a craft beer or espresso drink; the large front porch, which faces Central Avenue, is a great place to people-watch while you snack. Occasionally, the gallery hosts concerts by touring musicians.

It's hard to believe that this vibrant waterfront enclave between St. Pete Beach and St. Petersburg proper was once a blighted fishing village. Today, Beach Boulevard, its main thoroughfare, is home to a good many locally owned boutiques, galleries, and eclectic eateries. There's an Art Walk every first Friday and third Saturday of the month, a farmers' market every Tuesday, and lots of other cool events throughout the year.

One of the better-known artists to call St. Petersburg home, Duncan McClellan set up this studio and gallery in a former fish-processing plant, helping spur a renaissance in a once gritty industrial district. The enormous gallery displays diverse works from a rotating cast of glass artists from around the globe. It also has glassblowing demonstrations and is the hub for an evening art walk held on the second Saturday of the month. There are regular hours from Tuesday through Saturday, but it's open by appointment only on Sunday and Monday.

This nonprofit gives 125 artisans from throughout the state a chance to exhibit glassware, jewelry, furniture, and more. (Imagine a vivid coral reef seascape made entirely out of yarn. Stuff like that.) Here you can also book a walking tour of Downtown St. Pete's colorful murals. The gallery is open seven days into the late afternoon but stays open late for the famed Second Saturday Art Walk.

Laid-back Pass-a-Grille is well known for its serene beaches, historic buildings, and small-town vibe. What many visitors—and locals—don't know is that eight blocks north of the island's southern tip lies a strip of upscale local shops and art galleries. Favorites include Paradiso (resort wear, etc.), Galene's Paradise (an eclectic shop of treasures, and A Little Room for Art (an artists' cooperative). An interesting variety of restaurants and bars, including a sweets shop, an Italian restaurant, and Shadrack's, a quintessential beach dive, also line the street.

Named for the gigantic sundial in its central plaza, this open-air collection of upscale shops includes Diamonds Direct, Jackie Z Style Co., and White House Black Market. You'll also find restaurants such as Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and Sea Salt, as well an AMC movie multiplex with an IMAX theater.