23 Best Places to Shop in Mexico

Conveniently located in the Corridor, the Koral Center houses stores, medical facilities, a day spa, and El Merkado—a gourmet food court that converges 20 culinary offerings and the latest in Mexican gastronomy. You’ll find everything from tacos and tapas to sushi and an organic market selling local products.

Upscale, open-air Paseo del Carmen has numerous boutiques—including Zara, Ultrafemme, and Old Navy. Seattle-coffee lovers can get their fix at the Starbucks that dominates the center of the mall. A cobblestone path makes this one of the area's most popular and pleasant shopping destinations.

The largest and most modern shopping mall in Guadalajara, Andares carries all styles of clothing in more than 100 stores, including designer retail shops. Both an indoor and outdoor shopping area, it has ice-cream shops and other quick bites, as well as sit-down restaurants along the main entrance. Generally speaking, prices tend to be high here.

This three-story plaza on Playa's main drag houses Sanborn's department store, Harley Davidson, Forever 21, Oakley, Hurley, American Eagle Outfitters, and much more. There's even a Häagen-Dazs where you can cool off with an ice cream before more shopping.

One of only a few outdoor malls in the city, Antara Polanco has a collection of upscale stores that includes Carolina Herrera, Zara, Hugo Boss, and Coach as well as branches of several luxury stores that are also found along the neighborhood's ritzy Avenida Presidente Masaryk; there are plenty of dining options, too.

This three-level entertainment and shopping plaza features brand-name restaurants, upscale clothing boutiques, a food court, and chain stores, all in a circus-like atmosphere. For spring breakers the main draws are the nightclubs, Coco Bongo and Señor Frog's. The bungee trampolines set up here during high season are especially popular with children. You will also find several ATMs.

This mall carries designer brands with price tags to match. There's a food court and some restaurants, too.

One of the nicest malls in Mérida wraps around an artificial lake—you can even zip-line over it. Its main anchor is Gran Chapur, a department store, sitting amid a number of smaller boutiques. The Harbor also has a movie theater as well as a number of restaurants: Maya de Asia has delicious Maya-Asian fusion dishes; Porfirio's is a lively Mexican bar and restaurant; and there are smaller venues including a Starbucks, Mr. Sushi, and Hamburgesia for, yes, burgers.

La Isla inches ahead of The Harbor when it comes to store selection, though both have pulled ahead of their competitors for the title of most-luxe mall in town. The department store Liverpool is the anchor at La Isla, but Zara and H&M are also big draws. The back of the mall has a row of restaurants overlooking a man-made lake. As with any of Mérida's malls, it may not be on your sightseeing shortlist, but if you have a longer stay in the city, air-conditioned window shopping may be appealing on warm days.

This boutique mall houses a selection of luxury makeup, jewelry, and fashion brands. Most desirable for tourists may be MAC Cosmetics and Ultrafemme, where you can get done up in advance of a big event; Swarovski and Ultrajewels, should you be seeking a level of jewelry not found in the local shops; and Sunglass Hut, which offers a chic selection of sunnies to save your eyes from the harsh Cabo rays.

The most comprehensive plaza in the Nuevo Vallarta Hotel Zone has a food court, grocery store, several coffee and juice shops, an Internet café, a Starbucks, clothing and handicraft boutiques, and a bank. You will also find Riviera Nayarit's Conventions and Visitors Bureau on the second floor.

In the heart of Polanco, you'll find this open-air shopping center lined with mostly locally owned and operated stores. Opened in 1938 and bordered by Avenida Masaryk (the most famous shopping district in the city), the stores here might not be exceptional, but the location and the people-watching are.

North of the convention center, the two-story Plaza Caracol has chain stores, souvenir shops, jewelry boutiques, and pharmacies. If you work up an appetite, it also has a food court. Free Wi-Fi is available at the Häagen-Dazs ice cream shop.

In addition to housing about 30 shops and restaurants, this mall also hosts art exhibits and other cultural events. While parents shop, kids can enjoy the games arcade and play area.

Nuevo Vallarta was in dire need of a proper, non-tourist-oriented shopping center, and that's exactly what Lago Real is—an unpretentious mall featuring a wide array of shops and services including Walmart, Cinépolis, Telcel, a food court, and several banks.

With 100-plus shops, several big department stores and restaurants, two movie theaters, a video arcade, and plenty of fast-food outlets El Centro's shopping mecca will—for better or worse—make you feel right at home. The mall is intolerably crowded on weekends.

This family-friendly mall features restaurants, shops, and cinemas.

This Mexican-colonial-style outdoor mall in Playacar sells handcrafts, clothes, jewelry, and specialty items like tequila and cigars. There is also a Starbucks.

This fancy, multilevel shopping mall is across from the downtown cruise-ship dock. A covered pedestrian walkway leads over the street from the ships to the center, which houses several jewelry, sportswear, and souvenir stores, as well as ice-cream shops and chain restaurants and bars such as Hooters and Señor Frog's.

Though you probably didn't come on vacation to go to the mall, it's quite nice to have one as conveniently located as Puerto Paraíso, which sits pretty right on the marina. There are some practical stores that may come in handy in a pinch (like an AT&T and MacStore for electronics), as well as many places to buy beachwear and accessories. There's also a bank (Scotiabank), which is a safe place to withdraw cash in pesos, and a grocery store (Selecto Súper Chedraui), should your place have a kitchen that you'd like to stock up. Or if you just need to catch your breath after disembarking a boat, the mall is ready and waiting with its refreshing air conditioning and public restrooms.

Located across from the posh One& Only Palmilla Resort, here you'll find a smattering of shops and galleries, a couple of restaurants, a coffee shop, a nice terrace with a peaceful fountain, and a view of the Palmilla development with the Sea of Cortez beyond. Pez Gordo Art Gallery is artist Dana Leib's second location and offers her pieces, as well as those by other artists. If you need to fuel up during your time here, there's an outpost of the popular Nicksan franchise as well as the Cream Cafe. These days, even a U.S. Consulate can be found here.