50 Best Places to Shop in Puerto Rico

Otto Bauzá stocks international lines of casual and formal wear for younger men.

With a great selection of surfboards, clothing, swimwear, and accessories, this brand-new surf shop has everything you need for your beach vacation.

About 15 minutes east of San Juan, you'll find Plaza Carolina, with locals shops, as well as chain stores like Clarks, Forever 21, and T.J. Maxx. Get there via Route 26.

Located just outside town, this is Ponce's largest mall and has such stores as Chicos, Clarks, Foot Locker, and American Eagle Outfitters.

This shopping center is only 10 minutes outside of Arecibo, with plenty of food options and standard stores for all your shopping needs. There's a great mix of both American chain stores and local vendors offering everything from apparel, jewelry, and food to trinkets and house goods. 

Plaza del Sol has Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, and H&M, among other stores. It's about 30 minutes west of San Juan.

Ponce Mall, with a couple dozen stores, is an older shopping center, with many local clothing and discount stores. It also has a large IKEA and T.J. Maxx.

Portofino has an especially good selection of watches.

For one-of-a-kind santos, art, ceramics, and festival masks, head to Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts. All items are made by local artists.

About 20 minutes from Dorado via Highway 22 at Exit 55 in the town of Barceloneta is Puerto Rico's first factory-outlet mall. Puerto Rico Premium Outlets is a pastel village of more than 40 stores selling discounted merchandise from such familiar names as Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, The Gap, Nautica, Perry Ellis, Puma Outlet, and Tommy Hilfiger.

Sylma Cabrera sells chic resort wear made of natural fabrics by local artists and under her own label, Pure Soul. You'll also find stunning handmade jewelry with semiprecious stones like quartz and lapis lazuli.

Ralph Lauren's shop in front of the piers has some of the best deals around. Stop here toward the end of your trip, as there are plenty of items (e.g., peacoats and scarves) that you won't be wearing until you get home.

Off Avenida John F. Kennedy, about 15 minutes south of San Juan, San Patricio Plaza has a T.J. Maxx and a Bed Bath & Beyond, a movie theater, and several restaurants. For the best dining in the area, head to Bottles or Avocado.

Since the mid-1980s, this gallery has showcased pastel watercolor prints of Caribbean scenes, as well as limited-edition ceramic dinnerware. The gallery is a hip, sophisticated place for Caribbean artists to see and be seen, hosting openings of local artists, and it features a number of island artworks. Shoppers looking for more affordable wares or smaller souvenirs and locally made jewelry won't be disappointed.

Kitchen items, cookbooks, jams, spices, and sauces from around the Caribbean are on offer.

Fittingly for a shop named after the Italian word for "sole," the boot-shape country is the origin of many of the mile-high heels that it sells. Look for designs by Christian Louboutin, YSL, Roberto Cavalli, and John Galliano.

This complex in Canóvanas, about 25 minutes east of San Juan, has more than 50 factory outlet stores, including Adidas, Nautica, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein. Those who aren't into shopping can head to the entertainment center, where offerings include kart racing, virtual reality experiences, bowling, and an arcade.

Utopía sells carnival masks, carved figurines, and other crafts.