21 Best Places to Shop in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

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.

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 refined dining options, boutique shopping, coffee and tea stations, and community workspaces, it’s impossible to pigeonhole this hip locale. Housed in a turn-of-the-last-century building once used as a stable for the nearby Tampa Bay Hotel, it's a large and meandering place: around one corner you might find a cerebral bookstore with great literary finds; around another, you might come upon a sunny courtyard or comfy seating area where you can relax with a cup a coffee.

This burgeoning, 16-block district—part of an ongoing urban redevelopment project—has changed Downtown Tampa’s cityscape by bringing residences, offices, hotels (including the new Tampa EDITION), shops, restaurants, bars, and pleasant outdoor spaces to the waterfront. Eateries range from the casual yet upscale Anchor and Brine to the sophisticated Battery. Shops include DWELL Home Market, Yura Vine Brothers, and The Modern Paws. 

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.

Ybor City's destination within a destination, this dining-and-entertainment palace has at least 20 shops, bars, and restaurants, with the latter serving everything from gourmet popsicles to upscale sushi.

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 independent store carries a diverse selection of books and periodicals, as well as gifts, crystals, candles, and jewelry. It also hosts various events and art fairs.

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.

Thousands of shoppers swarm to Howard’s Flea Market each weekend seeking all kinds of treasures: antiques and collectibles, books, clothing, jewelry, art, produce, and home goods. The largest flea market in Citrus County, this shopper’s paradise has 800 covered vendors on 55 acres.

In addition to a food court and sit-down restaurants, International Plaza has more than 200 stores that include big-name clothing retailers—from Armani Exchange and Burberry to Abercrombie & Fitch—as well as specialty shops selling everything from handbags to jewelry to home decor. Be sure to wander the open-air Bay Street, which has additional boutiques and 16 full-service restaurants and bars.

In Ybor City, a few small shops still practice the craft of hang-rolling cigars, including this establishment, which also has a café and plentiful outdoor seating.

Find the trendiest fashions and most stylish handbags and shoes from top designers in this downtown shop, which is attached to a swanky spa.

The specialties here include women's fashion, cute handbags, shoes, perfumes, and lingerie. Across the street is Lotus Active, where you'll find high-end athletic wear.

Within this upscale shopping district's six blocks, you’ll find exclusive retailers such as Rag & Bone, Albisia, and Wolford, as well as locally owned shops. Eateries include Tampa classics like the Goody Goody restaurant; contemporary spots like the Meat Market steak house; and more modern places like Timpano, which serves Italian. Be sure to check out the district’s calendar of events. There’s always something fun going on!

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.

There’s something for everyone at this eclectic shopping destination, including fresh produce, prepared foods, antiques, art, clothing, health and wellness products, household items, and more. This 145,000-square-foot flea market has more than 600 vendor booths and shops both indoors and outdoors. It frequently hosts special events that attract both locals and visitors.

Not too far from Siesta Key's wildly popular beaches is a cluster of stores, restaurants, and watering holes you won't want to miss. This is a great place to shop and grab a bite after the beach—or earlier if it's not a beach day.

Park in the municipal lot at the end of Avenida Madera, then stroll down Ocean Boulevard, where you'll find clusters of upscale shops and a range of restaurants and bars.

No visit to Sarasota is complete without a visit to this busy yet laid-back shopping hub—literally and figuratively, as it's arranged around a large traffic circle in the middle of Lido Key. (Trivia: it was developed by John Ringling.) You'll find a sprinkling of upscale retail chains, including White House Black Market, but the area's small, imaginative boutiques are the real draws. St. Armand's Circle also offers plenty of dining and dessert (especially ice cream) options, nightlife, and just plain people-watching.