10 Best Places to Shop in The Panhandle, Florida

There are tourist shops up and down the Emerald Coast Parkway selling suntan lotion, swimsuits, floats, and gator heads, but there's nothing quite like Banana Bart's. In a sea of newness, this brightly painted store is a standout, situated in one of Destin's original 1930s-era fishing shacks. Inside there really is a Banana Bart, who opened his store in 1984. Every square inch of this rabbit warren is jam-packed with baubles, jewelry, and stuff appealing to all ages. Bart has a great selection of bespoke T-shirts with graphics extolling the virtues of the beach life. And the parking lot offers a lovely view of Destin Harbor.

Ten miles north of Pensacola's historic districts, this mall is anchored by department stores Dillard's and Belk. There are also more than 125 specialty shops, including the usual mall suspects like Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, and a food court.

This open-air lifestyle center features more than 80 shops and restaurants, an AMC theater, and a pirate-themed playground for kids. You can't miss the mega-size Bass Pro Shops, a two-story extravaganza that includes an aquarium and a massive selection of outdoor gear, from boats to clothes to fishing hooks. Also on-site is Uncle Buck's FishBowl & Grill, an underwater-theme bowling alley and restaurant.

On the first floor of The Consulate Suites is a collection of antiques and home decor, as well as upscale clothing, toys, and gifts representing the Forgotten Coast.

This town center–style shopping and dining complex is on the area's main thoroughfare, just a hop, skip, and jump from the Sandestin Resort. Chicos, J.Jill, Orvis, and Tommy Bahama are among the national brands represented here. Sunset Shoes and The Zoo Gallery are some of the unique local shops worthy of a visit. Dining options include Another Broken Egg Cafe, Vin'tij Food + Wine, and Emeril's Coastal. In addition, the menu at the state-of-the-art Boulevard 10 movie theater gives the phrase "dinner and a show" a whole new meaning.

Hop off I–10 at Exit 203 to head to this shopping and dining district filled with more than 50 locally owned specialty shops, salons, cafés, and restaurants. Hearth & Soul (home goods and clothing), Narcissus (boutique), and Coton Colors (local giftware) are popular, as are many other stores in smaller area enclaves. No worries: most are within easy walking distance of one another. The district is slightly west of Thomasville Road at the intersection of Timberlane Road and Market Street.

This area mixes Southern charm with city chic, offering everything from the stylish fashions of Divas and Devils to luxury beauty and spa services at Kanvas to the independent bookstore Midtown Reader. Shops can be found along North Monroe Street, heading toward downtown, as well as some of the side streets. If you get hungry picking up purchases, revive yourself with Italian fare at Bella Bella, enjoy salads, sandwiches and soup at Jeri's Midtown Cafe, or perk yourself up with Red Eye Coffee.

The community's "downtown" has great shops clustered mostly on Barrett Square and Main Street. It's easy to stroll from boutique to toy store to gift shop to home decor showroom—and take a coffee break at Amavida Coffee & Tea or stop at a restaurant if you're in need of greater revivification.

At this quaint, colorful, eight-cottage complex you can buy gifts, explore galleries, make your own work of glass art, and grab a bite at Nanbu Noodle Bar or Black Bear Bread Co. café and bakery.

Put on your eight-hour shoes if you want to explore all the outlet stores at this mega-outdoor mall. There are nearly 100 of them, representing just about every household name in fashion, accessories, home goods, and beauty. Saks OFF 5th anchors one end, and in between you'll find quality merchandise for bargain prices in stores like Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, and Le Creuset. There are several places to grab a snack to revive your spirits for another round of shopping.